The Giro della Lunigiana experienced one of its most important days just over a week ago, when a representative committee went to present the Race of Future Champions at the Press Room of the Chamber of DeputiesA huge step for an event that has always attracted the best junior talent from around the world. On the streets of the Lunigiana and from nearby Liguria many names have passed through who have then established themselves at the highest levels of cycling.
Because before becoming champions, these riders we'll soon discover were just kids with a dream to realize. Talent allowed them to emerge, each in their own way. However, we returned to talk about them from a different perspective, not only the athlete but also the personWe wanted to tell their story through the eyes of those who were able to witness a key moment in their growth, at an age where you still have room to truly be yourselfPlease remember that the junior category is reserved for young people aged between 17 and 18.
The French “neighbors”
Lucio Petacchi is the director of the Tour of Lunigiana since 2023, but has been experiencing the race from the inside since 2021. The latest talents have passed under his passionate and attentive gaze which now shine on the roads of the world. A rapid acceleration towards the title of "Race of Future Champions" for the Giro della Lunigiana has arrived in recent years, when the young champions who emerged from this competition immediately took important steps also among the professionals.
“My first year,” says Lucio Petacchi, “was that of Lenny Martinez and Romain Gregoire, two incredible talents. In fact all my editions have been characterised by the colours of the French flag as they have won three of the last four editionsYou can see there's something different in their gaze. They're focused and determined, they know everyone's watching them, but this is true for all kids. But the French look around a lot, they are curious about the territory that surrounds them.. Someone asks about the culinary specialties, customs, and traditions of Lunigiana."
The blues
For many, the Giro della Lunigiana is their first international test, with regional teams bringing their athletes to compete against athletes from all over the world. In past editions there was also room for a local athlete: Lorenzo Mark Finn.
«Finn – says Lucio Petacchi – is a boy with an incredible education and talent. He is very helpful and we talked a lot about the routes with him since he knows the roads very well.. He is also a boy who is very attentive to various social issues, As Giro della Lunigiana we are committed to carrying forward some proposals related to first aid and not just in competition."
"Many young people have come to us," he continues, "also because for many Italians this race represents the first real international event of their careers. Many keep an indelible memory and it's beautiful to see how everyone takes something different with them.».
The past years
One of the historic figures of the Giro della Lunigiana is Alessio Baudone, who led the race for several years. His memory is deep and rooted, in an international race but one that has nevertheless seen changes..
«I think there was a before and after Evenepoel – he explains with a laugh – he drove me crazy. He left and greeted the company even on flat stagesIt was something incredible. It was the Evenepoel who came from football and had that typical, slightly polemical attitude. I remember that in the time trial in Castelnuovo di Magra he lost to Matias Vacek by a second. He created an incredible controversy, he said he had wonBut he was on another level, I've seen many champions but none as overflowing as him."
"Another memory I have is of Matej Mohoric," he continues. "He was really fast on the downhills, like now. Keeping up with him in the car was incredibly difficult, sometimes I instinctively told him to slow down. Vincenzo Nibali, however, won but was dominant on the climbsHe took everyone off their bikes. They were different kids than those of today, less "professional." You could see that cycling was their passion, but before it could become a job, there was still a lot to do. With Evenepoel, and the fact that after Lunigiana he immediately moved to the WorldTour, a race for young riders has begun».
