The relationship between Italian sport and military groups has always been very close, many Olympic disciplines, in their competitive excellence, almost they survive only thanks to military societies. In fact, they they guarantee athletes a salary, allowing them to practice sports as a profession even though they are not professionals. For some years this has also been happening in cycling, even if Not all Armed Forces have decided to open their own section dedicated to two-wheelers.
Army for seven
For many years, those who were doing military service (in the sense of conscription) and wanted to continue cycling at the same time had to enter inArmy, which has had its own sports club since 1960This continued until 2000, then in 2002 access to the Army became professional and competitions began.
"Currently the team is made up of 7 athletes – explains Lieutenant Colonel Rino Minissale, technical director of the group – for MTB and cyclocross we have Martina Berta, Eve Lechner, Clare Teocchi e Joel Bertolini, for the street Valentina Scandolara, for the track Miriam Vece and Giada Capobianchi. They, like all the others who have joined the group, earn a regular salary. And at the end of their competitive careers they will be able to decide whether to stay and take on office roles or leave, but so far it has only happened once, with the cyclo-crosser Marco Bianco. Vania Rossi, for example, multiple Italian champion on the grass, he is now a Chief Major serving in Rimini».
The Carabinieri team
The beginning of the activity of another military group, that of the Forestry Corps, merged with the Carabinieri from January 1, 2017Since then, the Carabinieri themselves, through the existing Sports Centre, have managed the cycling activity with a group of four riders, all dedicated to off-road activities.
«The group includes – says Marshal Major Gianluca Macchini, technical manager of the group – Daniele Braidot, Nicholas Pettinà, Philip Fontana and the latest arrival Emanuele Huez. While Italian MTB champion Luca Braidot has decided to leave the Army taking his leave. Previously, the other Italian player Mirko Tabacchi, who has been employed at the Nipaaf Investigative Office of Treviso (Investigative Units of the Environmental, Agri-food and Forestry Police, ed.)».
The Carabinieri group has for some years a collaborative relationship with a cycling company, Cicli Olympia.
«It is a collaboration with a technical partner that arose from the fact that the Carabinieri, unlike the other groups, they officially compete with their own team and their own uniform even abroad, the riders are registered only with us».
Technical Guderzo?
This is no small matter, because for other military sports groups, double membership is permitted, with the military company and a civilian sports group, a rule that is specific to cycling.
"We we provide athletes with logistical and professional facilities – Senior Inspector Augusto Onori, sporting director of the Blue Flames – working closely with the FCI and civil societies. We give athletes the opportunity to express themselves at the highest levels under the control of our technicians Carlo Buttarelli and Fabio Masotti, former cyclists of the Fiamme Azzurre. The boys compete with the Fiamme Azzurre insignia. in national road championships and in national and international track activity.
«Cyclists enter the Penitentiary Police on the basis of a public competition. They can participate if they are athletes of national interest certified by CONI and FCI. When the cycling activity ends, can enter active serviceSo far, almost everyone has done it, but in some cases there is the possibility of being able to access the technical staff within the GS itself (an eventuality that Tatiana Guderzo, for example, is considering). They are currently registered Michele Scartezzini, Francis Lamon, Francesco Ceci and the girls Martha Bastianelli, Tatiana Guderzo, Letizia Paternoster, Simona Frapporti, Elena Cecchini and Rossella Ratto".
Even those who were discharged at the end of their career have treasured their experience in the Armed Forces, such as Cristiano Valoppi, who has found new prospects as Technical Director of foreign national teams.
Police on the shields
If the Gs Fiamme Azzurre opened the cycling section in 1992, the beginning of the two-wheeled adventure for the Flames Gold, a group of the State Police, dating back to 2015.
«The first member was Elisa Longo Borghini – recalls the Senior Inspector Nicola Assuntore – she was very young but we saw in her all the chances of reaching the Olympic podium, as it actually happenedOlympic medals have always been the goal of the Armed Forces and not for nothing the five circles are in our coat of arms. With her now I'm the blue chase Davide Plebani and 9 other girls. Sofia Bertizzolo and Maria Giulia Confalonieri, who entered in the same year as Elisa, then Elena Pirrone, Alice Maria Arzuffi which gave us our third Italian cyclocross title, adding to Longo Borghini's road and time trial titles. And then there are the women who won multiple European track medals: Elisa Balsam, Martha Cavalli, Vittoria Guazzini, Rachele Barbieri and Martina Fidanza. The only one who has stopped in recent years is Beatrice Bartelloni, who is now a public safety officer in Trieste. Those who enter the group, through a public competition, in fact, he takes a course like anyone who joins the PoliceOnce the activity is completed, a refresher course is carried out and then they have every career opportunity within the Police.
Summer retreat
«As a sports group we leave the girls available for international activity with other companiesAt the national championships, however, they compete with our uniform. And also For example, at the European track championships the girls wore our helmetsEvery year, except in 2020 due to Covid, we also host a summer retreat between May and June at our facilities in Moena. As a sports group, we monitor the girls very closely. For example, I advised Rachele Barbieri to do part of the cyclo-cross season to keep fit and at the Lecce championships, with his lightning-fast start, he helped Alice Arzuffi in the start-up phases which have always not been her strong point…».
