ZOGNO – Last year we had the opportunity to visit Mole Occhiali per lo Sport, a truly special optical center dedicated exclusively to sports eyewear and in particular to cycling glasses. After a year we returned again to Zogno, in the province of Bergamo, at the gates of the Brembana Valley, to have the its owner Roberto Gambirasio (in the opening photo) something more about an event dedicated to the topic of road safety that he organized last July 1st with the support of Rudy Project and Sonny Colbrelli. Event Name: “Security in Sight”.
How did the idea of organizing an event dedicated to road safety come about?
I am a great cycling enthusiast and above all a practitioner. Since my optical center is far from my home, I enjoy going out on my bike during my lunch break, and I do the same on Sunday mornings with my friends. Cycling every day, I realize how many dangers we cyclists face every day. Just to give you an example, a couple of weeks before our event, a dear friend of mine was hit on his bike while coming to visit me here at the optical center. Italy is also at the top of the list in the statistics of accidents involving cyclists every day.. Something had to be done, then.
What did you decide to do then?
Among the brands I have always collaborated with there is Rudy Project. Sonny Colbrelli recently became their “brand ambassador” And among the topics covered in their agreement is the promotion of a culture of mutual respect among all road users, particularly cyclists and motorists. I contacted Rudy Project and, thanks to their availability and that of Colbrelli, in a short time we organized our event.
How did the day go?
We have planned two distinct moments. In the morning we organized a bike ride with start and finish here in front of our optical centerWe reached San Giovanni Bianco. In total, we rode 25 kilometers in a couple of hours. We wanted to allow as many people as possible to participate in the ride and, above all, to be able to "enjoy" Sonny's presence by chatting with him and taking a souvenir photo. With us there was also Wladimir Belli who lives in Sedrina, not far from here, and who gladly accepted the invitation to join us before "throwing himself" into the Tour commentary on Eurosport.
You mentioned two moments. So, besides the ride, was there anything else planned?
Exactly. The goal I set for myself when I decided to organize the event “Safety in sight” was to raise awareness among people, but especially children, on the topic of road safety and education. I'm increasingly convinced, and Sonny himself confirmed this in our conversations, that the first step is to spread the word about road safety, starting with the youngest children. Proper road safety education learned as children will lead to more respectful drivers as adults. and be careful of cyclists you meet on the road.
What exactly did you decide to do?
In the afternoon, thanks to the collaboration of Sonny and the municipal police of Zogno, we organized here in our optical center a fun quiz game focused on road safety educationAt the end, we gave all the children who participated a nice certificate signed by Cobrelli himself, which we called the “DRAGON Safety License”.
Last year you organized the ACSI National Criterium ChampionshipThis year's "Safety in Sight" event...are there other initiatives on the horizon?
It's just an idea for now, but during the winter I'd love to organize training and information sessions on topics of interest to cyclists. I would like to involve professionals such as nutritionists or physiotherapistsI'd also like to do something in schools on the topic of road safety education, following up on the event organized at the beginning of July.
Any final advice you'd like to give to cyclists, but also to motorists?
Always use maximum caution when on the road, whether in a car or on a bicycle. It really only takes a moment to ruin someone else's life and your own.…and then, always wear a well-fastened helmet and a good pair of glasses to see clearly and protect your eyes. That's exactly what we at Mole Occhiali per lo sport are here for.
