ELECTIONS. MARTINELLO: "I THINK OF A TRANSPARENT FEDERATION THAT GIVES VOICE AND ATTENTION TO THE BASE, STARTING FROM SCHOOLS"

POLITICS | 10/01/2025 | 16:28
di Pier Augusto Stagi
The appointment is online at 11, and Silvio Martinello presents himself to the press conference with a handful of minutes delay. There's a program and a team to present that will accompany him in this second electoral adventure. In a virtual studio, the presidential candidate thanks the connected colleagues and those who have decided to follow his press conference.
"If there will be space, I hope to give you the floor as well, reading some of your comments, but we don't want to reduce it to mere stadium-style cheering," says Silvio in the third person. He begins with a relaxed joke that breaks the ice: "In any case, on January 19th I'll have something to celebrate, given that the voting will coincide with my 62nd birthday." He is alone in the studio, or so he appears to us. And after the customary greetings, he begins his story.
"My candidacy starts from far away - Martinello begins. You know well that I was a candidate in the 2021 Assembly and was defeated. But from that result, obtained in a not particularly friendly climate towards me, it clearly emerged that there was an evident need for change, which in these four years has not happened. So I got back in the game. My candidacy was officially announced well in advance, in June, precisely because I wanted to meet those base societies that do not have the possibility of expressing a direct preference in the National Assembly, but do so through their delegates." A broad program rich with ideas that clearly started from the 2021 program trace. What are the fundamental themes? There are 18 in the program, Martinello this morning only touched on some.
"Attention to the base, centrality of territories (provincial and regional committees), reduction of bureaucracy, modification of the statute, our Constitution, which I consider outdated and no longer functional to the needs of a modern Federation, which all three candidates in the previous Assembly (who are the same on January 19th) had committed to changing, but the one who had the possibility did not do so. I take on the commitment to reason about a new instrument, if I were to be invested with the role of president, together with everyone, even those who might be defeated on the 19th: the Statute belongs to everyone and must be rewritten and evaluated together. First and foremost, the representation rules: our societies, which compose the backbone of our movement, must have the possibility of expressing their preferences even at the national level."
Where to restart? From recruitment, from schools. "In these four years, they have concentrated especially on oratories... choices. It's strange that this morning Minister Abodi in 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' spoke clearly about sports promotion in schools. Therefore, despite the brilliant results even at the Paris Olympics (4 medals, a tenth of the total), we have dropped in the ranking of resources allocated to Federations. Now we are in tenth place in terms of contributions, because there is not only competitive sports, and this is said by someone who has won medals." What does the territory complain about? Martinello, traveling around Italy, has formed an idea. "Absence of listening and lack of responses. The problem of international categories (juniors, under 23, male and female...), lack of regulation to regiment all the professionals gravitating around riders and the reference is clearly to agents. These are the real necessities of our base."
Then there's the federal budget, which greatly worries the Atlanta gold medalist. "The fact that there are still no clear and precise information about the 2024 budget demonstrates the worrying inadequacy of this Federation. An absolute lack of transparency. Think about the management during the Tokyo Games and the removal of Davide Cassani. Think about the summer of 2022, for the Irish events that then caused the resignation of vice-president Norma Gimondi and no one did anything to retain her or make her return. Think about the Professional Cycling League that has now found an important balance thanks to Honorable Roberto Pella who is working wonderfully and will have, if I am elected, all my collaboration. Our Federation must regain credibility. We must rediscover a quality profile to be present at ministerial tables not so much to get a photo for the personal archive, but to try to bring the bicycle back to the center of discussion. And this must be done also in the international context with the UCI and UEC, but to do this a strong and credible Federation is necessary."
Then here is Silvio Martinello's team. The names of the vice-presidential and Council candidates. Men who have embraced the Martinello program. The vice-presidential candidates are: Dario BROCCARDO, for 20 years technical manager of the blue team, director of the Study Center, president of the Trentino committee; Flavio BOCCHETTI, from Lombardy, one term as Provincial Councilor of Milan and one as Lombard Councilor, two terms as vice-president of the Lombard Committee; Marco SELLERI, a very well-known sports man, class of '59, organizer, Giro delle Pesche Nettarine, Under-23 Giro, Imola 2020 World Championship.
Then comes the long list of federal council candidates: Bruno BATTISTELLA, from Friuli, Regional Vice-President, then Regional President, Federal Councilor and currently president of Friends of the Pordenone Track; Federico CAMPOLI, from Lazio, 59 years old, graduated in physics and electronic engineering, regional councilor of Lazio, national councilor (2017/2020), organizer and committed with great skills in the off-road sector; Samanta CAVALDONATI, from Massa, Tuscany, class of '74, surveyor, race judge, provincial president, regional councilor and organizer; Salvatore D'AQUILA, from Ragusa, Sicily, former Regional Committee President and Ragusa Provincial President; Michelino DAVICO, from Piedmont, class of '61, a well-known name, teacher and former Senator of the Republic (from 2006 to 2018) now president of Bike History; Renato DI ROCCO. Registered in Tuscany, despite being born in Abruzzo and adopted in Rome. Suffice it to say that he is honorary vice-president of the International Cycling Union; Fabio SGARZI, class of '59, a great enthusiast and off-road expert; Lorenzo SPINELLO, 53 years old, lawyer from Bari, president for two terms of the Bari provincial committee, expert in federal activities, organizational, regulatory, and related processes; Sandro TUVO, technical functional at Arpal Liguria, former Regional Committee President of Liguria; Vittorio PODESTA', glory of the Paralympic sports movement, two Olympic golds, 5 individual world championships and many, many other things. And then, space for journalists' questions.

Tony LO SCHIAVO. We are coming from an extremely difficult four-year period, perhaps the lowest for our Federation, both in terms of management and quality sports results. His program touches on many topics, where does he think of starting?
"It's a four-year period that will clearly not be remembered as one of the most brilliant, even though in terms of sports there have been important medals. The priority: it's clear that, despite the elections being quite early, much has already been planned. The renewed contracts for technicians find me in agreement. It's clear that the new Federal Council will make its own decisions and above all will prepare and present its own project and consequently decide which names will be considered functional to the execution of this project. The first thing we'll do if I'm elected? Open the drawers, to understand".

Marco BONARRIGO. His pragmatism could encounter difficulties in what is essentially a para-state company: how does he plan to change an organization far from his profile? The current president has extended a managerial contract for a year: how will he deal with this issue? Finally, I see only one female figure in his team.
"It's true, I try to be pragmatic, but I'm also convinced that a Federation can adapt to more pragmatic methods. Pragmatism goes hand in hand with motivation. Although four years ago I was painted as a revolutionary, authoritarian subject, full of personal ego, I can assure you that I love listening and motivating. Here, I'm convinced that we must return to sharing, to do something together. The contract made with friend Roberto Amadio? Well, I believe Roberto has done an excellent job these years. Think that four years ago I had dedicated two pages to national teams, this time just a few lines and you know why? Because everything that has been done, I would have done it myself. After that, within this group I realize there are some problems and I have no fear of confronting him to understand if there are conditions to move forward or evaluate other solutions. Female presence: you all know that pink quotas exist, a definition I don't like at all. I only know that Samanta is good and that's why I asked her to be part of my team".

Alessandro BRAMBILLA. The number of races has decreased, one of the reasons is due to traffic and the risks involved. Some sports directors and organizers are experiencing difficult moments and the risk that many will take a moment of reflection, blocking all activity, is more than serious. Another question: I see that on the East Ring Road, for Milano-Cortina, a new sports palace is being built that has not provided for a cycling track, what does he think?
"Tomorrow afternoon I will be together with President Dagnoni and Daniela Isetti at a conference organized in Quarrata by the very society that has undergone the conviction of the race director and its president. It's clear that all this creates great concern, and therefore we must work on the aspect of insurance protection: civil protections exist, criminal ones do not. And at the same time we must work with the legislator, to try to make them understand the needs of cycling. Cycling dynamics are unique and particular. Then there is the issue of safety in an absolute sense: riders are going faster and faster and just by observing them, they fall much more. So? Here too we must take note and sit at the table with the UCI, to try somehow to make riders go slower. It may seem like a paradox, but something will have to be thought about. It's not Martinello who brings the solution, but we must talk about it, we must think of something. On one side we have riders hurting themselves, on the other organizers and race directors taking too many risks and backing out: we can't go on like this. Infrastructure: why doesn't the Milano-Cortina Sports Palace provide for cycling? You shouldn't ask me".

Luca GIALANELLA. In the list of national coaches there is a missing box, the one for the women's national team, since Paolo Sangalli has left. Does he have any names and doesn't he think it's time for a female coach? Last question: the future of national coach Daniele Bennati. Does he see a part-time or dedicated selector?
"You're taking me to a terrain I don't want to enter: I'll talk to you about concepts, not names. The women's sector has kept us afloat in recent years, but I believe the time has come for a woman who can lead the blue team. Regarding the blue national coach, I won't go into the merits of Bennati yes or Bennati no, but I can only say that we are marking time and we must rethink how the Italian Cycling Federation has thought about that role in the last thirty years. I believe there is a need to work with greater connection to youth categories. So it's not so much a problem of the national coach, but of the idea we have of cycling".

Enzo VICENNATI. What does he fear about a possible runoff? President Dagnoni has complained about the scarcity of Sport and Health contributions: how much must cycling detach itself from the top movement and become an entity that promotes activities in the territory?
"I fear nothing, I have a serene relationship. I do everything that is in my possibilities, then the voters will choose. We necessarily must think about promotion, because it is an opportunity for our movement and moreover they are asking us for it. For some it is a lowering, for me it is an elevation".

Pier Augusto STAGI. A great cycling past and a great entrepreneurial experience, but as a politician he is yet to be discovered; Renato Di Rocco, if he ever rises to the Presidency, could he be a political resource for him? The UCI is running its own race and is positioning cycling higher and higher, our movement has not understood the change that began in the Nineties: how does he plan to bring our movement back to the center of the universe?
"My curriculum is there, I have never held a political position, but if you'll allow me a quip and I would like it to be taken as such, whoever is currently leading the Federation has a lot of political experience, but in these four years it has absolutely not been seen. Di Rocco: everyone knows that between us there have been moments of friction and clashes, despite this nothing prevents me from recognizing Renato Di Rocco's managerial profile. The experience and competence of a manager like him is extremely precious and I trust not to disperse it. I believe that a certain institutional education would have required that a person like Renato would have received an official invitation to the Assembly of the 19th, it was not done. It's true, the change in cycling in the Nineties was not understood and now we are in a very bad situation. I also believe that a system designed like this, which relies only on economic strength, is at the limit of sustainability. In any case, the goal is to return to weighing in internationally and interact with the UCI to try to change some things. We must return to having a say. With this system, an Italian professional team will not even have cycling in 2032. We must be stronger and be more of a team, also with the help of Rcs Sport"