RESPECT AND HOPE

TUTTOBICI | 02/01/2025 | 14:30
di Pier Augusto Stagi
Long live GPO. We have lost a friend, a great friend, Gian Paolo Ormezzano, a writing champion whom I was fortunate to intercept and incorporate since May '95 into what I considered and still consider the national team of good writing: that of tuttoBICI. We have lost a giant of skill and modesty: it's difficult to find a champion who feels exactly like everyone else. He, GPO, was simply an eternal young boy who played with words and did so until the end, with the same joy and enthusiasm as always. For many, he was excellent, but... Only because he didn't take himself too seriously. Because he didn't show off. Because he was an incurable boy who often threw everything away in the name of a joke or a witticism, a calembour, all with that mischievous air, sometimes loaded with self-irony that made him unique. He wasn't Gianni Brera only because he wasn't sitting on a hieratic chair, at most on a rocking horse, where he felt more comfortable, but in terms of culture, preparation, and writing, he was absolutely not second to anyone, indeed. As far as I'm concerned, he was even better, like Gianni Mura, but that's another story. I'll limit myself to telling you that in this issue of our magazine you'll find his last gift, even if it was followed by a terrible joke that we would never have wanted to receive. What remains is the memory of a great collaboration, lasting almost 30 years: from the first issue of tuttoBICI in May 1995 to today. Thirty years minus four issues. Thirty privileged years. And after many words, a postscript quoting GPO himself: "I have a record of loyalty with Famiglia Cristiana, which I abandoned before it abandoned me, but I will never abandon tuttoBICI, because with you I still like to let myself go. Long live us!". Long live GPO.

RESPECT. We have left behind a year that, cycling-wise, delighted us like few others and we are preparing to witness a new season that we hope can be in the same vein as the one just passed: if there will be a little more Italy, welcome, otherwise we'll make our peace with it.
We have left behind a year marked by a very important noun: respect. Too bad we can't carry it with us. Too bad the Italian Encyclopedia Institute Treccani chose this word only at the end of the year, adopting the following motivation: "For its extreme topicality and social relevance".
If there were respect, if it were adopted by everyone, we would be halfway there. In our little "parish" of cycling, as the great Mario Fossati used to define our environment, we don't always resort to it. Often we are more inclined to envy and gossip than to respect. However, there are exceptions, God willing, and among these is Ivan Basso, for example, one of those who as a manager knows respect very well, and so does the Reverberi family. Ivan has never disrespected anyone. He has never allowed himself to "steal" a sponsor from a colleague; indeed, if the young Polti manager has a merit, it's precisely the opposite, given that in recent years he has brought several new sponsors to the cycling cause. Yamamay, Carpisa, and now Fineco are just the latest in a series that will make their debut in top-level cycling this year. I'm told of correct and reasoned investments, thought out and measured while waiting to get to know (our environment) and understand (the potential of our sport). Three brands of clear recognition and absolute value, which in a few months or years could do much more, but it's already a lot - for now - that they have decided to embark on this new adventure. Basso has always run his own race, as have the Reverberi, who not only have secured serious and profitable sponsors but have not let them slip away, reaching absolute loyalty records in recent years. In short, both Basso and the Reverberi know the term respect perfectly and can be cataloged among respectable people.

HOPE. At 7:17 PM on December 24th, the Jubilee began. The Pope, seated in his wheelchair, placed his hand on the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, which immediately opened, thus launching the ordinary Holy Year 2025, dedicated to Hope. With due proportions and ambitions, we in the cycling world also rely on Hope, in addition to respect. The hope of finding the thread of the skein. That cycling centrality in the world universe that for some years has no longer clearly seen us at the center of the celestial constellation.
The new year brings us elections (Rome, January 19), and these will lead us to a new president or a confirmation. Four candidates, three challengers to the outgoing president Dagnoni, with one (Lino Secchi) already seriously thinking of stepping back. Whoever takes on the task of managing one of the most prestigious and important Federations in our country is hoped to do so conscientiously, referring to that sense of respect mentioned above, particularly for all of us who are nourished by this sport.
It must be a patient and competent president, free from the desire to waste energy implementing a series of settling of scores that only bring divisions at a time when we should truly be a team.
Let's take the current League president, Honorable Roberto Pella. Elected on April 29th last year, he immediately got to work, establishing seven new commissions and involving high-profile figures even outside our world. He is advancing the proposal for bureaucratic simplification for cycling races and has recently promoted an amendment that will guarantee the League 7 million euros in 3 years. He has brought in 14 million euros for municipal mobility and signed a Protocol with the Conference of Regions, as well as the one named Magna Grecia. Moreover, he established the Italy Cup of Regions (race rescue with TV production) and, since he can't sit idle, has also defined a protocol called Diabetes and Healthy Lifestyles. Do you think our environment said "well done, keep going"? Of course not. What prevails goes from envy to distrust: will everything that glitters be gold?
Meanwhile, Pella works and produces; whoever will be called to the throne of Italian cycling on January 19th will have to do at least as much, perhaps working alongside him, supporting him and promoting equally prestigious initiatives, trying to leverage his political connections and channels - which are many - for the good of a movement that must return to sitting in the best living room of cycling that matters. Cordiano Dagnoni has a job started that should be finished and absolutely wants to conclude it, Daniela Isetti, Silvio Martinello, and perhaps Lino Secchi want to start a completely new one. However it goes, we hope that everything will take place in the name of that respect that is necessary to try to find solutions together to get out of the ford where our movement - especially the professional one - has ended up. As far as I'm concerned, I can only rely on Hope. Happy New Year, Santo.