Rolling up your sleeves, never giving up, knowing how to get by... when a cyclist puts all this together, he becomes a champion. If, on the other hand, that man does this in his everyday life, he becomes an entrepreneur... of himself. Which is how he defines himself. Valerio Agnoli.
The Lazio rider, historic supporter of Nibali, ended his professional career at the end of 2019 while still wearing the colors of Bahrain Merida and he did so somewhat abruptly. A total of 16 seasons as a pro. He was among the first in modern cycling to pass at a very young age, he hadn't even turned 20. Valerio would have liked to continue. However, as mentioned, he did not lose heart and today he does many things.
Pilot trainer
«Yes, you have to know how to regenerate yourself – explains Agnoli – Among my initiatives there is that of collaborating with Med-Ex, medical partner of Scuderia Ferrari. By using the bike, we try to physically and psychologically replicate what happens in a Grand Prix. But I can't say more than that; with high-end engines, there are strict privacy rules."
For the Ciociaro this is apparently a tempting and stimulating opportunity. He follows them in their training, gives them advice and often goes out on their bikes. This was also the case at the Vallelunga racetrack at the end of 2020, when he and his drivers underwent special sessions, as seen on social media. These sessions were clearly aimed at ensuring they were clear-headed and responsive during Grand Prix races.
What Agnoli is proposing is special. That's kind of what he did McLaren when she entered cycling with Bahrain (although she's now out). Except that Valerio is doing it the other way around: he's bringing the bike into the motorsports world. This is a very interesting field of work. A different aspect: the bike applied to another sport, a great laboratory.
Bitter farewell
Agnoli has enthusiasm. He didn't let the disappointment of being left stranded get the better of him, but rather transformed it into determination. The one that distinguished him as a rider.
"You have to be your own boss. In normal life, you don't have an agent," Agnoli says. "What you do, you do alone. Apparently, the agents themselves were tearing their hair out trying to find me a team, but they couldn't. Not even an offer... If you then add a sports director who tells you: to run you have to hope that one of your teammates falls, then you understand that maybe it had to go this way. Which sports director? He was from the East... I didn't want to cause controversy so as not to aggravate the situation. I gradually found myself playing second-rate races, only to then learn that I would be leaving for the Line of Business a week before the start."
But if Agnoli hoped to be more relaxed after his career, he was wrong, fortunately! In addition to the project with the pilots, Valerio is also president of the technical structure of the FCI Committee of Lazio and collaborates with Fishit Lazio.
«Just a few days ago, the new president of the Lazio Regional Committee, Maurizio Brilli, he contacted me and offered me this position. I'm basically the head coach of Lazio. I accepted immediately and the next morning I presented him with some ideas."
The “consul” Agnoli
«And then there is the issue of tourism, something big – Agnoli says with passion – The videos we've made with Visit Lazio have received over 2,5 million interactions. So far, the project has only focused on the province of Frosinone. We were supposed to reach all 91 municipalities in the province, and now we're over 50. Lazio has enchanting places, and the theme of alternative mobility, which also involves food, is strong and growing. I consider myself a consul of my country, rather than an ambassador!
«The project with Visit Lazio was born during the lockdown thanks to the tourism councilor of the Lazio Region, Sara Battisti, as part of the "Let's Start Again from Tourism" project. We proposed ideas, shot videos every week, and ultimately what we produced ended up on the Region's social media pages, pages that each have over 200.000 followers, so they're well-regarded. Plus, permanent itineraries are already ready. I already have the files."
In short, Valerio Agnoli doesn't hold back. "Oh, I forgot! I'm also finishing my third-level sports director course."
