Beniamino Schiavon, from Laigueglia, was director for many years of the local Autonomous Care and Stay Agency, under whose impulse the Trofeo Laigueglia was born in 1964. Many stories from the first editions were collected by his sons Massimo and Roberto before Beniamino's passing in 2023. We present them in a sort of stage race towards the opening classification of Italian cycling.

1966 THE AGREEMENT WITH NICE MATIN FALLS THROUGH

At that time, Laigueglia was very effervescent, especially thanks to the president of the Tourism Agency Giancarlo Garassino: the second edition had not yet been archived when they were already thinking about how to grow further. During that period, the French Riviera was teeming with cycling events. In April, Jacques Godet, Tour de France patron, was awarded the Golden Bastion for journalistic career, and it was on that occasion that he met Benoit Pezzuto, head of cycling at the newspaper Nice Matin.

A crazy idea was born: why not seek collaboration with Nice? In July, a meeting with Benoit was scheduled. The train journey was tumultuous, almost comical, as dear Pino Villa forgot to buy a ticket and therefore appeared and disappeared depending on the situations. Between one compartment and another, they arrived in Nice.

At the meeting, in the Nice Matin headquarters, Beniamino Schiavon, Giancarlo Garassino, and Pino Villa on one side; on the other side of the table, the newspaper director, still today an organizer of high-level cycling events, Pezzuto, and the president of Nice Vélo Club Honoré Bailet. Among sports enthusiasts, they quickly found common ground. In 1966, the Trophy of Two Riviera was to be born, a cross-border stage race with independent stages: February 19th Nice-Laigueglia, February 20th Trofeo Laigueglia, February 21st Laigueglia-Nice under the patronage of Nice Matin. A handshake and the agreement was sealed. Contacts continued throughout summer and autumn, but unfortunately, the French cousins changed their mind, investing in events taking place on the French Riviera.

2 - to be continued