A recent event celebrating the 20-year partnership between Banca Mediolanum and the Giro d’Italia took place at the Arcimboldi Theatre in Milan. The new Maglia Azzurra was also unveiled during the soirée.
The new jersey is dedicated to the memory of Ennio Doris, a passionate enthusiast and a real connoisseur of cycling and of its legendary narration. His most famous quote, “C’è anche domani”, an ode to optimism, which roughly translates as “there’s still tomorrow”, is embroidered on the collar of the jersey as a way to immortalize his considerable legacy.
The Maglia Azzurra – designed by Castelli, and made from high-performance fabric manufactured by Sitip – will be awarded to the best climber of the Giro d’Italia who will reach the finish line in Verona, on May 29.
The long list of attendees included top guests, as well as leading personalities in sports and cycling, such as Massimo Doris, CEO of Banca Mediolanum, Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup, Paolo Bellino, CEO of RCS Sport, Mauro Vegni, Director of the Giro d’Italia, Alessandra De Stefano, Head of Sport and Director of Rai Sport, Pier Bergonzi, Deputy Editor of La Gazzetta dello Sport, and Ernesto Colnago. The guest list also included Vincenzo Nibali and Giulio Ciccone, as well as great past champions such as Francesco Moser and Alessandro Ballan.
The event, hosted by Barbara Pedrotti and Jury Chechi, reached a peak when Gianni Motta – Banca Mediolanum’s celebrity spokesperson at the Giro d’Italia – was presented with the Hall of Fame trophy for his 1966 Giro victory, which rightfully secured his place in the pantheon of cycling greats.
“I have fond memories of Ennio Doris,” said Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup. “He was a real optimist, and a life enthusiast. Everything would turn to positive with him. His bank was an incredible accomplishment. He was an outstanding, forward-thinking entrepreneur, a visionary. He could always tell passion from investment. Twenty years ago, he had a sense that the Giro d’Italia could be a very effective means of communication, and he decided to invest in advertising. His choice served as a trailblazer and incentive for many other companies who later began partnering with the Corsa Rosa.”
“The bond between Banca Mediolanum and the Maglia Azzurra lies in the set of values that we share with this sport, with the Giro d’Italia and with this jersey,” added Massimo Doris, CEO of Banca Mediolanum. “This jersey – awarded to the best climber of the race – is the epitome of effort, passion and endurance. It is evocative of extraordinary feats on the Alps and on the Dolomites. It embodies the strength of one and the power of teamwork. The same set of values that we at Banca Mediolanum are based on, and which we believe in. Besides having a strong passion for cycling, we’ve seized a wonderful chance and we’ve been working together for 20 years now. Banca Mediolanum and the Giro d’Italia complement each other. The unique features of the Giro blend well with our business model, and with the way we communicate and interact with people, be they existing clients or prospects.”
“The Hall of Fame is a very important award for us,” continued Paolo Bellino, CEO of RCS Sport. “Every year, it recalls the great champions and the memorable tales that the Giro has always told. This year’s edition is particularly dear to us, as we salute Ennio Doris, one of the greatest cycling experts and enthusiasts. Banca Mediolanum began partnering with us 20 years ago thanks to him. We’ve had the same goals and values from the outset, and to date, Banca Mediolanum has become a real member of our family. It is our longest-standing partner. We have grown a lot together during this time, and I am sure we’ll be growing even more.”
Mauro Vegni, Director of the Giro d’Italia said: “The Maglia Azzurra has always fired up the imagination of cycling enthusiasts, because it is often contended on the most legendary climbs of the Giro, and because you need skills, sacrifice and selflessness to win it. These unique traits and abilities are common to all the winners in our Hall of Fame, where Gianni Motta will be sitting as of this year. Having had to stand up to supreme champions such as Gimondi and Merckx throughout his career, what he achieved by winning the 1966 Giro d’Italia was no minor feat.”
Gianni Motta, former racing cyclist, and winner of the 2022 Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame: “Entering the Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame is immensely exciting. I am especially glad that they actually thought of me, and I think I deserved it. The Giro d’Italia is only over when you cross the finish line at the last stage. The day I didn’t lose the Giro was in the Chianciano-Roma stage. A break had escaped with many of the strongest riders, but we managed to catch up eventually. The day I won the Giro, instead, was in the stage that featured the Vetriolo climb, and that finished in Levico Terme. That day, I was poised and cold blooded enough to suppress the excitement. I didn’t follow the attackers uphill. Rather, I waited for the right moment, I jumped across to them along the descent, and I ultimately took the stage. I would like to thank all my former team-mates, my team manager Giorgio Albani, and Ernesto Colnago, for supporting me, and for being at my side throughout the 1966 Giro.”
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