Issues with signing in? Click here Need help signing in? Somacis serves markets such as aerospace and defence View all events > Your email address is already registered with us. Click here to receive a verification link and login. Don't have an account? Click here to register Please check your spam or junk folder just in case Stadium from higher categories, "important - says mister Marco Giuliodori - and we will go to face a famous club, an extra incentive to do well. Playing in a stadium like that is a great opportunity to show off, especially for a young player, but we must not lose sight of the goal of getting points to achieve this blessed salvation". Second consecutive away game after the defeat in Avezzano on Holy Thursday. "After a defeat like that we will have to start again strong, especially from a mental point of view, even if we are facing a strong team, always present in the top areas of the table and that will want to do well as well as reach the goal of playoff also to finish well at home since it will be the last home game. A strong team in all departments, up front they have Martiniello, one of the top scorers of the tournament, a team with the right mix of young and experienced players, without forgetting the coach, a great coach". Who knows if the corporate issues with the fans' protests will affect the match? "I don't think they can have repercussions on the team. We will have to look at our own home, our motivations will have to be more important than theirs, we will have to take away points, we need them to save ourselves". Castelfidardo returns Vecchio from disqualification, but there will be no Costanzi, stopped by the sports judge for one day. Leading the black and greens at Del Conero is captain Gianmarco Fabbri: "We want revenge after the first leg, because at home we did very well and we deserved the three points but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Our motivations certainly can't be the same as theirs because the Dorics are playing for access to the playoffs, which in any case in D don't count for promotion, while we will be playing for a large slice of permanence in the category. Whoever has the most motivation to bring home the result will win the match. We will try in every way" concludes the captain of the biancoverdi. Castelfidardo has a two-point advantage over the playout zone with two days to go in the regular season. The Wow folk Festival will take place in the scenic central-eastern Italian city of Castelfidardo The easing of the pandemic situation has made it possible to host three European bands and many free admission concerts in the historic downtown area Lars Karlsson Band is set to perform on Friday May 27 at 21:00 (9:30 pm) at Piazza della Repubblica Bandleader Lars Karlsson is one of the most important performers of the diatonic instrument and has been awarded various prizes and scholarships for his diverse and creative compositions Belgian quintet WÖR will perform also at Piazza della Repubblica The contemporary folk band has revitalized a forgotten repertoire connected to the musical “hits” that were played in the eighteenth century thanks to the bell ringers of bells installed on churches in late medieval times in the Netherlands and Northern France The group delivers a Baroque neo-folk style with saxophones accordion and guitar and original and modern arrangements Wow will present renowned accordionist Filippo Gambetta at 19:00 (7:00 pm) at Piazza della Repubblica Gambetta will perform material from his latest work “Circo Carnevale e Maestrale” with Sergio Caputo (violin) and Fabio Vernizzi (piano) the festivities include the day of Cantamaggio with itinerant performances by spontaneous groups in the city’s neighborhoods Performers will depart in the morning from Piazza della Repubblica traveling around the city for the classic begging in a spirit of contagious and polite joy Please enter an answer in digits:10 − two = Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Italy's famed accordion industry has all the business it wants — but there are limits to its ambitions More than 70 percent of Italy's gross domestic product comes from small businesses — and they're not growing Economists are worried this will make it impossible for Italy to climb out of its massive $2.6 trillion debt something as small as Italy's accordion industry can have an impact The work of its craftsmen has reached millions of ears For instance, the accordion you hear in The Decemberists' "Mariner's Revenge Song" was handmade in the central Italian town of Castelfidardo where seaside workshops helped pioneer the modern squeezebox 150 years ago Today, the likes of Bjork, Calexico and Gogol Bordello come to the town for what's considered the Ferrari of accordions "It's a very special job," says Genuino Baffetti, who runs the Dino Baffetti accordion company "It takes passion to want to make the best accordions." The air inside Baffetti's workshop is thick with sawdust and glue Italy's accordion industry has attracted new customers but most of its companies want to stay small Baffetti says the instruments are made pretty much the same as when his father began making accordions 60 years ago. Back then, they were not novelties in popular music — for proof, just look at a clip from Lawrence Welk's old primetime TV show The town was home to some 3,000 accordion makers; it dominated the global market reshaped the accordion market in the 1950s and 60s the town sold around 200,000 accordions a year Beniamino Bugiolacchi directs Castelfidardo's accordion museum But you can't blame it all on rock and roll Italy's newly appointed deputy labor minister Martone points out that the accordion didn't disappear after the 1950s China now manufactures most of the world's low-cost accordions The businesses in Castelfidardo that used to make them are long gone The companies that are left are mostly tiny firms that focus on high-end instruments Some accordions made here go for as much as $50,000 That means small-business owners like Baffetti can make a pretty decent living "Our company makes 180-200 accordions in one month we turn down requests when business is too good." but it's a big problem for the economy as a whole then it will be hard for the entire country to compete globally But that's also our problem," Martone says That doesn't mean that quality has to suffer Martone wants niche manufacturers to band together the way Italy's giant fashion industry did decades ago Once-boutique companies like Prada and Ferragamo today bring in billions of euros for the Italian economy But until more small companies do the same economists worry that things in Castelfidardo — and the rest of Italy — will stay out of tune with the global economy Become an NPR sponsor As his second album Castelfidardo is released Jonny Kerry talks about the joys and challenges of bringing the piano accordion to the jazz stage Jonny Kerry could have taken the easy option and become a pianist: lots of well-mapped standards to play lots of famous footsteps to follow in – and no heavy lifting But instead Kerry opted to move on to the piano accordion.  “I’ve always liked a challenge,” Kerry says of this tricky-to-master instrument with its keys “I got frustrated by the accordion for years and thought But I’ve always liked things that are a bit different and fell in love with the sound and history of the instrument.” And as the second album by the Lincolnshire-based bandleader comes out he’s confident he’s made the right choice “I’ve had a lot of opportunities through the accordion that I wouldn’t have got if I played piano I was in an episode of Peaky Blinders and the other week I played at a party for Tom Odell alongside some wonderful musicians.” On YouTube streams are up to a million with a solo version of Autumn Leaves earning 115,000 views alone as well as over 700,000 streams on Spotify.  has a spring in its step – a joyful mix of gypsy jazz Kerry’s group includes two guitars and double bass with discreet percussion and strings as required There are standards: the accordionist sings After You’ve Gone and Smile in a languorous croon; there’s Chick Corea’s Armando’s Rhumba nimbly covered plus originals including a delicious flurry of accordion and guitar that’s a good deal sunnier than its title – Lockdown – might suggest The ghost of Django Reinhardt hovers in the wings which is not surprising given that the guitarist invented the gypsy jazz genre more or less singlehandedly The album release marks the 200th anniversary of the invention of the accordion with its title saluting the small Italian town (pop 19,000) at the centre of the country’s accordion business And in Italy building accordions has been very big business indeed – before the advent of Fiat the squeezebox was reportedly Italy’s biggest-grossing export “Castelfidardo is the town where the accordion was developed into the professional-sounding instrument it is today,” says Kerry The peak of popularity came in the 1950s – until rock’n’roll finding no use for the instrument’s warm tone “Although the accordion never lost popularity in countries like Brazil here it became a very uncool instrument to play.”  was a young teenager learning piano when his grandfather presented him with a piano accordion “I started trying to find albums to hear how it sounded when professionals played it I discovered Art Van Damme and Richard Galliano and realised the accordion could sound really good.” Today he wants to help popularise the instrument “People often haven’t heard it before At gigs they’ll come up and be quite open; they’ll say that they didn’t think they were going to come but are very glad they did and really enjoyed it There need to be more star accordionists to attract new players “When choosing an instrument people tend to pick an instrument that people they idolise play If you like Oscar Peterson it’s going to be piano or with Joe Pass Kerry’s TV spot in Peaky Blinders might help In episode five of series three he played a hot-blooded folk tune at an energetically decadent Russian party the Brummie gangsters attend (vodka and accordion turn out to be a libidinous blend) “There were quite a lot of takes but it was worth it – a good experience,” he says Beyond the UK the piano accordion can offer a quicker path to success “I’ve got a friend who I speak to occasionally in Brazil who sings and plays the accordion and he’s got a million followers on Instagram I certainly don’t think for one minute I’ll have that kind of success in the UK but it’s interesting to see how the accordion is still a very popular instrument in other countries.”  and hopes to get Arts Council funding for a tour PP Features are part of marketing packages Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a062cad6178357976196ca57e92427ad" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Please check your inbox (and also your spam or junk folder We kindly request to oblige by fair use rules when quoting or sharing our content All original content is copyrighted unless credited otherwise but does take on work as a paid publicist and/or sell advertising packages Where a piece published after 26th October 2012 appears which is linked to this activity the content will be clearly sign-posted with the PP symbol Receive our weekly email newsletter with Jazz updates from London and beyond If you’ve been on our list all along Not only the conquest of the much desired salvation of the Castelfidardo in D, the primary objective of the season, but also for how the victory came to Del Conero. With four goals scored atAncona, without suffering. "Winning like this in Ancona is a lot, a great satisfaction to have achieved the goal among a thousand difficulties" continues Giuliodori. Company at the beginning of the season, suspensions and injuries were not lacking, as was the decline in the second part of the season. "Securing safety for us is almost like a championship victory. Because we faced a very difficult tournament and closing the matter with a result like this in a Derby against an important team and in such a prestigious stadium was the icing on the cake. A result that will remain in the history of Castelfidardo. It will be remembered over time. A satisfaction and a pride to be the coach of this team. I am happy for everyone, players, club and fans". DISQUALIFICATIONS. One disqualified in Castelfidardo also on the last day. Dawit Fossi was suspended for one day for repeating a yellow card. Three days for Mattia Ferretti, coach of Vigor Senigallia, "for having unduly left his own technical area, entering the opponent's area to push an opposing manager". One day of disqualification for repeating a yellow card for Alberto Alari of Roma City Fc, next opponent of Vigor Senigallia. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing 'Once I saw he was suffering I got a little bit more motivation' says race leader and exuded confidence after a brutal day of racing The team kept me in a good position when Van der Poel attacked with 60km to go," Pogačar said The peloton made quick work of the first half of the 205km stage from Castellalto to the punchy circuits around Castelfidardo but when they arrived so too did a sudden cold front that blew away the pleasant spring weather and plunged riders into single-digit temperatures Van der Poel pulled a group of five away with Pogačar Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) and Sergio Higuita (EF Education Nippo) but then went clear alone on a descent with 52 kilometres still to race Van Aert jumped away to take an intermediate sprint time bonus but Pogačar's teammates otherwise controlled the pace until the final lap when it was time for the team leader to put in his likely general classification-clinching attack "I had in mind the GC and to make as big a gap as possible Once I saw that Wout was suffering I got a little bit more motivation," he said.  "I didn't expect to catch Van der Poel but in the end I almost did Congrats to him he did an amazing ride again to solo in this cold weather - it was a really hard day." Van der Poel had a three-minute gap with 20km to go but on the penultimate climb Pogačar attacked left them behind and exponentially reduced the Dutch champion's gap to a mere 10 seconds at the finish "We just stayed calm in the group and Davide [Formolo] did a good job pulling in the group In the end I tried and succeeded with the attack but it was a great ride by Van der Poel in this freezing weather," Pogačar said he had a big gap and is a super good rider Even though he cracked a little bit in the end it was still an incredible ride from him and I was a little too late to catch him but it didn't matter The Tour de France champion now has one flat sprint stage and a 10km time trial standing between him and the overall victory but he's not letting his guard down yet.  Normally [it will be a] sprint and I hope so I need to stay focused until the finish line." and with Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) now adrift in third at three minutes Pogačar concluded: "Now I can be more calm Today was the last really hard day - Wout could take some seconds but in the end "I'm super happy to go into tomorrow with this gap and then the time trial." she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track Laura has a passion for all three disciplines When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads UCI governance and performing data analysis But playing with the weight of everything that has happened in the past few weeks and with the tifoseria once again outside the stadium in open and bitter protest against the club of the owner Marconi, it certainly won't be easy. Ancona against the club but also against all the controversies, in short, to close this championship in the best possible way. And then to pack everyone's bags, those that the technical staff would have already been ready for a while. Castelfidardo (Ancona), 31 March 2025 – Return to victory for Castelfidardo who beat Aquila at home with three goals, winning important points in the safety zoneGreat performance by Giuliodori's team against a battleship, third in the standings, even if the rossoblu had other intentions at the beginning of the championship. Those of fighting for the first place that has now slipped away. The three points yesterday were therefore more appealing to the Fidenza team who wanted to return to victory at all costs after only two points won in the last five days. Imbriola is not in the Fidardens, suspended, but Nanapere is back and his return after the suspension is finally felt. A brace for the number eleven in green and white while the first goal is signed by Braconi. Nanapere could double the score: he does everything well by putting pressure on the opponent's half, recovering an excellent ball, but the lob is not precise (21'). Just after half an hour comes the draw dell'Aquila. Misunderstanding of the home defense with Banegas who with a left-footed volley from outside the area beats Elezaj, who replaced the injured Munari. The last thrill of the first half was a shot from Cotugno, in the 39th minute, from distance, deflected into a corner. Dutchman clings on to edge out Pogacar in miserable conditions The Dutchman soloed away from a select lead group 52 kilometres from the line into a sudden storm that whipped up high winds, rain, and plummeting temperatures and narrowly holding off a furious solo chase from race leader Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) Pogačar attacked 17 kilometres from the line up the final ascent of the 15 per cent slope of the Castelfidardo wall and went on to put in an incredible solo pursuit of the Dutch champion slashing a three-minute gap that Van der Poel had built up with a long-range attack to just 10 seconds at the line “I was riding completely on empty in the last few kilometres I was told that Pogačar was coming close but I wasn't even able to listen I just wanted to reach the finish as fast as I could," Van der Poel said I attacked from far away because I was cold and I felt good until 20km to go.” Van der Poel's move came as the already much reduced leading group was punished by the cold rain and quickly left all the overall contenders behind Having lost over 20 minutes on the previous stage Van der Poel was no threat to Pogacar's blue jersey and the chase only picked up on the final of four laps of the 23.6km circuit It was Pogačar himself who set off in solo pursuit leaving Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) behind on the penultimate trip up the terrible 'wall' of a climb and halving Van der Poel's advantage over ten kilometres Pogačar halved it again in the final 5km Van der Poel had just 46 seconds over the Tour de France winner and a steep finishing climb that would push the Dutch champion to his limit Van der Poel looked back to see Pogačar's approach but the line came soon enough to give the Alpecin-Fenix rider his second stage victory of the race Pogačar's effort also pushed second-placed Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) to his limit with the Belgian unable to hold the UAE Team Emirates rider's pace on the final muro to go Van Aert time trialed in for third on the stage at 49 seconds "When I saw Wout van Aert suffering I went to try and get more time on GC but I never thought I would be anywhere close to catching Van der Poel," Pogacar said "I'm super happy with the advantage I have over Van Aert now before the time trial." Stage 5 of the 2021 edition of Tirreno-Adriatico provided the final real opportunity for riders to turn around the overall classification led by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) by 35 seconds over Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Sergio Higuita (EF Education Nippo) The day started bright and dry with half of the 205km stage on pan flat roads along the Adriatic coast the pace was brutal in the first hour as the overall contenders refused to allow any move to go clear until finally after 40km covered in just over 40 minutes The group was powered by time trial World Champion Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) along with Robert Stannard (BikeExchange) and Davide Ballerini (Deceuninck-QuickStep) Their gap maxed out at just under four minutes but had dropped to two and change when the race approached the punishing closing circuits around Castelfidardo with its wall kicking up to 19 per cent grades Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) and Chris Juul-Jensen (BikeExchange) threw the cat amongst the pigeons on the first climb attacking out of the maglia azzurra group and sparking a reaction that included Van der Poel who seemed to be itching to mete out punishment on roads akin to Amstel Gold terrain The Dutch champion led a move straight into the climb and was followed by Van Aert Jakob Fuglsang (Astana-Premier Tech) but Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) struggled and lost ground The breakaway's lead down to just 15 seconds Rickaert dropped back to help Van der Poel and Ballerini also dropped back leaving three riders to face an unbeatable onslaught from all the big names shattered by Van der Poel's relentless attacking Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) crashed in a rain-slicked turn with 59k to go as the pressure from the group ahead brought back Ganna Romain Bardet and teammate Nikias Arndt (Team DSM) forming a brief leading group They were caught back by Pogačar's group and attacked by Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) with 56km to go but the move only inspired Van der Poel to counter-attack and solo clear with 52km still to race Van der Poel had less to worry about in the slick turns while the chasing group took the corners more gingerly Pogačar dropped his chain as he tried to shift into an easier gear at the base of the ascent but was brought back into the group by his teammate was no threat to Pogačar's race lead at 20 minutes down the standings and Davide Formolo kept a steady tempo for Pogačar that allowed the chasing group to swell in ranks Van Aert smartly surged to take the second-placed time bonus at the intermediate sprint with 47km to go but in the end Van der Poel had forged a 90 second gap on the chasers who were rejoined by Simon Yates (BikeExchange) but not Alaphilippe who succumbed to the cold and dropped back for a jacket and gloves pushed his advantage to more than two minutes with 31km to go but Bernal suffering in the rapidly dropping temperature went back to the team car to get a rain jacket Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) opted for a different warm-up and came to the front to line out the 19-rider chasing group and began to splinter it but had little success Fabio Felline (Astana-Premier Tech) was the next rider to try attacking with 25km to go as Van der Poel's lead hovered at just under three minutes  As skinny climbers in the chasing group dropped back for warm clothing Marc Soler (Movistar) and Alessandro De Marchi (Israel Start-Up Nation) bridged up to Felline gaining 25 seconds over the maglia azzurra group Pogacar attacked from the chasing group on the climb and left the rest behind and bridging across to Soler and Felline as De Marchi dropped back with 16km to go Van Aert was briefly on his own in pursuit in the increasingly dismal weather conditions but once he caught De Marchi he found an ally to try to close down a 26 second gap to Pogacar's trio But the partnership didn't last long and as Pogačar left his companions behind so too did Van Aert The Belgian caught Pogačar's cast-offs and was still within 30 seconds of the Tour de France winner who was in hot pursuit of Van der Poel who had three minutes over the group on that penultimate climb now had just over a minute and the gap falling fast as Pogačar settled into time trial mode and a Van der Poel struggled up the final climb Pogačar had him in sight but Van der Poel had just enough to hold on for the stage win Plasteurope.com is a business information platform for the European plastics industry It is part of KI Kunststoff Information and PIE Plastics Information Europe one of the leading content providers for the European plastics industry We offer daily updated business news and reports polymer prices and other services for the international plastics industry News | Polymer Prices | Suppliers Guide | Jobs | Register | Advertising The Argotec SpacePark aims to be one of the most advanced space factories in Europe, with the capability to build more than 50 satellites per year and encompassing its own Mission Control Center to operate missions. This way Argotec the Italian aerospace engineering company founded in 2008 in Turin can maintain full ownership of the programs from inception to the final operations in space The SpacePark is situated in the iconic building designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer in San Mauro Torinese With over 11,000 sqm of operational spaces and 1,200 sqm dedicated to its industrial accelerator the SpacePark will undoubtedly be one of the places where the future of space comes to life the Argotec SpacePark Accelerator provides access to state-of-the-art laboratories and instruments offering participants a unique opportunity to establish commercial partnerships with Argotec executing a range of projects and missions aimed at revolutionizing the space landscape start-ups and small companies can conduct in-depth research and development This access extends further to international opportunities enabling start-ups to connect and collaborate with space professionals and enthusiasts from around the globe Argotec, already a corporate partner of the ESA BIC Turin incubation program will introduce and present its SpacePark Industrial Accelerator to the innovation ecosystem with a public event hosted by I3P The event is open: it is intended not only for start-ups and small companies involved in the space sector but also for those who want to learn more about the space business and the available opportunities with Argotec The presentation will be held mainly in Italian language but non-Italian speakers are welcome and will be able to interact in English during the Q&A session The event will be held on Monday, May 20th, 2024, starting at 5 PM (CEST), in presence in the Agorà hall of the I3P incubator located within the Campus of Politecnico di Torino and accessible from both the main gate of Corso Castelfidardo 30/A and the pedestrian entrance of Via Pier Carlo Boggio 59 Participation in the event is free of charge, subject to registration on Eventbrite. and though he ended up third behind stage-winner Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and race leader Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) he won a lot of fans for his dogged determination.Wout Van Aert of Jumbo-Visma looks to Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates during Stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico Source: Getty Van der Poel and Pogačar ignite Tirreno-Adriatico Pogačar the star as Tirreno-Adriatico hits the mountains Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.Get the latest with our sport podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.Watch on SBS SportSport News with the upcoming dawn of lunar surface exploration and exploitation rovers will need to host a wide variety of tools and instruments from manipulators to regolith collectors and infrastructure-laying tools this new exciting hackathon will give each participating team the opportunity to design and pitch a novel payload which – if selected – will be actually manufactured mounted and tested on the EMRS rover demonstrator currently hosted and operated in the Rover Exploration facility (RoXY) in the Turin industrial plant of Thales Alenia Space The initiative will articulate into three distinct events starting from December 2024 to the first half of 2025 The hackathon will be just the beginning of a fascinating adventure into the world of lunar exploration December 11 will start with a brief introduction from the TAS-I team about the content of the challenge and the European Moon Rover System programme a few technical sessions will be held from TAS-I experts in the subjects of Space Robotics System Engineering and much more: each session is aimed at providing useful elements to those seeking to excel in the challenge the challenge will officially begin with the formation of the final teams and the delivery of the assignment Each team will have 24 hours to conceptualize and design the prototype of their payload which will be pitched in front of the jury at the end of the second day of the hackathon.  Useful skills to excel in the challenge include CAD modeling rapid prototyping and microcontrollers; however part of the judgment will take into account team dynamics innovativeness of the proposed solution and capacity to effectively present the idea to the jury which will select two to three teams to move forward towards the prototyping and testing phases the selected teams will be able to further develop their ideas with the support of TAS-I Robotics team; prototyping will be supported by TAS-I FabLab and RoXY laboratory the prototypes will be integrated and tested on EMRS rover: the full test campaign might take from 1 to 2 full days of activities One winning team will be selected based on compliance to expected performances robustness of the solution and quality of the prototype Teamwork and complementarity of skills will be essential to face the challenge The hackathon is open to contributions from everyone with no limitations related to educational background The event will be held from 14:00 (2 p.m.) on Wednesday, December 11, to 18:00 (6 p.m.) on Thursday, December 12, at the Agora Hall of the I3P incubator located within the Campus of Politecnico di Torino and accessible from both the main gate at Corso Castelfidardo 30/A and the pedestrian entrance at Via Borsellino 53/N in Turin To take part in the hackathon, it is necessary to register on Eventbrite participants will have to form a team of 3 to 5 people as it will not be possible to participate virtually English will be the official language of the event Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design and build satellite-based systems that provide anytime enhance management of its resources and explore our Solar System and beyond.  Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies' Space Alliance Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately €2.2 billion in 2023 and has around 8,600 employees in 8 countries Egan Bernal and Tadej Pogacar riders to watch Tirreno-Adriatico returns to its traditional spring date after being postponed to September in 2020 when it was held in the long shadow of the Tour de France The 56th edition of the Race of the Two Seas again crosses from the Tyrrhenian coast to the Adriatic with seven days of racing from Tuscany to Le Marche via the Umbria and Abruzzo regions The races will pass through some current COVID-19 red zones where variants are spreading and case numbers are high but RCS Sport have tightened their COVID-19 rules and been given the green light for the race to go ahead If positive cases emerge in the race caravan they will use rapid testing to ensure the race can continue but the 14.5km climb to the finish at the Prati di Tivo ski resort returns on stage 4 to really test the overall contenders The next day the so-called 'Tappa dei Muri' – the 'Stage of the Walls' – tackles four laps of a tough Tirreno-Adriatico will once again finish with a time trial on the seafront in San Benedetto del Tronto A slightly different 11.1km course was initially presented but RCS Sport have confirmed to Cyclingnews that the traditional 10.1 kilometre route will be used next Tuesday We can expect a high-profile GC battle this year Yates returns to defend with Team BikeExchange his Trek-Segafredo teammate Giulio Ciccone Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Romain Bardet (Team DSM) are also on the start list Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) has indicated he will target the overall classification for future reference but admitted he may struggle on the climb to Prati di Tivo even if the final time trial offers him a chance of a late comeback Filippo Ganna was 50 seconds faster than Simon Yates last year in the final time trial and so Van Aert and Jumbo-Visma must know he has a shot at victory or the podium if he can limit his losses up to Prati di Tivo and on the Castelfidardo circuit Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) could also be a contender but may opt to focus on stages and fine-tuning his form for Milan-San Remo and the cobbled Classics Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) played down his ambitions but after his superb Strade Bianche victory he is expected to be one to watch on the rolling stages and sprint stages designed for the Classics contenders He said he will help teammate Tim Merlier in the sprints but could alternate leadership depending on the finish Together they will face Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) Niccolò Bonifazio (Total Direct Énergie) Álvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck-QuickStep) Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) Sagan makes his season debut at Tirreno-Adriatico as he tries to get his spring back on track after catching COVID-19 while at a warm-weather training camp in early February Viviani is also on a comeback but has already ridden the UAE Tour after his cardiac arrhythmia and subsequent ablation surgery Other storylines to watch for include Gianni Savio's Androni Giocattoli out to prove they deserved a palace at the Giro d'Italia and Greg Van Avermaet's need to find some form for the Classics while Dan Martin leads Israel Start-Up Nation in the absence of Chris Froome who has opted for an altitude camp rather than a March stage race Ineos Grenadiers are the strongest team on the start list but that throws up some interesting questions Geraint Thomas will start as a protected rider alongside an on-form Bernal Dani Martínez and Michał Kwiatkowski But someone other than Salvatore Puccio is going to have to fill the domestique role Tirreno-Adriatico is the proven route to success at Milan-San Remo and so most of the contenders for La Classicissima will be in Italy this week Some of the favourites will hide in the Tirreno-Adriatico peloton and focus on honing their form while others will search out victory for a morale boost Every day is a form guide for the spring weekend to come The 1109km race route offers something for everyone across the seven stages with three days over 200km to help riders prepare their metabolism and mindset for the 300km in the saddle at Milan-San Remo The team time trial on the opening day of Tirreno-Adriatico in Lido di Camaiore has in the past offered a fast the discipline has been widely abandoned even in Grand Tours because the best teams gain so much time on the worst.  Tirreno-Adriatico will instead begin with a flat and fast 156km road stage around Lido di Camaiore The first half of the race ascends the Pitoro climb of the former GP di Camaiore but the final 86km cover a four-corner kermesse-style circuit The finish comes after 9km on the straight and flat seafront boulevard making lead-outs difficult to impose and the speed extremely high Stage 2 is 202km in length and heads inland deep into Tuscany for a ride to Chiusdino near Siena The climbing begins after spectacular Volterra There are no dirt roads on this visit to the Siena area but the Poggio alla Croce climb has a sting in the tail and the climb to the finish has a 5.4 per cent and twisting final kilometre It offers the perfect revenge match for Strade Bianche Van Aert and Van der Poel sure to be up there Stage 3 to Gualdo Tadino is 219km long and more for the sprinters despite the 3 per cent rise to the finish line and tight left turn with a kilometre to go Stage 4 promises to be the pivotal day at Tirreno-Adriatico as the gruppo faces a short but intense haul through the Apennines from Terni to the Abruzzese ski station of Prati di Tivo The 156km stage includes the climbs of Forca di Arrone each ramping up the altitude before a long descent then brings the race to the base of the final climb to Prati di Tivo The 14.5km ascent boasts some 22 hairpin bends and an average gradient of seven per cent The climb was the last part of the Tirreno-Adriatico route in 2013 when Chris Froome claimed victory at the summit while Vincenzo Nibali was a stage winner at Prati di Tivo the previous year Prato di Tivo tops out at 1450 metres and so the Grand Tour riders will surely emerge here and fight for the blue leader's jersey The big weekend of climbing continues on Sunday's stage 5 with the walls or steep muri climbs that Purito Rodríguez so loved during his career This year's stage starts with a 100km ride along the Adriatic coast but ends with four laps of a tough There is precious little respite on the circuit which is composed of a succession of three steep wall-like climbs with gradients of up to 18 per cent on each lap The 3km-long finishing wall kicks up in three steps with the final kilometre at 14.9 per cent going straight up the hillside The flat penultimate stage from Castelraimondo to the Adriatic resort of Lido di Fermo should offer the sprinters another opportunity but the early rolling hills mean they and their teammates will have to work for it and pull back any serious breakaways The 11km finishing circuit is covered four times and includes a short rise to inspire late attacks The race caravan will jump down the Adriatic coast to San Benedetto del Tronto for the traditional out and back final time trial It's a perfect stage for Filippo Ganna to strut his stuff and for Van Aert too it will be a test of nerve and time trialling ability with the clock confirming the final winner and awarding what is arguably the best trophy in professional cycling after the Paris-Roubaix cobblestone Stephen FarrandSocial Links NavigationHead of NewsStephen is one of the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team having reported on professional cycling since 1994 He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022 before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters Dutch Mathieu van der Poel wins the third stage of the Tirreno Adriatico cycling race (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP) CASTELFIDARDO Italy — Mathieu van der Poel soloed to victory on the fifth stage of the weeklong Tirreno-Adriatico race as Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar extended his overall lead to more than a minute on Sunday Van der Poel attacked with more than 50 kilometres (31 miles) remaining of the 205-kilometre (127-mile) leg from Castellalto to Castelfidardo and the Dutch champion built up a lead of around three minutes on the tough finishing circuit The chasing group was happy to let him go as he posed little threat to the overall standings but Pogacar made his move with 17 kilometres remaining and slashed the gap to finish just 10 seconds behind Van der Poel “I was riding completely on empty in the last few kilometres,” Van der Poel said “I was told that Pogacar was coming close but I wasn’t even able to listen I just wanted to reach the finish as fast as I could.” It was a second victory in this year’s race for Van der Poel after the Alpecin-Fenix rider also won stage three on Friday 15 seconds ahead of Van Aert in the overall standings “When I saw Wout van Aert suffering I went to try and get more time on GC but I never thought I would be anywhere close to catching Van der Poel,” Pogacar said Monday’s sixth and penultimate stage is a 169-kilometre (105-mile) leg from Castelraimondo to Lido di Fermo The race ends on Tuesday with an individual time trial in San Benedetto del Tronto “I’m super happy with the advantage I have over Van Aert now before the time trial,” Pogacar said When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time. Pope Pius IX (Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti), the longest-serving pope, who lost the Papal States when Italy was unified in 1870  including dozens of serving policemen — 20 from Cork — flocked to Italy in 1860 to protect Pope Pius IX against the insurgent nationalist forces of Cavour and Garibaldi Any man over five-foot-seven inches tall could enrol in the infantry of the Papal States The establishment of a cavalry brigade of “tall muscular young Irishmen” was also under consideration announcing the exodus of young men from Cork to join the Papal Brigade in ItalyAbout 1,300 young men left Ireland many giving up “comfortable homes” and resigning from “lucrative employments” to become unpaid soldiers Apprentices broke the terms of their indentures Standing shoulder to shoulder with the sons of farmers they eagerly waited to board ship at Cobh to “rally round the Chair of Peter” If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading The recruits would receive green uniforms with caps incorporating a shamrock motif and were assured of both military fame and the “highest promises of future prosperity” the ‘Irish Brigade’ would be supported by donations to the Catholic Church in Europe and America they would fight under the protection of “a kind and benevolent ruler” whose dominions they would safeguard “against the attack of his unscrupulous assailants” But the English press claimed the Irishmen were mercenaries would the willing recruits find fame and fortune; or were they destined to return to Ireland in disappointment Travelling furtively in small groups of 20-40 There they joined soldiers of eight more nationalities — including Italians French and Belgians — who didn’t know one another’s languages and they were issued instead with surplus Austrian kit prior to receiving some rushed training from Louth-born Major Myles O’Reilly showing a splendidly dressed Irish papal bodyguard (Zouave) in 1860During the next few months under the overall command of General Christophe Lamoricière the Papal Brigade faced “a desperate struggle against overwhelming odds” reported The Cork Examiner (5 November 1860) Although only Garibaldi and his redshirts were expected the Pope’s army came up against the full Piedmont-Sardinia forces The Irish always fought “like lions”: On 13 September Patrick Clooney of Waterford and his men inflicted serious casualties on the Piedmontese in the narrow streets of Perugia the Irish Brigade managed to defend the gatehouse for fourteen hours and obsolete muskets that became so hot when fired that the men had to wrap their handkerchiefs around the barrels So successful at first were Irish riflemen that a Sardinian captain praised their ‘sharpshooting’ and their Italian comrades in arms supposedly “ran away from their posts as soon as the engagement commenced” 105 Irishmen put up a spirited defence under the command of Roscommon’s Captain Martin Kirwan the 39,000 Sardinians quickly overwhelmed the 10,000-strong Papal Brigade by Giovanni GallucciIn the final encounter at Ancona Irishmen apparently defied surgeons and went back to their posts within a couple of days of being injured “so eager was their anxiety to return to the fray” all the while being insulted “in every possible way” Fears arose that they were to be transported to Malta to serve in the British Army Therefore they were relieved to hear that a vessel had arrived to take them to France In Paris they were treated like heroes: gentlemen presented them with shirts and women are said to have asked for a button from their uniforms as a souvenir about 960 of the Irish Papal Brigade arrived back in Cobh to a warm and hearty reception with temperance bands striking up “Cheer boys who worked for the unification of Italy by conquering Sicily and Naples Locals turned out in crowds to greet them and the cliffs were “thickly dotted with groups of men cheering enthusiastically and waving handkerchiefs Vessels at anchor in the harbour sounded their whistles and several ladies and gentlemen were heard cheering on the balcony of the Victoria Baths Hotel Navvies building the Cork and Youghal Railway threw down their shovels and pickaxes “and shouted and waved their hats most vehemently” praised the men for abandoning their homes and friends and risking their lives to fight for the Holy Father All were awarded a commemorative service medal in recognition With the exception of one — who had particularly suffered at the hands of the Sardinians — the men were in “good health and buoyant spirits” They were given a “substantial and comfortable breakfast” of bread and ham each man received a new suit of clothes made by Cork City tailors and paid for by public subscription None had dreamt of getting such an enthusiastic reception: “I would sooner have that welcome than if they gave me twenty pounds” Had he and his comrades returned from the Pope’s wars “We will fight for him again tomorrow” shouted one soldier From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in more history articles Lorna McCormack: “Very few know where their food and clothes come from or that clothes can be repaired and made at home." By Gregor Brown in Castelfidardo Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval - Scott) hasn't had the best.. but this year...for me it has been unlucky," Riccò said of his week in southern Italy Prior to the rider's crash on Stage 3, a clearly frustrated Riccò tossed his race machine through the air after stage 2 It was a moment of "anger" according to Riccò but from the pundits it was a sign of his overall performance at the Corsa dei Due Mari Stage 3's tumble saw him laying on the ground for some time before he was able to get up and eventually finish the stage and I don't know if I will do Sanremo," he said "I still have a bad back from that crash." Riccò lurked in the shadows of stage 6 to Castelfidardo where he finished in a group 36 seconds back on stage winner Oscar Freire (Rabobank) He will likely announce his participation in La Classicissima following Tirreno's final stage in San Benedetto del Tronto today "I have not previewed the finale of Sanremo this spring but I will have to see how I feel after Tuesday [Tirreno's conclusion - ed.] For me to win I have to attack on the Poggio Massimiliano Pitocco’s accordion mastery session will take place on November 9-10 Massimiliano PITOCCO began studying the “Bajan” at the age of 7 with Maestro A Di Zio and later in Paris with Maestro Max Bonnay graduating in 1992 from the National Superior Conservatory in 1993 at the Conservatory of the “ville de Paris “and in the same year at the regional competition of Ile de France obtaining the first prize with gold medal everywhere In ’92 he graduated with honors in Organ in Pescara with Prof in ’94 in Accordion in Bari and studied Fugue and Composition with Maestro E.Alandia He subsequently specialized in Bajan with F.Lips L.Rogg and for two years in Cremona with M.Radulescu He is the winner of numerous international Bayan competitions including the first prize in Castelfidardo (1986 and 1988) and the second prize at the “World Cup” organized in Switzerland (1989) He is often invited to conferences and seminars as well as to preside over the juries of the most important international competitions such as the Castelfidardo and Klingenthal Prize He has played in important theaters around the world such as those in Munich and in major Italian theaters such as the Parco della Musica in Rome For years he has also played the Bandoneòn and has dedicated himself to Tango in particular to the music of A.Piazzolla; in 1998 he founded the quartet “Four for Tango” in 2000 the TrisTango and in 2006 the sextet “Viento de Tango” In 2002 he played and directed the opera “Maria de Buenos Aires” by A enjoying considerable success with audiences and critics He has collaborated and collaborates with great musicians and actors such as Milva Adolfo Margotta; he has recorded numerous soundtracks for cinema and television films and recorded several compact discs for the Dynamic He holds the Bajan chair at the “Santa Cecilia” conservatory in Rome and holds master classes at the Portogruaro festival and the Pescara Music Academy His students Cesare Chiacchiaretta, Dario Flammini, Giuseppe Scigliano , Adriano Ranieri  have been winners of the most important accordion competitions in the world and teachers at Conservatories of Music https://www.limerickleader.ie/section/1195/advertise-with-us weather & more in Limerick and County Limerick All the latest breaking local news from Limerick and County Limerick Keep up to date with the latest sports news Read all the latest Irish news and updates from around Ireland Find whats happening in and around Limerick and County Limerick Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Limerick and County Limerick Catch up on all the latest business news in Limerick and County Limerick Read about the latest properties available in Limerick and County Limerick Enjoy our latest and up to date motoring review and news in Limerick and County Limerick Limerick and County Limerick Met Eireann Weather Forecast Recent death notices and obituaries from Limerick and County Limerick Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism LIMERICK’s best known busker is “over the moon” after an Italian company agreed to provide him with a new accordion his squeeze-box has suffered a bit of wear and tear in that time One of his neighbours highlighted to the Limerick Leader last month that the musician needs a new instrument the president of a company in Italy which has been producing accordions since 1863 said he wanted to donate a brand new instrument to Tom which is based in Castelfidardo in central-eastern Italy known as the capital of accordion builders he said: “I read your story about Tom on the internet Some Irish friends of mine confirmed to me that he is very popular not only in Limerick and I have passed my life in the music business So I understand Tom is looking for a new baby after a long time,” added the company’s president is now winging its way from Italy to Limerick “You’re making my life start again,” he beamed In a video produced by media agency Southern Tom revealed it was his father who taught him to play the melodeon and he started playing on a regular basis after his mother passed away Following the damage to his original instrument he wasn’t able to play some of his favourite tunes there will be some sweet music in the air over the streets of Limerick once again Pawsome! Limerick's first dog park opens its doors " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news The former Desmond Arms complex in Catherine Street is being marketed as The Printworks reflecting a time when this newspaper was printed in the area | PICTURE: Adrian Butler Join Slimming World Ireland and donate your clothes to charity when you lose the weight Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie Gino D’Acampo continues his Italian Coastal Escape on ITV by heading to one of Italy’s best-kept secrets – the Conero Riviera… the This Morning chef returns to his home country of Italy to reveal one of its best kept secrets - it’s stunning Adriatic Coast and he’s travelling the entire length of the country’s eastern coastline to see everything this spectacular and lesser known side of the country has to offer the latest stop on the journey along the Adriatic coast is a stunning national park turquoise waters and rolling vineyards that draws comparisons to the more famous region of Tuscany Mount Conero rises up from the crystal clear water of the sea and Gino’s first stop in tonight’s episode is a winery to sample one of the regions most famous red wines – Rosso Conero Inspired by the beautiful drink he makes chocolate-coated fruit with crushed amaretto biscuits and chopped hazelnuts a beautiful hilltop town famed as the birthplace of the accordion and gets to see an absolute whopper because this is the home of the world’s biggest accordion he explores a secret cove called the Two Sisters where he prepares paccheri quattro formaggi – otherwise known as macaroni cheese But this isn’t mac and cheese as you might know it but Italy’s traditional version of the comfort food favourite… This is the fifth series of the TV chef’s ‘escapes’ which sees him travelling around Italy and it comes hot on the heels of the recent ITV series Gino D'Acampo and Fred Sirieix spent three weeks travelling Scotland with each of the fellas inviting the other two to their home turf reviews and unmissable series to watch and more Emmerdale spoilers: Has secret villain John committed another sick crime Emmerdale spoilers: Ross Barton meets the brother he never knew he had… I Kissed A Boy season 2 — release date