Cycling enthusiasts know the brand very well Willow. For many years Salice glasses and helmets have been protagonists in the world of cycling. Their unmistakable tricolor livery in the last seasons he has accompanied the teams led by John Savio, lastly the Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli. However, many people do not know that Salice arrived in cycling after a very long journey, which began way back in 1919, which saw her as a protagonist in many other sporting disciplines, first and foremost skiing.
To learn more about the company's history we went up to Gravedona, on the most extreme tip of Lake ComoHere we met Anna Salice, who runs the family business, and Paolo Tiraboschi, who masterfully manages the Salice brand's relationships with athletes.
Before we begin our chat with them, a necessary premise is in order. The company's correct name is Salice Occhiali. The company founded in 1919 by Vitaliano Salice in its first years of activity specialized in the production of eyeglass cases. Subsequently, it turned to the production of protective eyewear to meet the needs of the stonemasons who worked the marble in Musso, a small town in the Como area where the company had established its first headquarters. The company then moved to Gravedona in the 1940s, in a building that perfectly combines elegance and functionality.
The Salice brand is well-known and appreciated by cyclists. However, many don't know that you have a long history in the sport. Is that correct?
Indeed, that's exactly how it is – Anna Salice begins – We can say that our debut in the sport dates back to the early 1950s. At the time, the current Winter Sports Federation, he asked us to make a protective mask for the "legendary" Zeno Colò to help him see better on the way down. That's where it all started.
We imagine that skiing has brought you a lot of satisfaction…
Approaching skiing and the world of snow more generally was a turning point for us. We can confidently say that we were key participants in the boom in skiing as a sport that took place between the 1970s and 1980s. It was the period of the "blue avalanche." Champions like Gustav Thoeni, Erwin Stricker, Herbert Planck, Piero Gros skied and won with our masks. Television images and photos of them wearing our masks have gone around the world.
At that time, Salice was not only a skier, but also a mountaineer. When we talk about mountaineering in Italy, we can't help but mention the Ragni di Lecco.
The Lecco Spiders have entered the history of world mountaineering. In 1974 they used the "Sapporo" mask which accompanied them in the historic climb of Cerro Torre, a Patagonian peak on the border between Chile and Argentina, always considered one of the most inaccessible mountains in the world due to a 900-meter granite face that leads to a summit permanently covered by a “mushroom” of ice. I like to think that in the realization of their enterprise a small but significant contribution also came from our masks.
Returning for a moment to the "blue avalanche", did the athletes contribute in any way to the development of your masks?
Athlete feedback is always important. We mustn't forget that ultimately, they are the ones using our products at the highest levels. In the past, athletes such as Thoeni, Gros, and Stricker have provided us with valuable feedback. However, if I can name an athlete who was a true enthusiast and expert of our product and who knew how to give us the right instructions to followI can't help but think of Leonardo David. Thanks to his contribution, we created the "977" mask, one of our most successful products. Leonardo still holds a special place in our hearts, and we are deeply attached to his family.
Looking ahead, in which other sports, besides cycling, of course, is Salice a protagonist today?
We have naturally also opened up to other sports – Paolo Tiraboschi intervenes – and I am referring in particular to triathlon, rowing, athletics, just to name a few. Last year Massimo Stano won the gold medal in the 20km walk at the Tokyo Olympics And this year he repeated the feat, becoming world champion in the 35k at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. On both occasions, he wore our glasses. Of course, we're still present in the snow world. To name just a few, athletes such as Simone Origone in the speed kilometer and Francesco De Fabiani in cross-country skiing use our glasses.
Let's return for a moment to cycling, the discipline that introduced us to the world. If you had to pinpoint a turning point, what would it be?
Surely the Tour of Italy Part 2009 with the two stage victories of Alexander Petacchi and his conquest of the pink jersey (Opening photo). Seeing him on the podium with our pink-clad glasses gave us enormous visibility and credibility.
