Beniamino Schiavon, from Laigueglia, was director for many years of the local Autonomous Care and Tourism Agency, under whose impulse the Trofeo Laigueglia was born in 1964. Many stories from the first editions were collected by his sons Massimo and Roberto before Beniamino's passing in 2023. We present them in a sort of staged race towards the opening classification of Italian cycling.

1970 - GIMONDI AND THE CUSTOMS RESCUE

These were different times, both in cycling and interpersonal relationships. Beniamino Schiavon quickly became friends from the first edition of Laigueglia with Luciano Pezzi, who was used to frequenting the Ligurian Riviera first as a rider and then as a sports director. After a few meetings, the relationship was close and remained so until the end.

Luciano had to organize the transfer to Belgium, which at the time was not simple, so he asked Schiavon if he could accompany the team to Nice airport the day after Milan-Sanremo while he would reach Belgium by other means.

Luciano, as always, was very precise and organized everything and left immediately after the Sanremo finish. The next morning the riders would reach the French location by bike, doing a training ride, Schiavon's task was to escort them by car and carry some of the luggage. Departure from Diano Marina around 9, just before arriving at the Ventimiglia border Schiavon overtook the small group of riders.

In the Fiat 1100, with his wife Maria Angela, his brother-in-law in the back seat and lots of luggage. The customs officers, seeing the overloaded car, became suspicious. They thought something was strange, also due to a name similarity between Schiavon's brother-in-law and a notorious bandit of the time.

Today it would all be simpler with technology. Things dragged on, but fortunately the Salvarani team led by Felice Gimondi came to the rescue to confirm the presence of all that luggage in the car: the impasse was resolved, which cost good Gimondi a few autographs, and they restarted towards Nice where the riders arrived at the hotel to take a shower, have a small lunch and then take the flight to Belgium. For Schiavon, the thrill of being in the "team car" but also the worry of an overzealous customs officer...

6 - to be continued