Sandro Galleani, from Basiano in the lower Milan Brianza area, passed away in Varese on Saturday, March 8th, at the age of 81. Born on March 3rd, 1944, he ventured into cycling during his youth, racing from 1960 to 1968 with the Veloce Club Melzo. He crossed paths with his neighbor Gianni Motta, and a lasting friendship was born between them.

In 1968, Galleani hung up his bike and became, more through practice than grammar, a sought-after "masseur" and soon a physiotherapist, primarily following Gianni Motta in the Sanson and Salvarani teams. In these teams, he met Dr. Piero Modesti, a well-known sports physician from Varese who encouraged him to take courses in sports massage therapy. Alongside cycling, Modesti introduced him to the world of basketball, which was very popular and followed in Varese, especially under the Ignis banner. Galleani found himself comfortable among the "tall guys" of basketball, despite not being particularly tall himself. In 1973, he definitively opted for basketball and remained with the winning and historic team until 2009, consistently following the Italian national team in major events. In 2013, he was inducted into the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame. He later held the position of referee liaison.

The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11th, at 3 PM, at the Santa Croce parish church in Gazzada Schianno, Varese.

Heartfelt condolences to the Galleani family.

g.f.