The Cervia 70.3 Bike Course: 90 km in One Loop, with Bertinoro in the Middle

How the Course Is Laid Out

A single 90 km loop, starting on the Cervia seafront. The municipality's course guide and local sources describe a route that crosses the salt flats area (the Parco Naturale delle Saline, the one with the flamingos) and the Romagna countryside, then climbs toward the Bertinoro hills — the «Balcone di Romagna» — through Sangiovese vineyards, passing through Forlimpopoli, before heading back to the coast.

The indicative elevation gain is around 150 meters, but no precise official figure is available in the sources consulted: expect an almost entirely flat course with a hilly section in the middle, and check the official 2027 map when it's released. The reference remains the 2022-2026 route.

First 30 km: Wind Is the Variable

The opening stretch is flat and exposed: salt flats and open countryside offer no shelter. The wind on the Romagna coast in September can be a real factor, and this is where the real damage gets done. Two rules:

• Stay below 75% of your FTP for the first 30 km, even if you feel like a rocket. You'll need those legs for Bertinoro and the half marathon.
• Don't chase packs. On a fast course the temptation to latch on is strong; drafting costs you penalties and, worse, watts spent badly.

If it's a headwind on the way out on race day, don't panic over your splits: you'll get it as a tailwind on the way back.

Bertinoro: The Only Climb, but Respect It

The climb into the Bertinoro hills is the key point of the loop. It's not a mountain: it's a hilly section in an otherwise flat course, and that's exactly why it catches out riders who arrive with flat-road pacing in their heads.

What to do:

• Climb at constant effort, not constant speed. If you're riding with a power meter, cap it around 85-90% FTP on the steeper pitches and drop back down as soon as it flattens out.
• Get back on the gas after the descent. The classic mistake is cresting the climb, catching your breath, and losing two minutes in the transition stretch back to the flat. Train exactly this: descent, surge, race pace.

Gearing and Equipment

With modest elevation gain there's no need to overhaul your bike. A compact or semi-compact chainring with a cassette that gives you an easy gear for Bertinoro is more than enough. Mid-depth wheels work well; if the forecast calls for strong wind on the exposed sections, consider a shallower profile up front. Decide based on the week's forecast, not on race morning.

How to Train for It

• 5-8 km climbs at steady effort, instead of a generic hill session: they simulate Bertinoro's demands better than short repeats.
• Long blocks in the aero position on the flat, even in the wind: that's where the first and last 30 km are raced.
• A full pacing test: 90 minutes at 75% FTP, a simulated climb, return at race pace, then a 20-30 minute run. If the run after this test starts badly, the problem is your bike pacing, not your running.

The Decision to Make

Before the race, pick your number: the maximum wattage (or perceived effort) for the first 30 km. Write it on your handlebar tape if you have to. In Cervia the bike isn't won on the salt flats: it's lost there, and saved at Bertinoro. Your goal is to get off the bike thinking «I could have pushed harder». On a flat, potentially hot half marathon, that margin is worth whole minutes.