George Young scours Italian football’s lower leagues so you don’t have to At Levico Terme on the shores of Lake Terme he discovered another hidden gem of the Italian game It happened on the final day of the season a sunny Sunday in May when I was spending a day by the lake and noticed that there was a Serie D game on barely 100 metres away at the Stadio Viale Lido and found myself getting wrapped up in the party atmosphere at this charming little ground Levico Terme is a small spa town (that is the ‘Terme’ part of the name) in the Trentino region of northern Italy was a part of Austria and a popular resort with the great and the good of Habsburg society first discovered in the silver mines high above the town Lake Levico is one of the most beautiful in the Alps its wedge shape fringed on two sides by dense forest whilst the shallow waters at the southern end make the beach popular with families the architecture is more reminiscent of Austria than the rest of Italy particularly the onion dome of the church and the elegant columns of the Grand Hotel Imperial With a population of around 8,000 in a region which has never played a big part in the story of Italian football, US Levico Terme has an understandably modest footballing history The club was founded in 1958 under the intriguing name of Unione Sportiva Rinascita (Sporting Union Rebirth) a name which it kept until 1975 and which was only changed after “much discussion in the town” according to the club’s own website By that time the club had already achieved its first promotion and then they won back-to-back titles to reach the fifth tier for the first time The 1983/84 season saw Levico travelling further afield to clubs such as Cittadella (now in Serie B) who were relegated at the end of the season They remained in the footballing backwaters until 2014/15 when they won a remarkable promotion to Serie D Having trailed leaders Sankt Georgen by 8 points at halfway they went on a run of 12 wins in the final 15 games to win the title by a single point This meant that the 2015/16 season would be an historic one for Levico Terme which is essentially the top of the Italian non-league game made up largely of clubs from the Veneto region including some huge names fallen on hard times in the form of Venezia and Triestina the signature result of that debut season for Levico came early on with a 2-1 win at the Stadio Nereo Rocco in Trieste closely followed by an resolute 0-0 draw at eventual champions Venezia Levico’s form fell away dramatically in the middle of the season but they were able to scrap their way to some vital points through March and April would be a celebration of the club’s “salvezza“ staying up against the odds at the first attempt So often your first impressions of a place are shaped by your mood and on that day I was feeling relaxed after a few hours by the lake The sunshine was warm and stepping through the gate I found myself right next to the bar Not a simple hatch dispensing warm beer in plastic cups this was a large room with a typical Italian marble-topped wooden counter with a well-used coffee machine and a cabinet filled with various types of sweet pastries and cakes One wall was covered with the league ladders for the division I was soon furnished with a cold glass of Forst beer which I was able to take outside onto the terrace and enjoy at a table leafing through the free programme and watching the teams warming up I got a bit too comfortable in my chair so when the time came to find a place in the single covered terrace running along the south side of the ground all of the places in the shade had already been taken Not ideal for someone with a distinctly northern European complexion I managed to squeeze in at the far end next to Levico’s ultras They greeted the teams onto the pitch with a chorus of proud songs and a handful of pyro canisters Their noisy support continued through the first half punctuated only by visitors Tamai taking the lead Tamai missed in truly spectacular fashion when a player was left so unmarked he might have thought he had turned up on the wrong day a home defender was sent off for hauling down the centre forward who dusted himself off and shanked his penalty well wide of the target to widespread laughter The standard of football in Serie D can be very variable: in comparison to even the National League in England the players are nowhere near as fit or strong but they can do exotic continental things like trapping the ball and passing it to an opponent a Levico substitute won the ball and bent an exquisite pass around one centre back and behind the other allowing his team-mate to run on and poke the ball past the keeper for the winner The celebrations were wonderfully unselfconscious the players jumping on the fence at the front of the stand (a Serie D requirement and an upgrade which had meant Levico had to begin the season in nearby Pergine) with players leading the fans in song whilst volunteers carried trestle tables onto the pitch It was a fantastic reminder of the joys of football as a community where everyone feels like they are part of the club Levico Terme have played a further six seasons in Serie D on a couple of occasions even finishing above the biggest team in the region They were relegated in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic curtailed the season but they immediately bounced back before returning to the Eccellenza last year I can heartily recommend a visit to Levico with a huge array of hiking and cycling options to choose from The town’s railway station is on the Valsugana line between Trento and Venice and on your walk to the ground you will pass the Pedavena brewery There is plenty of history around here too particularly from World War I when this valley was close to the front line between Italy and Austro-Hungary was turned into a fort with gun positions threatening the town more than 1,500 metres below with craggy mountain tops visible in all directions with the single stand on one side and the bright yellow clubhouse facing the road Games are usually played at the traditional time in Italy of Sunday afternoon words and images by @GiorgioGiovane We did similar in Italy tying flights and one night stays in Rome to a week mountain walking in the Abruzzo in between Using Sulmona as a base to start and finish the mountain walk I did a bit of research and we managed to catch a game the afternoon we arrived from Rome – Sulmona vs Castiglione val Fino – a winner takes all game with a playoff and escaping the playouts on the line Cracking 4-3 thriller with the winner a 25 yard volley after a corner was cleared High stakes and time wasting when the ball went into the bushes behind the goal a new one being thrown out from the dugout or withheld when Sulmona were ahead with scuffles for a new ball got promoted from Promozione to Eccelenza level and a new name of Ovidiani Sulmona after the Roman writer Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a4c087ef11500245cecd7cf6578b376a" );document.getElementById("bfea0afb7f").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Trentino is an ancient valley full of history and natural beauty It is the ideal place for those who love nature and relaxation and has a landscape that is home to nature trails particularly Lake Caldonazzo and Lake Levico where it is possible to enjoy water sports in their crystal-clear waters Valsugana is also a place of ancient history Among the peaks of its mountains you can find Pergine Castle and Telvana Castle which dominate the valley and bear witness to ancient stories and battles The area is also littered with traces of World War I with striking fortresses such as Fort Busa Granda the valley features nature trails in the green several hiking trails that lead to picture-perfect views such as the Saltoni del Zengelo and Forcella Magna The Valsugana is also known for the Saddle Art contemporary art park an appointment with art in an open-air museum that houses works by various contemporary and international artists we have selected ten places to visit at least once in Valsugana Lake CaldonazzoLake Caldonazzo is an ideal retreat for those seeking relaxation surrounded by nature With beaches with surveillance service and fully equipped bathing establishments it is the largest basin located in Trentino The lake offers the opportunity to practice water sports and take relaxing walks along the shore or among the mountains It is a perfect place to enjoy carefree moments with family which reach their maximum splendor in spring The trail consists of forests with exotic plants from different parts of the world and flower meadows The trail is perfect for those seeking a day of tranquility in the great outdoors Saddle Art is among the most popular destinations in Valsugana an open-air museum that houses works of art created by international artists: Giuliano Mauri and Edoardo Tresoldi are just some of the names of the artists who have left their works in the three areas of the park (Malga Costa The uniqueness of the projects lies in the use of natural materials such as branches and stones the works integrate with the environment and change over time and grow from year to year along with the landscape of the park The ancient Orc Bridge has a compelling story a shepherd returning to the village after a day’s work found the road blocked by an overhang It was at that moment that an ogre appeared and offered him a deal: his soul in exchange for a solid stone bridge The walk starts from the center of Ivano Fracena and continues for fifty minutes with an elevation gain of 250 meters and those who plan to experience moments of isolation from population centers Levico Terme is one of the most charming villages in Valsugana known for its tranquil atmosphere and thermal waters The historic center of Levico retains the charm of an alpine village that blends tradition and mundane modernity Levico Terme is most famous for its thermal baths which have been frequented since the 19th century: they have attracted European high society over time contributing to the town’s growth as an elite tourist destination Created during the Austro-Hungarian period it is one of the largest historic gardens in Trentino and is perfect for relaxing walks among century-old trees and colorful flowers Levico Terme also offers many cultural and traditional events Also not to be missed is a visit to Lake Levico to spend a peaceful afternoon Castel Pergine in Valsugana was built around 1200 and for centuries was considered the gateway to the valley the manor was used as a hangout for followers of theosophy such as the American Annie Halderman: in fact the woman thought she had lived a past life inside the fortress the manor is cared for by an association that bought it in 2018 and planned to add to its spaces a hotel ideal for those who want to enjoy local delicacies in a mysterious place is one of the great historical relics of the First World War still remaining an evocative place and especially perfect for history lovers Austrian soldiers defended the valley from the advancing Italians Getting to Lake Forcella Magna is not complicated The route includes a path along a historic mule track formed in the past to supply Italian soldiers with provisions and ammunition positioned on mountain tops presents a rather practical route that leads to visits to some old military posts you can reach a heart-shaped pond: undoubtedly a romantic place especially suitable for couples ready to experience moments of rest Borgo Valsugana is dominated by Telvana Castle an ancient fortress positioned at a strategic point in the valley one can walk the “castle trail,” which begins in the center of Borgo The ancient Roman settlement has a history closely linked to that of the castle which makes the walk a leap into the past and the history of the valley To this day only a few ruins remain of the fortress including the curtains joining the ramparts and its inner rooms is the only cave in Trentino to date that has the right equipment for guided tours The cave is located on the right bank of the Senaiga River and is a rock formation of karst nature with ancient galleries The cave’s uniqueness also features signs carved into the wall probably attributable to Ursus Speleus Ros the Cave of Castello Tesino represents the only place to preserve evidence through fossils and various fragments of the animal’s presence in prehistoric times Juanpe attacked through the icy rain to take a beautiful solo win 38 seconds ahead of his main GC rivals but by no means comfortable with two more days in the mountains left to race proudly wearing the green jersey as race leader Juanpe stepped up and doggedly defended his lead With so many riders dangerously close in the overall standings he had no choice but to follow every move he could presented two more mountains standing in the way of Juanpe and his first stage-race victory it wasn’t just Juanpe who stepped up to the challenge but also his teammates who played a vital role in controlling the peloton throughout the day When the time came for Juanpe to take matters into his own hands looking as composed and experienced as his nickname ‘El Patrón’ suggests As the group of climbers fought for the stage win Juanpe crossed the line a few meters behind punching the air with elation to celebrate the first overall race victory of his career “I feel super happy because I worked really hard in Tenerife with the team and being with all my teammates there made me really motivated Last year I had some hard months after the crash “Today the team did a good job one by one the young ones – Nils and Liam – were great from the start and then Fabio and Dario were really important for me if I said Amanuel and Carlos did their job 100% “The green jersey is extra special because it is the color of Real Betis Riley Amos' second straight perfect World Cup weekend highlighted even more battle-filled racing The atmosphere of Levico still evokes the belle époque when European nobility stayed in the renowned spa town of Valsugana which is well-known in the field of medicine in Trentino and throughout Italy Lake Levico holds the title as the "Blue Flag of Europe” for its distinction as a unique travel destination for sports and wellness the sculpture “Lupa del Lagorai,” made from 2000 pieces of wood debris from the Vaia storm The closing stage of the 2024Tour of the Alps is held entirely in Trentino and in Valsugana Despite the relatively short distance: 118.6 kilometers the continuous ups and downs might still be decisive for the race’s final outcome The route kicks off with an undulating loop of about 20 kilometers which crosses the finish line twice in Levico Terme the peloton tackles a second loop of about 25 kilometers that showcases completely different features as it winds through the Valle dei Mocheni The final part of the 2024 #TotA is a long and typical climb toward Palù del Fersina a flat segment takes the pack to the race’s last climb followed by a false flat that ends with about five kilometers to go The majority of these final five kilometers is downhill yet the last kilometer in Levico Terme climbs once more to offer a grand finale worthy of the 2024 Tour of the Alps Spaniard comes home in reduced front group in Levico Terme to claim overall victory a short but challenging mountainous day around Levico Terme The Frenchman triumphed from a greatly reduced lead group to beat Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) and his brother Valentin Paret-Peintre to the win in the uphill sprint finish Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek) secured the overall race victory as no real threats to his comfortable lead materialised over the stage which saw the riders tackle two ascents of Palù del Fersina The Spaniard won the race by 38 seconds from another Decathlon AG2R man, Ben O’Connor while Tiberi rounded out the podium in third at 42 seconds A lead group of 15 came to the finish after 119km of racing over two first-category ascents of the Palù del Fersina (12.5km at 6.1%) with Bahrain Victorious leading it out on the uphill run in the final kilometre of the day It was Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) who launched the final dash to the line a long way out with Aurélien Paret-Peintre biding his time on the wheel before striking out himself with a perfect sense of timing He burst clear to cross the line first unopposed while further back Tiberi outpaced Romain Bardet (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) for second place before Valentin Paret-Peintre burst past late on to beat his fellow Frenchman to grab third “It’s a perfect way to finish the week with the team,” Aurélien Paret-Peintre said after the stage I knew I was the fastest in the group so it’s a perfect way to end for us and also in the GC with Ben “We’ve been working at an altitude camp ahead of the Giro d’Italia so this week was to finish the preparation for that and now we go to the Giro with ambition.” Overall winner López rounded out the five-stage race in ninth place Tiberi and O’Connor over a small hill 7km from the line the move was brought back in good time for the finish “This is my first victory,” López said after the finish “It’s the [most] important one of my life The team did a really amazing job from the beginning to the end and Luca Guercilena the team manager because everybody knows that he’s not in a good situation  The final day of the 2024 Tour of the Alps would be another challenging one to conclude a week filled with hills and mountains Two ascents of Palù del Fersina dominated the stage peaking at 67km and 92km on the 119km stage while several unclassified hills late on added to the difficulties Stage 1 winner Tobias Foss (Ineos Grenadiers) was among the early attackers during the flatter early part of the stage though no move would stick until the riders were on the ascent of the Palù del Fersina with just under half of the stage left to run Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) made a move going off the front with Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost) and young VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè talent Giulio Pellizzarri Lidl-Trek kept a lid on things as Carthy protected the mountain classification lead of his teammate Simon Carr at the top or even to the top of the second time up the Palù del Fersina it was Bahrain Victorious who were active there sending Tiberi off up the road with 33km to go a handful of kilometres after a move by Bardet had come to nothing Tiberi's move was also brief as Lidl-Trek and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale chased down the third-placed man going clear 30km out as once again Lidl-Trek and Decathlon AG2R led the chase Poels led the way over the top and built a lead of 25 seconds at one point threatening to jump up into second overall with Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek) pulling on the front for López on the second and final descent of the Palù del Fersina his advantage waned until he was caught with 16km left to run The late ascent of the unclassified Valico di Tenna (2km at 6%) saw López go off the front for a final time in the race along with Bardet as were further moves on the run towards the finish from Pellizzarri With the group all back together for the final 2km all that was left was to set up the closing sprint of the week which Bahrain Victorious duly did in the final kilometre taking another victory to go with nine others from stages at the UAE Tour and Itzulia Basque Country to the most recent at Brabantse Pijl Results powered by FirstCycling Dani has reported from the world's top races She has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars and her favourite races are the Giro d'Italia The build up to the Giro d 'Italia starts here Formally the Giro del Trentino but rebranded the Tour of the Alps in 2016 Südtirol and Trentino regions of Italy and Austria will give riders a taste of some proper mountains a few weeks before the Giro d'Italia starts in May.  The race starts in Italy then heads north into Austria before returning to finish back in Italy five days later Last year's winner Tao Geoghegan-Hart is absent so in his place his new team Lidl-Trek are sending a twin attack of Giulio Ciccone and Juan Pedro Lopez His old team Ineos Grenadiers will this time be hoping the veteran Geraint Thomas will be able to challenge for the win and bring them another victory to keep the title in house.  Ineos are also sending their time trial ace Filippo Ganna but he won't be challenging for the overall just working in a support role for Thomas to help him fend of the challenge from the likes of Romain Bardet (Team DSM Firmenich-PostNL) Lennard Kämna (Bora-hansgrohe) and Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost) Thankfully the weather improved on stage four as the race headed to higher altitude to tackle longer climbs. A large break escaped the peloton early on with a few very talented riders in it including Britain's Hugh Carthy and Simon Carr from EF Education-EasyPost.  On the penultimate climb Carr attacked with a brace of companions but dropped them both to take an excellent victory Behind there were multiple attacks on race leader Lopez but he fought them all off and still leads by 38 seconds from Ben O'Connor with one stage left Read on for where to watch Tour of the Alps 2024 cycling action live If you live in Italy or Austria then you can look forward to a FREE Tour of the Alps live stream in 2024.  But what if you're based in Italy or Austria but aren't at home to catch that free Tour of the Alps coverage Maybe you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on pay TV in another country when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home Don't worry — you can watch via a VPN instead Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the cycling on your usual subscription There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services it's fast and it has top-level security features too Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app Head to ORF or another streaming service and watch the action A subscription will set you back US$149.99 for the year or US$29.99 on a monthly basis Live coverage of the 2024 Tour of the Alps will be broadcast on Eurosport and Discovery+ and MotoGP) costs an additional £29.99 per month A subscription will set you back CAN$150 for the year or CAN$29.99 on a monthly basis The 709 kilometre race starts in Neumarkt/Egna with a 133km stage that features three moderate climbs firstly the ascent of Andalo followed by two ascents of the smaller and steeper 4.3 km Penone climb on the finishing circuit.  Stage two sees the race leave Salurn/Salorno in Italy and cross over into Austria to finish in Stans The first half of the stage is predominantly all uphill and the second half all downhill although punctuated by a couple of nasty little ramps which could provide a launch pad for attacks.  Set in Austria stage three is just 124.8 kilometres long with the majority of it rolling until the finale which features twin ascents of the Weerberg and Pillberg climbs Both are very steep with gradients in the mid teens which will encourage those riders who like punchy short climbs to try and break free and take the stage.  Back in Italy stage four is the Queen stage and boasts multiple climbs including the two first category ascents of the Passo del Compet and Passo del Vetriolo This is the day the GC contenders will have to show what they are made of and use their superior climbing power if they want to win overall The race wraps up with another killer stage of climbing and another first category ascent the Palù del Fersina which will be ridden twice to give fans two glances of their heroes At 118 kilometres it is another very short stage but is a worthy stage to decide the winner of the 2024 race.  An emotional Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek) secured overall victory in Levico Terme taking his first stage race success after five days of intense racing in Italy and Austria.  The Spaniard won the green race winner's jersey by 38 seconds from Decathlon AG2R's Ben O’Connor while Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) rounded out the podium in third at 42 seconds.  Aurélien Paret-Peintre scored Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale’s 10th victory of 2024 winning the final stage of the Tour of the Alps with a superb sprint into Levico Terme Stage 4 - Simon Carr wins the stage as Juan Pedro López responds to GC attacks Simon Carr had spent time at altitude hoping to fight for overall victory at the Tour of the Alps but when allergies wrecked his hopes he turned his focus to winning a stage.  A day of rain eased his allergies and so he went on the attack early on stage 4 and managed to drop his companions and win alone with Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek) able to respond to multiple attacks and so retain the race lead Chris Harper (Jayco-AlUla) crashed out while Ben O'Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) as more fortunate and remains in the battle for overall victory Stage 3 - Juan Pedro López takes solo victory, race lead Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek) moved into the overall lead It was also the first professional win of his career Giulio Pellizzari (VF-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) finished second as the two riders had gone clear of the peloton From the chase behind, Tobias Foss (Ineos Grenadiers) secured third place who did most of the chasing for 150km of the long stage into Austria.  Stage 1 - Tobias Foss wins stage 1 as GC contenders emerge Tobias Foss (Ineos Grenadiers) won stage 1 after a select group went clear over the final climb The former time trial champion then got away with three riders and won the sprint to the line  ahead of Chris Harper and Esteban Chaves to become the first race leader The Tour of the Alps continues as an attractive pre-Giro d'Italia stage race with challenging climbs and opportunities for breakaway artists and puncheurs.  Nine WorldTour teams have signed on to race the 2024 edition alongside seven ProTeams one Continental team and the Austrian National Team Tao Geoghegan Hart won the Tour of the Alps in 2023 but Ineos Grenadiers will be without the defending champion as he transferred to Lidl-Trek for 2024 The British team is lead by Geraint Thomas as his preparation for the Giro d’Italia with Filippo Ganna also targeting stages and race fitness for the Corsa Rosa Ben O'Connor leads Decathlon AG2R as he also races for a final block before the Giro d'Italia while Wout Poels leads Bahrain Victorious and Romain Bardet leads Team dsm-firmenich PostNL Jayco-Alula have former Italian national champion Filippo Zana as Eddie Dunbar opts for another pre-Giro training block.  second overall with Hugh Carthy in 2023 will return to shoot for the top podium spot with the British climber and Colombian veteran Esteban Chaves The USA's Will Barta leads Movistar along with Ivan Sosa with a host of other young riders in action in Italy and Austria during the five days of racing Join Cyclingnews' coverage of the 2024 Tour of the Alps with race reports skywatchers around the world were treated to views of this year's so-called "supermoon," the largest full moon of the year the moon approached within 357,000 km (221,800 mi) of Earth in what is scientifically known as a perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system (perigee: closest point of an elliptical orbit; syzygy: straight line made of three bodies in a gravitational system) Though the moon did appear larger than normal last night the size difference is so small that a casual observer would probably never notice photographers across the globe set out to capture the event and collected here are 21 of the most super images of this year's supermoon We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com A collection of winning and honored images from this year’s nature-photo competition A collection of amazing recent images made with the Hubble Space Telescope Mourners of Pope Francis gathered at the Vatican scenes from the the second weekend of Coachella 2025 and landscapes of the Earth’s arctic and subarctic regions Like so many Christmas markets it begins in late November and lasts until January 6 It takes place in the central Walther Square surrounded by historic buildings and enclosed on one side by the Cathedral of St is illuminated by Christmas lights for the occasion creating a magical and enveloping atmosphere it is the first in South Tyrol: the first edition was held in 1991 the result of a careful selection to provide only local products offer a wide selection of typical goods of the period in 2014 the Bolzano Christmas Market together with the other four original South Tyrolean markets (Merano which with Bolzano make up the so-called “five Christmas stars”) worked with the South Tyrol Ecoinstitute to make the South Tyrol’s markets increasingly eco-friendly markets following sustainability criteria such as saving resources (for example effective waste management and a preference for products made from local ingredients The Trento Christmas Market held annually from mid-November until January 7 is a grand celebration that transforms the heart of the city into a magical place during the Christmas season under the imposing bulk of the Madruzzian Torrione: this is the square where markets were also held in ancient times The market offers a delicious selection of traditional Trentino foods and beverages all of which have their own dedicated area: you can safely have lunch or dinner under the heated tents of the food court Among the culinary specialties to be savored are dumplings Visitors can also enjoy the enveloping aroma of mulled wine a warm and spicy drink perfect for warming up during the cold winter days Also not to be missed are the stalls of artisans working with wood directly in front of visitors is also “environmentally friendly,” encouraging zero-mile products and initiatives that benefit the local area In the picturesque spa town in the heart of South Tyrol, the Merano Christmas Market is a charming Christmas celebration held in the city’s historic center It is divided into two areas: the Christmas village at the piazza della Rena with traditional little houses where you can find refreshments and stalls selling local handicrafts and gift ideas and the “Christmas World” at the piazza Terme on the opposite bank of the Passirio River where you will find one of the largest ice-skating rinks in the Alps the Christmas pavilion that has a panoramic bar and several Christmas-themed food outlets and attractions It takes place at the Cathedral Square and is one of the most popular in South Tyrol. The stalls of the Bressanone Christmas market offer a wide range of local handicrafts at the foot of the Hofburg in front of the majestic cathedral arcade artisans from the region display their craftsmanship offering visitors the opportunity to take home unique and authentic gifts that reflect the local culture The Bruneck Christmas Market takes place on Bastioni Street and Ragen di Sopra an ancient street that has had a strong commercial vocation since ancient times It is one of South Tyrol’s Christmas jewels: the picturesque Vipiteno Christmas market attracts visitors not only because of its magical atmosphere and the traditional South Tyrolean welcome which is that each year’s edition has a theme related to the region About thirty exhibitors offer mostly gastronomic specialties from the area: zelten strauben and other delicacies await the public in one of Italy’s most beautiful villages The Rovereto Christmas Market takes place in the streets of the historic center and is distinguished by one special feature: it has a strong international focus That of Rovereto is therefore a “Christmas of the peoples” that animates the streets of the Trentino town among the approximately thirty stalls of exhibitors who gifts and spaces dedicated to younger visitors will not fail to meet the expectations of those who arrive in town An unmissable stop for those who want to experience the Christmas atmosphere in the charming setting of Trentino Levico Terme, famous for its hot springs and nestled in the mountains of Trentino, offers an evocative setting for the Christmas Market. The thermal atmosphere and the natural beauty of the place combine to create a special Christmas experience. The Levico Terme Christmas Market is unique in the entire regional panorama: in fact it is known as the “Hapsburg Market of Levico Terme” because it is held not in a square or street like all the others in this case the Secular Park of the Hapsburgs a large and historic garden located in the historic center of the city the walk among the little wooden houses becomes almost a journey into an enchanted forest especially if you are lucky enough to happen upon a day when the park is snow-covered A totally unusual event: the Canale di Tenno Christmas market is not made up of little wooden houses like most other markets in the region the stalls find space inside the stone houses located along its alleys: doorways and courtyards open to the public and in fact become the site of one of the most original markets in Trentino-Alto Adige a kind of medieval fair that attracts many visitors every year About forty exhibitors bring to life the Arco Christmas market one of the busiest and largest in Trentino as the Arco market has always dedicated space and attention to the youngest with activities and animations designed especially for children creative workshops and children’s shows makes the Christmas experience fun and engaging for the whole family It is also well known because you can see animals brought in by local farmers In-form Sarah Lahti from Sweden won the CrossCup in Mol over 5.5km by nine seconds ahead of reigning European under-23 cross country champion Louise Carton It is just over a month until the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Chia and Sweden's Sarah Lahti has arguably had the best preparation possible. Never mind what lies underfoot at this time of year - athletes expect the terrain to be hard or soft hilly and tricky - it is what goes on in the mind that can be as important.  Lahti was sixth at the Euro Cross as Belgium's Louise Carton won the under-23 crown in a brilliant winter. But on Sunday in Mol it was a different story. In a race over 5.5km Lahti gained a major psychological advantage with Chia so close as she beat home star Carton by nine seconds with a fine performance finishing first in 18:27 with Switzerland's Fabienne Schlumpf in third (18:38) She was ninth in the 10,000m at the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam in 32:14.17 and then a few weeks later her 12th place in the Olympics in Rio came in a national record time of 31:28.43 The SPAR European Cross Country Championships are set to take place on 11 and Lahti will surely take only positives from beating Carton who won over the 5.94km course in Hyères in 19:46. In the 9.2km men's race on Sunday third and fourth as Kenyan Alex Kibet (27:29) won ahead of Bashir Abdi (27:41) Souffiane Bouchiki (27:58) and Jeroen D’Hoedt (28:04).  with so many athletes looking to run their best to earn team selections. Levico Terme was the setting for the second stage of Italy's qualification for the championships with the 6th Cross della Valsugana where Abdoullah Bamoussa won the men's race over 9km (28:41) from Alberto Della Pasqua (28:56) and Silvia Oggioni took the women's 7km in 25:11 Once more Turkey dominated as 13 nations took part in the 60th Balkan Cross Country Championships in Cuprija the defending men's senior European cross country champion in Ali Kaya and over 10km here Ramazan Ozdemir (30:11) beat team-mates Tuncer Omer (30:20) and Demir Alper (30:23) to show how competitive selection will be for that team. But in the women's senior race (8km) with victory going to Romania's Ancuta Bobocel (27:05) from Turkey's Eytemis Sevilay (27:11) and another Romanian with Serbian Amela Terzic in sixth (27:45). Outside of that race Turkey secured victories in five of the six events with the under-23 champions being Suat Karabulak (8km 20:35) and the under-20 titles going to Ramazan Barbaros (6km Spain's Ayad Lamdassem is a regular at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships - and a regular on the podium too. Silver medallist in the senior race in Albufeira in 2010 he was part of the team which took gold last year and he is warming up in style on the roads as he showed in Santander on Sunday by winning at the 22nd edition of Carrera Popular Costa de Ajo. In a race over 6.2km Lamdassem triumphed in the men' race in 18:04 with fellow Spaniard Solange Pereira (2.7km 8:35) securing victory in the women's event. Staying in Spain there was cross country success for home runners Jose Espana (9km 29:28) and Maria del Mar Casillas (30:10) at the 32nd Cross del Aceite in Jaen Questo sito o gli strumenti terzi da questo utilizzati si avvalgono di cookie necessari al funzionamento ed utili alle finalità illustrate nella cookie policy Se vuoi saperne di più o negare il consenso a tutti o ad alcuni cookie scorrendo questa pagina o cliccando qualunque suo elemento acconsenti all’uso dei cookie.