The April 26in the heart of Royal Venariathe historian Municipal Exhibition Hall of via Mensa has become the scene of stories and anecdotes that have cycling celebrated on an unforgettable evening. Located near the majestic Royal Palace of Venaria, UNESCO heritagethe room hosted the event “Talking about cycling with Paolo Viberti”attracting enthusiasts and the curious.
Paolo Viberti, a historic sports journalism writer, is the author of numerous books in which he talks closely, with original testimonies, about sports champions.
Paolo Viberti, veteran journalist of “Tuttosport” and authoritative voice of cyclingtook audiences through a narrative journey into the exploits of legends like Gino Bartali And Fausto Coppioffering an intimate look at the Tour of Italy and the Tour de France, competitions he has covered for over three decades. His stories dragged those present beyond the boundaries of sports reporting, exploring humanity and the challenges of great champions.
The evening was one of the highlights of the event “Ready, set, Venaria! Free your inner cyclist”, a series of events organized by the City of Venaria in preparation for Great Departure of the 107th Giro d’Italia. Present at the evening were key institutional figures such as Monica Federico, councilor for Events, Tourism and Commercerepresenting the City of Venaria, of mayor Fabio Giulivi and of thesports councilor Luigi Tinozzi. On behalf of the entire council, Federico underlined the importance of this event for the local community.
Giuseppe Milieri, president of the Free Bike Venaria Reale ASD Association, which collaborated with the Municipality of Venaria and organized this event.
Interviewed shortly before the event, in a moment of reflection on the cultural and tourist significance of sport, Giuseppe Milieri, president ofFree Bike Association Venaria Reale ASD, organizer of the event with the Municipality of Venariashared his enthusiasm for the initiative: “This evening is born from a request from the Municipality to participate in a whole series of events linked to this year’s Giro d’Italia, which starts right here in Venaria. We in the association are on excellent terms with Paolo Viberti, we had the opportunity to invite him to share some exclusive and little-known stories with us. Paolo, with his decades of experience and his profound knowledge of the sector, personally knows many of the cyclists who have left an indelible mark on the history of this sport, thus making his narratives not only compelling but extremely interesting”.
Part of the audience present in the room.
In his exciting opening speech, Paolo Viberti, internationally renowned journalist who has followed sporting events in every corner of the globe, reflected on Italy’s unique position in the global sporting and tourism landscape. With a profound awareness arising from his own experiences, he observed: “We don’t even know what we have in our hands because if we knew we would live off of it.”
This meeting not only celebrated the exploits and challenges of cyclists, but also highlighted how sport could be a vehicle of narrative and cultural discovery. The passion for cycling and the history that winds through the generations makes these meetings a tribute to the heroes of the sport and a continuous source of inspiration for the community.
With the help of city associations, Venaria Reale reaffirms its essential role in the Italian sporting and cultural context through events like these. These initiatives revive a sense of participation and community pride, transforming cycling, history and culture into unique and unforgettable experiences for all participants. Furthermore, these demonstrations lay a solid foundation for the 2025, year in which Venaria will be celebrated as the European City of Sporthighlighting his dedication to promoting sporting and cultural excellence.
