Polling day also for Umbrian cycling, which has renewed its federal positions for the 2025/2028 Olympic four-year period. The Electoral Assembly on Saturday, December 14th, held at the CVA in Pretola, outlined in particular the new composition of the regional council, with the outgoing vice-president Roberto Cocchieri promoted to lead the body. A change at the top, therefore, but full continuity of intent with respect to the work of Massimo Alunni and his work group in the last four years, during which the movement has shown significant signs of vitality.

A Massetano born in 1962, Roberto Cocchieri boasts long-standing experience at the managerial and organizational level, especially in the off-road sector. Before joining the CR Umbria, he dedicated himself to the growth of ASD Perfect Cycling MTB, also becoming one of the architects of the recent successes of Martani Superbike and the Umbria Marathon circuit. Despite the absence of alternative candidates, Cocchieri and his team received, at Saturday's electoral appointment, a clear endorsement from the base, gathering the consensus of 34 out of 53 societies with voting rights. The new head of the regional pedal will be supported for the next 4 years by vice-presidents Lucio Saccarelli and Ernelio Massarucci and by councilors Ornella Cosenza and Riccardo Belia, with the valuable support of Alberto Stefanecchia and Valentino Adriani, elected at the end of November to lead the Provincial Committees of Perugia and Terni respectively.

The objective of the new regional council, whose effective installation will take place around January 1st, 2025, will be to give further impetus to the virtuous path undertaken in the last four years by CR Umbria. Under the presidency of Massimo Alunni, the movement, thanks primarily to the fundamental work of the societies, has indeed blossomed especially in terms of results. The titles and medals won at the Italian Championships, limiting ourselves to the youth sector alone, between Road, Cyclocross, BMX, Enduro and Downhill represent the litmus test of a movement capable of expressing realities and talents of absolute excellence, net of a numerical depth necessarily lower than that of other regions. Even just confirming such a trend would therefore be fundamental to guarantee, from now until 2028, the definitive relaunch of cycling in Umbria.

Roberto Cocchieri (new president CR Umbria): "I am happy first of all for the great response from the societies in this phase of renewal of positions. Saturday's electoral assembly was very well attended, and this will allow the entire council to operate with a very strong mandate. We are undoubtedly inheriting something important, given the constantly improving numbers and the many significant results recorded in the four-year period just concluded. Symptomatic in this sense is the rebirth of the Terni Provincial Committee, reconstituted after 12 years precisely by virtue of the dynamism and growth, in recent times, of its base. For this reason, I can only thank Massimo Alunni and his entire team, as well as the societies and members, who are the true protagonists of the movement. In Umbria, we are fortunate to be able to boast many virtuous realities, representative of the entire arc of cycling disciplines. Our goal will be to start from this considerable heritage to give further impetus especially to youth activity, starting from the Giovanissimi category, without naturally neglecting a sector that has always been very lively such as the amateur one. We have four years of intense work ahead of us, but the fact of having such a valid and composite team by my side, in terms of skills and experiences, makes me calm and optimistic. We will give our all from the first to the last day to repay the entire movement for the trust it has given us."

Massimo Alunni (outgoing president CR Umbria): "These 4 years, despite the daily commitment made, have given me a lot even from a human point of view. The main moments of satisfaction and joy are undoubtedly linked to our young athletes. Being a witness to the successes and growth, both sporting and personal, of many young people has left me with indelible emotions. The movement responded with exceptional dedication to unprecedented challenges such as the pandemic period, which could have definitively undermined its health. As CR Umbria, we tried to propose a vision based on the concepts of inclusivity and participation, creating synergies between the various societies and channeling all available resources into basic activity. Perhaps we did not completely succeed in our intent, but remaining faithful to these principles throughout the four-year period can only make me proud, like all the other people who shared this path with me. In this regard, I want to thank all the council members, the secretariat, the race judges, the regional technicians, and the commission managers, who always guaranteed me, in their respective areas of competence, a sincere and constructive collaborative relationship. My hope is that this path will not be abandoned by my successor and by all the newly elected, to whom I extend my best wishes for good work."