ROME – Roberto Pella, president of the Professional Cycling League, was there as a guest at the Federation’s Tour of Honor, but he did not fail to make his voice heard. The way he is moving cannot leave anyone indifferent: Pella moves forward, loves cycling, has a plan in mind and can’t stand downtime.
Those who work alongside him say that there is no shortage of reasons for friction, but usually the president listens and in the end he decides with his head taking everything into account. There is a theme in relation to which his work can be crucial and that is that of birth of the famous Italian WorldTourbecause with its support the intervention of large companies close to the State could ultimately be less remote than we think.
The feeling, however, while rumors are circulating that Davide Cassani’s project would be involved, is that Pella is gradually building the base on which the heavier structure will eventually rest. What do you offer a large company that decides to invest, apart from the invoices to pay? So the strengthening of the national calendar, the interventions on the logistics and safety of the structures and the equalization of the prizes make up a picture that is slowly starting to have a logic. Obviously there is no shortage of criticism and objections, but the project continues.
And in the project from next year he will become the main actor Unioncamere, the public body (founded in 1901) that unites and institutionally represents the Chamber of Commerce system. If companies start to understand that cycling deserves attention because it offers an adequate return on investment, then perhaps the little game will start to work. And so we asked President Pella to explain the passage to us in detail.
President Pella, to what extent will the Chambers of Commerce get involved in cycling?
Unioncamere enters cycling, being the body that represents the entire productive world: from industry to craftsmanship, commerce and agriculture. It is the way of involving the economic and social fabric of the territories in a very strong way from a development point of view. I think we have closed the triangle. There is the sporting world, the institutional world and the world of the Chambers of Commerce. A concrete hand between the institution, the Conference of Regions and the League.
How can interaction be created?
The Chambers of Commerce will become priorities and important in the socio-economic development of the territories. Together with them we will build value, in the promotion of peculiarities, at an artisanal, industrial, commercial and agricultural level. For me Unioncamere is very important because it is truly national representation. And of course through the individual Chambers of Commerce it embraces all territories. In my opinion this is a very, very beautiful alliance for which I thank the president Andrea Prete and of course the general secretary, because with them we are building an important path of value and team.
Can it serve to involve companies that have never been involved in the world of cycling, which perhaps still seems a little closed?
This is a very pertinent question and is also one of my goals. I believe there is today a lack of knowledge, especially of small and large companiesof what can be a context of commitment and return from the numerical point of view of investment on the sporting front. So I think that having someone who represents them, therefore their own institution, who in some way acts as a glue and gives value. It is certainly something useful and important and we are working on this basis.
Will it be a gradual process?
Like all things, it is evolving. We are at the stage of defining what the peculiarities will be. But as happened last year when we started, we modeled the construction according to reality. I’ll give you an example, since I’m a textile entrepreneur. You can buy a dress or have it custom made: we are trying to make a customized product. And when a product is born like this, it is not pre-printed or predefined, but is shared. Therefore, starting from the excellent result of this season, in which we exceeded 80 million audiences on Italian and foreign television, I believe that with them we will be able to converge on an opening of the economic world.
Could this mean bringing in investors, but also giving Italian cycling a visibility that perhaps is missing?
My work focuses particularly on the base, on the need to bring great cycling back into the institutions. As a moment of aggregation, of great celebration, we could approach large, small and even medium-sized sponsors who then do not necessarily have to land on the League, but also turn to individual clubs. I’m not saying the minor ones, but we have some professionals who deserve attention. The relationship with them is very solid and concrete and through them, we want to somehow give the opportunity to enhance young people who for various reasons have a slower maturation and are not interested abroad. The other day I was with Ballan and he was talking about having blossomed at 24 years old.
Institutions, territories and companies: the picture is actually starting to be complete…
I must say that the Municipalities, not because they are vice-president of the ANCI, are very attentive and for this reason they must be involved and made participants. What I always tell my organizers is that we we must manage to propose races that in some way make the territories and the people protagonists. That they stimulate them right from the start, not only in terms of authorizations, but also in terms of involvement.
How?
As you may have seen, it will be our responsibility with the regional committees to do so a job of involving young people in our professional racing. Because for me young people today need to see the myth of the present while trying to imagine their future. One of the most beautiful photographs that I carry with me from this 2025 is of Castrocaro Terme, on the day of the Giro della Romagna which started from Lugo.
How come?
Our friend Selleri had organized some youth races and the boys were rewarded together with the champions. It was really very nice – smiles Pella – seeing the kids with the emotion and pride of having lived that moment. What we are trying to do is make these kids live dreams, joyful moments. This is our motivation. And we are looking for anything that can help us build this movement.
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