He has a last name that seems predestined: Raggio, somewhat like what happened with Sella (Emanuele) and Velo (Marco). He lives on a mountain grand prix route: Coreglia, 258 souls between Val Fontanabuona and the sea, just a breath away from the Crocetta Pass climb. He has an age, not yet 30, of a rider: and yet he's already president. President of the Ligurian Regional Committee of the Cycling Federation.

Luca Raggio doesn't just have cycling in his registry, but in his heart, legs, and mind. Strong among the amateurs (tenth place in the general classification of the 2017 Giro d'Italia), three years as a professional (2018 and 2019 with Wilier Triestina and Neri Sottoli under Luca Scinto, 2020 with D'Amico under Massimo Codol), near victories (a second place in a stage and second in the general classification of the 2019 Tour of Taiyuan in China) and some placements (twelfth twice in the general classification of the Malaysia Tour in 2018 and 2019, Qinghai Lake 2018, twelfth place in the general classification of the Tour, sixteenth place in the 2018 Giro dell'Appennino), significant experiences (he also raced in Gabon at the 2018 Tropicale Amissa Bongo), then a heartbreaking farewell at just 23 years old. "Goodbye immense efforts. Goodbye entire days on a saddle. Goodbye races and training against the wind, in the most merciless cold, in scorching heat, under endless rain. Goodbye endless travels. Goodbye leg pain. Goodbye unrealizable dreams that I always blindly fought for without asking myself how it would end. And yet here I am, at the end credits, with the final push of these years where Cycling rocked me in its magic".

Goodbye to Cycling with a capital C, but not to cycling in all its forms, uppercase and lowercase, private and public, individual and collective, educational and cultural. Leading the Team Più Sport Levante (road, mountain bike and enduro, from six to 16 years old), working as an athletic trainer for a group of competitive and amateur riders, participating in some gran fondos (including victories in Matildica and Fausto Coppi), joining solidarity and charity rides. And now this presidential role. With clear ideas: "Rebuilding cycling in Liguria, triggering a virtuous cycle, giving new life to a dried-up movement". How? "Starting with small things, one step at a time". The numbers? "Scarce. Among the registered, about fifteen beginners and twenty cadets". Only? "Also about fifteen juniors, who however race outside the region". Just like he used to do when racing for Maserati from Vigevano. And to think that on the other side of the "corniche", just a few kilometers as the crow flies from Coreglia, in Avegno towards Colle Caprile, lives Lorenzo Finn. "He could become our Sinner". And to think that the riviera, both west and east, is daily crossed by thousands of cycling enthusiasts, cycling travelers, cycling pilgrims, cycling fans, cycling addicts, cycling historians and perhaps even cycling giants.

A ray of wheel, but also a ray of light, Luca Raggio. Not by chance, on his Instagram profile, he has renamed himself @lucasunray.

PS For what it's worth, I can testify that every time he is called to an appointment, a meeting, an occasion where bicycles are discussed and cycling is told, Luca Raggio arrives. He did it as a believer, now he will do it as a president. Heartfelt thanks. And good luck.