COLNAGO 70. NICOLA ROSIN: "A MILESTONE TO CELEBRATE WITH STYLE AND INNOVATION"

INTERVIEW | 20/11/2024 | 18:30
di Pier Augusto Stagi
Seventy candles, seventy bicycles and as many "capsule collections", a few select pieces of clothing easily matched and attributable to the Colnago style. Three moments for one big celebration at DOTS in Milan, to celebrate 70 years of one of the most appreciated and loved brands of made in Italy in the world. A milestone for a brand that in May 2020 passed from the hands of Ernesto Colnago to those of Chimera Investments Llc, an Abu Dhabi fund that owns UAE Team Emirates, the world's number one team directed by Mauro Gianetti, which has been using bicycles with the ace of clubs from Cambiago for years and has as its reference man the world's number one cyclist Tadej Pogacar.
Three moments to celebrate, looking at the past, but showing up in public with a vision in constant motion, which is then characteristic of this brand. "The nice thing is that we find ourselves celebrating an important and challenging birthday," explains Nicola Rosin, CEO of Colnago, with satisfaction, "with the awareness of those who have all the credentials to still play an important role in a complex and stimulating market like that of bicycles. What are we most proud of? That we have consolidated and above all - thanks to great work by everyone, especially our operational director - we are ready to start again to raise the bar of our ambitions even higher. But what makes us happiest is having lowered the average age of those who choose a Colnago bicycle. Thanks also to Tadej Pogacar's victories, but to the work of our engineers and our marketing, the Colnago product is a 70-year-old brand that appeals to young people, that attracts the imagination and fascination of young people. This is what we wanted."
You mentioned a year of consolidation.
"After three years of great growth, we experienced a year of consolidation in 2024: we will close the fiscal year with a + 7/8%, in line with what we had set ourselves, also because we have strengthened our workforce, with the inclusion of several very young people and with a new production capacity that will allow us a qualitative leap."
Here in Cambiago you're starting to feel cramped...
"As you well know, we have bought new land, not far from here, let's say we'll be in Basiano, just past the exit sign from Cambiago. We'll move in a couple of years just 5 km to occupy a headquarters of 9 thousand square meters, with space to convey every phase of our production."
How important is it for Colnago to have a testimonial like Tadej Pogacar?
"It's clear that it's an important ingredient of our success, of our growth, but it's clearly - as I anticipated - the element that has allowed us to lower the average age of those who today desire Colnago."
At seventy years old you speak to young people...
"At seventy years old we feed on the energy and creativity of GenZ, of those young people who have a new vision of the world. We put ourselves in listening mode and try to combine their creative freshness with the practicality and historicity of our experiences. As I told you, we have included many new figures in our staff, a bit in all the production department, from the technical office to marketing. With engineer Davide Fumagalli, who is our point of reference, there are Filippo Galli and Pier Paolo De Santis. In marketing, alongside Manolo Bertocchi, young people like Gabriele Sartori and Joële Gyppaz: they are added value for all of us."
Seventy are also the bicycles: and what a bicycle.
"'Steelnovo' is a modern steel bicycle, symbol of a Colnago that is aware of its history, but also has the will to look at new markets, new materials and new solutions. Entirely made in Italy, 'Steelnovo' is launched in only 70 pieces, with Columbus tubes and Campagnolo components (Super Record Wireless), our historical partners. The line, graphics and design are there to see. The first Master dates back to 1982, the last Tecnos is from 1996, so it had been thirty years since Colnago presented its new steel creation and it does so with a product that is the result of cutting-edge technologies, such as 3D printing for the joints. In short, in perfect Colnago style, we never stop experimenting. Will we stop at 70 pieces? We'll see. One thing is certain, and we already know it also because unfortunately the news has leaked a bit, someone has spoiled it, but we know that the requests will exceed the pieces we will have available."
Seventy also the pieces of your off-bike clothing line.
"We wanted to treat ourselves to these hyper-coherent 'capsules' with made in Italy products, given that the materials, fabrics are of the highest order (Loro Piana) and the fabrics are in all respects a Colnago link: carbon is originally a fiber, a real fabric, these projects perfectly embody our brand. Our dedication to production, attention to detail and choice of materials, in short, the spirit of Italian creativity and Colnago in particular."
What will Colnago lovers find under the tree?
"One thing is certain, before the end of the year there will be a new surprise."
What do you ask of 2025?
"To continue with the same spirit. In the company, determination, creativity and harmony are breathed. It's clear that then it's the results that tell us whether we've been more or less good, it's the numbers that reflect the health of a company, but with creativity, determination and harmony the results are a direct consequence: exactly like emotions. And a Colnago is not only desire, but it's emotion."

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