On the eve of Lombardia, guests at the 20th anniversary dinner Promoeventi Sport, who, among other things, organizes the Bergamo races for RCS Sport, we found a group of friends. And as has been happening for some time now, the discussion ended up on our home-grown cycling and the need for an Italian WorldTour teamA concept that Ivan Basso also takes up again today in a post published on Linkedin.
An Italian team
Enrico Zanardo, who had amateur teams for years and is today the contact person for Astoria Wines in cycling, it was enough perplexed about the possibility of creating an all-Italian team. Big sponsors have interests all over the world and this means that need riders from different countries. Impeccable speech.
Claudio Corti, manager of the Saeco of Cunego and Simoni, remembered when Sergio Zappella (Mr. Saeco) reached the team budget by collecting contributions from global branches. He was obviously the majority shareholder, so the central commitment was his, but in this way he gathered interests around the team from every corner of the world.
Serge Parsani, now at Corratec (about to return as a professional), recalled the years at Mapei in which there was no shortage of international riders, but with a strong Italian core at its core. Stressing that the team of Giorgio Squinzi did a great job of involving foreign branches.
Switzerland is growing
Today all this seems unattainable. And yet There is no shortage of big sponsors: what is missing is the desire to take the next step, really try hard.
Probably the Italian tax system doesn't help, maybe that's why our champions live abroad and the new Q36.5, a team of Italian sponsors and management, has chosen Switzerland to start.
And right in Switzerland, there will be two new teams. In addition to the one that will have Vincenzo Nibali among its ranks as an exceptional consultant, the new one will be launched Tudor Pro Cycling Team by Fabian CancellaraWhile we are recording here the risk of closure of the Drone Hopper-Androni and the probable return of the Tuscan team, which has come and gone with alternating fortunes over the years, certainly won't be able to balance the situation.
The talent drain
And in the meantime our people go abroad and enter into a thriving market that offers interesting prospects. In rich teams, which however will put the home riders first. Therefore, in the same way as Paolo Bettini, already winner of the Liège and the world championships, was never able to run the Flanders because he had Boonen in front of him, others will come up as lieutenants rather than leaders. Because the leader must lead the race, not pull for others and then watch them go awayThere are still a few occasions when the home captains are not present. And in those cases the various Bagioli, Aleotti and Covi have the possibility of coming outBut it's not easy. Cycling doesn't give you everything at once, Maturation requires experience, and experience requires repeated opportunities..
Let's talk about the media
The reason why cycling has been sidelined in Italy has always been explained by the problems of the past. The fact, however, is that nothing is as it was before, while the relative disinterest on the part of the major players in communication is surprising, who have now become flattened on football in a sometimes embarrassing way. Major newspapers no longer send correspondents to major events and when they do, they are ashamed to put the victory on the front page. Like the Ganna Hour record: the comparison of the front pages with when Moser set the record raises more than one question.
Television has increased the hours of live broadcasts. Eurosport and his boys show racing with competence which were once just exotic names, while Rai continues with its complex work defending its position.
Last weekend was a flowering of cycling, even excessive (theUCI fills out calendars without any apparent logic: Didn't President Lappartient realize that he didn't have time to attend all the events?). Lombardia. Hour RecordParis-Tours. Gravel World Championship (at the beginning, Van der Poel signs autographs). Romandie women. Why was it seen as a problem and not as a resource?
Let's talk about sponsors
In this picture lacking in courage, Why should a sponsor invest all that money if they can have the glittering showcase of football for much less? Giorgio Squinzi closed Mapei and entered football, first with the national team and then with Sassuolo. Those who stay draw on their passion. The others, who perhaps would like to, they take note of the closed doors and go elsewhere.
«Ours is a sport that guarantees an important return – writes Basso – but It doesn't guarantee it immediately and I understand that for a company today it is important to have short-term returns. However, cycling is not just an advertising vehicle: it is also, and above all, a vehicle of values...".
Shareable words, which struggle to take root in a world where The big organizers try to grab the important races to enrich their walletsNobody dreams of creating a system, as happens for example in France with the Tour. They are all around the bone, boasting positions of real or presumed privilege., trying to eat as many as they can.
