Marco Patani Memorial Cycling

The Memorial Marco Pantani is professional road bicycle race held annually in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The race has been organized since 2004 and serves as a memory of Marco Pantani. The race starts in Cesenatico, Marco Pantani hometown, and follows a route towards his birthplace, Cesena. In 2007 the race was organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. After Gilberto Simoni won in 2005 edition of the race, he paid tribute to Pantani's memory by saying: "This race, paying our respects at the cemetery, the visit to Pantani's parents, have made me reflect a lot. Marco and I were never friends, we were rivals. 15 years ago we duelled as amateurs, and when we turned pro, he obtained important results and I did not. I can say that I was jealous and perhaps it was because of this that we never became friends. To be here and to win this race has a great importance for me. I want to remember Marco in a proper manner. Today, I won for him."