From this year Mattia Furlan is the new technical manager of the BMX racing sector. One of the new faces decided by the federal "restyling", which involved many roles starting with that of city of the national road team, a role entrusted to the experience of Marco Villa. Furlan took over from Thomas Lupi in the aftermath of the Paris Olympics and the great performance of Pietro Bertagnoli, reached the threshold of the final, achieving a sensational 9th place.
Furlan took up the baton knowing that this was not a point of arrival, but the start of a new journey with ever more ambitious goals and the former biker, at the base of the fortunes of the BMX Creazzo (one of the most prestigious clubs on the Italian scene) is aware of this.
We always start from the companies
«The first thing I noticed in my new role – he explains – was the extreme willingness of companies to embrace my plansI was very clear from the start, dividing the activity into two closely linked groups. On one side, the very young, up to the pupils category, on the other, the boys belonging to the "championships" categories who are already facing the season with flattering results. The clubs have understood the aims of my work and they met me as best they could. Especially for young people."
In your programs you were particularly incisive on the issue of the smaller categories and their importance…
They are the basis of the whole activity, but the difficulties in practicing BMX are many, even more so for those who are a little older because you have to combine the sport with school and family commitments. I can never thank enough the parents who sacrifice themselves to allow their children to follow our calendars.We'd planned to hold a couple of sessions in Verona during the winter, and to avoid hindering our schoolwork, we scheduled weekends for work. Every Saturday and Sunday, we saw kids arriving from all over the north. Now that the activity has started and the school is reaching its junctures, we can plan one meeting per month., but I see that the boys are still training and that's fine. The important thing is to have a moment of verification.
Do you think BMX is also becoming culturally what it is in other countries: the basis for activity, the first contact with everything related to two wheels for children?
We're getting there. We'll probably never have the same number of riders as France, but there's no doubt that something is happening. For example, we've developed a strong relationship with the national MTB team manager. Mirko Celestine who brought his boys to San Giovanni Lupatoto to gain experience on BMX as well. But I had understood that a new air was blowing even before taking on the new role, when I was working in Creazzo and I saw many cycling schools, both road and MTB, that took their youngsters to BMX training sessionsIt begins like this…
Do you feel like Bertagnoli's performance in Paris was a watershed moment for the entire history of Italian BMX?
I was in Paris, share the work, the emotions, the joys of Lupi, Pietro and the entire blue groupIt was something exciting and unique, it gave an emphasis to the discipline that had never been there before and I had the clear feeling that, beyond the result, its historical significance was perceived, which clearly with a bit of luck and his entry into the final it would have been even greaterA virtuous climate has been created, and I'm pleased that Bertagnoli himself was the protagonist, a champion who wasn't always lucky and whose story is a great example.
From there, a different national team emerged, and in the first tests of 2025 the results arrived, especially with ever-changing elements…
This is the aspect I like to underline. When I arrived I raised the bar, I set clear objectives in terms of results because they are in our nature and they are finally arriving.The level of our group is high, we need to translate it into something tangible. Third place Sciortino in Verona (the opening start, Photobicicailotto), in the second stage of the European Cup is the jewel in the crown, but we also brought home important placings with the indomitable Fantoni, with the young man Knot, with the other U23 Pass. Radaelli it deserves a separate discussion.
What can you say about the former world junior champion?
It is growing exponentially. He is under 23, but by specific choice we are making him compete among the elite to get used to the highest level and on more than one occasion he has already come close to reaching the final. I want all the kids to feel strongly responsible for wearing the blue jersey, know what it means. But be careful, because something is also moving at the female level, with the crawlers She confirmed her role as a benchmark among the U23s with a win and a fourth-place finish in Verona. She didn't compete at Zolder due to technical reasons, but we'll see her again at the next events.
Your work is clearly oriented towards the Los Angeles 2028 event. Do you think Italy could become one of the reference nations in this timeframe?
If I didn't believe in it, I wouldn't have taken on this role. We must believe that results like those of this early season, but also world-class finals, must become the norm, the foundation, because then even great exploits will become possible. We have a very high level, both in the national team and at the major clubs. Now it's essential to be increasingly aware of this. and present yourself at major events without fear and with a great hunger for success.
