Starting numbers down Granfondo and organizers who suffer, a crisis that makes no geographical distinctions in Italy and which risks worsening if adequate solutions are not studied. This is the picture that presented itself in the first Italian semester in relation to cycling events which until a few years ago, not so far away, produced very different numbers to the delight of sponsors and organisers.
A 50% decline in MTB in the last 9 years
A study carried out by us on the numbers of starters present at the first Granfondos in 2015 highlights a drop of almost 50% throughout Italy, even in MTB sector, which did not spare even the most important events in Italy such as the Dolomiti Superbike, considered, with good reason, the mother of all GFs. Come on 4554 starters in 2015 of the Bolzano race (Datasport source) we moved on to 2209 of 2023so it was for the Ronda Hero saddle (3864 in 2015 – 1945 in 2023) and we could continue with the appeal of all the Italian MTB GFs, but the result would be the same. A negative trend that was accentuated after the 2019 pandemic crisis due to COVID which has heavily affected sports practice.
Same result also in Sicilywhere MTB has always represented the hard core of regional cycling and the flagship of Sicilian Cycling Federation, to such an extent as to bring the Italian Absolute Marathon Championship in our region on June 2nd in Letojanni. L’Etna Marathonthe Queen race of southern Italy, goes from 927 starters in 2015 to 629 in 2023 (MTB Online and Endu data), Etna Nord Bike Race from 320 of 2023 to 200 of 2024, Gf Valle Del Nisi from 370 of 2023 to 220 of 2024. Irrefutable data which for once unites Italy, on a target of medium-high level competitions from an organizational point of view, which cancels out a priori possible alibis linked to the quality of the event.
Trends change
“The tastes and tendencies of cyclists have changed, they have become less competitive and seek aggregation and entertainment to the detriment of competitive spirit, add to this the increase in costs and a perhaps too exaggerated number of races on the calendar and this is the result” – tell us Michele Carella, soul of Mtbonline.it as well as a reference on a national scale regarding the timing of MTB competitions. “The sponsors – continues Carella – in the post-covid period they moved away from sporting events and consequently the distribution of costs weighs almost exclusively on individual registrations. This has led to an increase in costs which inevitably pushes bikers to have to choose and use their annual resources to allocate to competitions and in recent years this situation has worsened further”.
Same orientation for the Road sector
“Commune naufragium, omnibus solatium”, said the Latins (common sorrow half joy), but the collective shipwreck this time does not console at all those who invest time and money in the organization of GFs on the road. If the dirt road suffers, the asphalt also offers little satisfaction, but with the aggravating circumstance that the costs required, especially those related to safety, are much different compared to MTB, where the danger linked to the presence of vehicles on mountain and wooded routes is significantly reduced. But let’s analyze the numbers in more detail, still taking as reference the most famous events on a national scale. The average drop in participants is also in this case around 50% with sensational cases like the historic one Nine Hills, that passed by 12,000 members in 2016 to the 6,350, of which 953 foreigners, of 2024 (data obtained from the official Nove Colli website).
Departure Nove Colli of 2016
In our house things are no different. If we take as a reference the two Granfondos that we have followed, in various capacities, as partners, GF Tour of Etna and GF City of Ragusa, the decline was evident albeit with very different starting numbers compared to the important GFs in central and northern Italy. In Pedara the Gf dell’Etna registered 160 members to which must be added 60 participants in the cycle tourism, for a total of 220 compared to the 350 of the previous edition, while in Ragusa the participants were 390respect to 440 last year, with a quota of 35 participants linked to the competitive sector, specifically juniors, which does not pay a registration fee.
Causes similar to the MTB sector
The same reasons as those associated with the MTB crisis are those attributable to the road Granfondo sector. The problem is mainly linked to the costs borne by potential members, and also to a packed calendar which was designed to increase the offer in fact causing the opposite effect. If we assume that an amateur cyclist from Eastern Sicily decides to sign up for a GF in Western Sicily, he must consider an expense linked to the “journey” (an appropriate term if we consider the state of our motorways) with a total cost, between outward and return, not less than 50 euros. To this we add 80 euros for the overnight stay (average price of a B&B) and 50 euros for food (snacks, dinner and perhaps an alternative lunch to the pasta party offered by the organisation), for a total of 180 euros.
With such an amount, how many events can an amateur cyclist with an average income take part in? This is the reflection that certainly pushes the enthusiast to think carefully, before deciding, how many races to participate in, also taking into account family and work commitments which have absolute priority over what remains, let’s remember, a passion and nothing more. (continues…)
A grown and varied offer
If we take a step back to about ten years ago there were essentially two disciplines: Road and MTB. “Today the offer is more varied” – tell us Matteo Conforti of MTB Magazine/Cicloturismo, contacted by telephone. “Previously only two specialties were practiced, now the user has discovered different facets of cycling which have taken on the names of Gravel, E-bike, Downhill as derivations of MTB, just as they prefer a more relaxing Randonné to competition, as regards the road , which frees the amateur from hectic training schedules and does not require registration costs exceeding 10/15 euros”.
Cycle tourism is growing
If on the one hand the competitive aspect linked to GF suffers, that associated with it grows exaggeratedly cycle tourism. Also in this case the numbers in Italy leave no room for misunderstanding. In the 2023 record attendances which have also created an important economic impact linked to a series of services that make their impact positively felt on the local economies. From a survey carried out by “Travelling by bike 2024”, made by Legambiente, it emerged that in 2023 they were 56.8 million tourists, cycling enthusiasts, who have opted for holidays linked to the environment and the territory to be experienced on two wheels, with an increase compared to 2019, the year with the highest peak of tourists in Italy, of +4%. In terms of economic impact on the territory we have gone from 3.2 million of Euros of 2015 a 5.5 millioni in 2023 (FIAB data).
Cycle tourists on Etna for Sicily No Stop
Solutions to deal with the crisis
The solution to the problem of declining numbers is not easy to find, at least for the writer. It goes without saying that from an analysis of the problems highlighted in this article, also with the contribution of operators in the sector, it would seem to direct attention towards a more prudent planning of calendars and a reduction in registration costs, but perhaps this is not enough. The expenses that an organizer has to face are really high because everything has increased, from the fuel of the relay motorbikes, to the cost of volunteers (who are not volunteers), to the audio/video services, to the catering that provides the pasta parties, and so on for all those figures who contribute to the creation of this type of event. A reduction in the cost of registration cannot affect safety nor, much less, can the quality be lowered, because the amateur is demanding, critical and parsimoniousall qualities that cannot coexist together.
