Also present in the square were Confagricoltura Ferrara, Rione Santo Spirito, Lost Road Beer, Fiab Ferrara, Uisp Ferrara, B12 Bike Professional, Polisportiva Putinati, Fondazione Ado, Destinazione Romagna Bike to enliven the wait in their stands. From 11.30pm the queue of cyclists began and filled the ring of Piazza Ariostea, then the countdown until midnight, when the group set off towards the sea. Also present were Paolo Calvano, councilor for the budget of the Emilia-Romagna region, enthusiastic in witnessing the city’s response to cycling events, a fundamental key to the tourism promotion of Ferrara and the region.
Off at midnight between two wings of spectators: waiting for them is a cycle touring route along the Destra Po, three refreshment points up to breakfast at Bagno Ristoro, at Lido di Volano, directly on the beach. Many stories that mixed together during the night, in a kilometer-long luminous thread above the Po embankment and which gradually unraveled along the way. Every refreshment point is the moment to stock up on food, thanks also to the local products of Confagricoltura Ferrara: in Ro, after 21km, thanks to the collaboration with Uisp Ferrara and the Civil Protection Volunteers of Riva del Po, also present to coordinate Serravalle, after 48km, guests from the Fabbrica dell’Acqua together with the volunteers of the Anffas Sports Group, and finally in Santa Giustina, at the 76th km, in Osteria del Delta Torre Abate. The charm of pedaling in the dark, a summer climate with starry skies and a full moon, feeling part of a one-of-a-kind event gave all the participants the energy to overcome the many hours in the saddle. And at dawn many different stories mixed together.
As dawn arrived, the 1000 cyclists found the energy necessary for the final sprint, before a well-deserved rest right on the sea after a journey with constant mechanical and medical assistance. The joy of having built a memorable memory, the discovery of new personal limits, the surprise of experiencing territories in a new way: many sensations that have mixed and created the unique mix typical of Bike Nights. The only event that brings together city bikes, racing bikes, gravel bikes, MTBs, tandems, e-bikes, rickshaws, sports scooters (footbikes), recumbent bikes, and eggmobiles. People with visual (tandem) or motor disabilities also participated.
