VOLPIANO – There are really only a few days left until a new edition of the Gios Rally, pedaling reserved as per tradition for owners of a Gios bicycleThe event is scheduled for the morning of Sunday, July 9th, in Volpiano, just outside Turin.
This year's edition promises to be truly special as it will be the occasion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a team that has made cycling history, the legendary Brooklyn. From 1973 to 1977 the team was directed by Franco Cribiori and captained by Roger De Vlaeminck It truly marked an era. This was furthered not only by the sporting results, but also by the perfect combination of the team jersey, which recalled the American flag, and the bicycles. gios, with their iconic “Gios blue” color.
Thanks to Marco Gios We had the opportunity to discover some news about this year's edition of the Gathering and at the same time make a brief excursus into the history of the relationship between Brooklyn and the Gios brand.
Let's start with a curiosity: what edition are we at?
This year's is the sixth edition and unlike previous years it will not take place in May, but on July 9th.
What is the reason for this date shift?
Up until now, we had organized our gathering to coincide with the Giro d'Italia's passage through Turin. It was an opportunity to give our foreign customers the chance to experience a truly special weekend., offering them the chance to see the Giro up close. This year, the Giro didn't pass through Turin, and we needed a little more time to organize a truly special edition like the one we're about to experience next Sunday.
What makes it special?
Every year we look for a theme to characterize our Gathering. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Brooklyn team's founding. In 1973, Giorgio Perfetti, owner of the Brooklyn brand (the famous chewing gum, ed.), he was contacted by Franco Cribiori, sporting director of the Dreher team, to become the team's first sponsorGiorgio Perfetti accepted the proposal, but set the condition that the team's bicycles be Gios. From there, the story of a team that everyone still remembers today was born.
Why did Giorgio Perfetti want your bikes for his new team?
In 1971 Giorgio Perfetti had seen the “Easy Rider” model at the Milan cycle show, a children's bike made by us and inspired by the motorized "choppers" from the film of the same name, with high handlebars and a saddle. He liked our bike so much that he decided to enter it among the prizes in a contest tied to the famous Brooklyn chewing gum. When Cribiori asked him to become the team's sponsor, Perfetti wanted the new team's bicycles to be Gios. The Brooklyn legend, with his jerseys inspired by the American flag, its champions and the “Gios blue” colored bicycles, it started like this.
We are in the present day and we want to celebrate that legendary team…
In recent months we were contacted by Ambrogio Perfetti, grandson of Giorgio Perfetti, who wanted to revive the history of the Brooklyn brand in cycling. We told him what we do, our history, but above all we told him about the Gios Rally. From there, the desire to dedicate the next Gathering to the celebration of that legendary team was born. Together, we also decided that next Sunday's event will be the beginning of a more significant collaboration, which will culminate at L'Eroica in Gaiole in Chianti.
What should we expect from this year's edition of your Gathering?
Given the presence of the Brooklyn brand, we have studied a special route for our traditional ride, a sort of mini Paris-Roubaix along the roads of CanaveseThe route will cover 55 kilometers, with sections of cobblestones, level crossings, and woodland crossings reminiscent of the Arenberg Forest. A proper Paris-Roubaix race would be complete without a velodrome. We will therefore make a stop at the Francone Velodrome in San Francesco al Campo, just outside TurinSome of the champions who have shaped Brooklyn's history will also be there, starting with Roger De Vlaeminck, its symbol. Cribiori, the true mastermind of that formidable team, will also be there. Several team members have confirmed their presence, and we're confident others will be added before Sunday.
Any tips for participating?
The most important thing is to own a Gios bicycle. To sign up just send an email to raduno@giostorino.it. Registration will then be formalized on Sunday morning here at our headquarters in Volpiano.
