But their departure was postponed until the morrow.

On that day, January 23, after receiving the oath of fealty from the Anziani in the Church of San Mercuriale, the duke marched his army out of Forli and took the road to Pesaro.
Caterina Sforza Riario went with him.

Dressed in black and mounted upon a white horse, the handsome amazon rode between Cesare Borgia and Yves d'Allegre.
At Cesena the duke made a halt, and there he left the countess in the charge of d'Allegre whilst he himself rode forward to overtake the main body of his army, which was already as far south as Cattolica.

As for Giovanni Sforza, despite the fact that the Duke of Urbino had sent some foot to support him, he was far more likely to run than to fight, and in fact he had already taken the precaution of placing his money and valuables in safety and was disposing, himself, to follow them.

But it happened that there was not yet the need.