MILAN: The world of cycling continues to press on as race organiser RCS Sport announced an agreement reached with Bianchi that will see the Italian cycling brand become the official bicycle manufacturer of the Corsa Rosa alongside several other RCS Sport events.
The three-year agreement between Bianchi and RCS Sport includes a number of important fixtures on the WorldTour calendar. Along with the Giro d’Italia, Bianchi is also the official sponsor of the UAE Tour, the only WorldTour stage race held in the United Arab Emirates, Il Lombardia, ‘the race of the fallen leaves’ and one of cycling’s five Monuments, as well as the amateur sportive, the Gran Fondo Il Lombardia.
From 2021, the partnership will be further enriched by the addition of the WorldTour race Strade Bianche. As part of the agreement with RCS Sport, Bianchi will supply the bikes for the neutral service operated by Shimano during the race.
The agreement also incorporates Bianchi’s collaboration with the Giro-E, a key event for the manufacturer. The bicycle brand is the official partner of the event with Bianchi Lif-E, cycling’s very first electric intelligence mobility programme. The deal will see Bianchi supply the Giro-E with its Aria e-road carbon model. Bianchi will also be official sponsor of the Giro d’Italia Virtual, taking place from 18 April to 10 May, a new event that gives professionals and amateurs alike the chance to ride the best stages of the Giro d’Italia 2020 from home.
Wednesday’s announcement brings together the Giro d’Italia and the historic Bianchi brand, operating since 1885. Bianchi is associated with some of the biggest names in the history of cycling such as Fausto Coppi, Marco Pantani and today’s number 1 UCI Ranked team, Primoz Roglic’s Team Jumbo-Visma.
Salvatore Grimaldi, owner of Bianchi and Cavaliere del Lavoro, said: “This partnership between Bianchi and the Giro is a dream come true. At this dramatic and important moment around the world, we felt the time was right to reach this agreement – because now more than ever, the people of Italy and those around the world need a reason to dream, a way of looking forward to the coming rebirth. It is a historic agreement between two big Italian names, both born in Milan and able to export the best of Italy through one of the most exciting and popular sports in the world, cycling”.
Fabrizio Scalzotto, CEO of Bianchi, said: “We believe that the bicycle – used both for racing and non-competitively – will be fundamental to the resumption of normal life after Covid-19. The Giro is more than a bike race, it is a cultural phenomenon, it is a shared piece of human heritage. That’s why we have decided to announce our collaboration now, when Italy needs a reason to get back in the saddle”.
