After interventions by Gianni Bugno and Vincenzo Nibali, Beppe Saronni (together with Francesco Moser) will also be a protagonist of the debate at the Chamber of Deputies titled "Cycling, Values and Territories", with President Lorenzo Fontana and the President of the Cycling League, Roberto Pella.

Currently a manager at UAE Emirates, Saronni also holds the role of Vice President of the League designated by the FCI. In his career, he won two Giros d'Italia, a Milan-San Remo, a Giro di Lombardia, a Flèche Wallonne, and a World Road Championship, for a total of 193 victories. Among Italians, only his longtime rival, Francesco Moser, is ahead of him with 273.

As stated by Vincenzo Nibali (regarding the meeting at the Chamber), this is "a quartet of champions with different experiences, ages, and visions", and it will therefore be interesting to listen to them during the debate.

Saronni's career has led him to gain experience in sponsor management and institutional relations, in addition to being a top-level rider.

Saronni's analysis of the League's cycling

"We are an institution with very different actors: riders, organizers, teams. It's not easy to work together. I, for example, also represent the FCI and must take into account that world, trying to reconcile additional and different needs. What pleases me is seeing the willingness to build something positive for our sector, which is going through a difficult moment. As you know, I was an athlete and then a manager, bringing about 500 million euros in sponsorships to cycling over the years. Going in the same direction, however, is never simple. The world is not just black and white, there is also gray, which is the result of mediation. Then, obviously, resources are needed to realize projects. I say all this with a constructive spirit because I want to contribute in this direction."

Cycling within Institutions

On February 27 in Rome, with the event "Cycling, Values and Territories", which will be held at the Chamber of Deputies and where the 2025 Regions Cup will be presented, the world of cycling will officially enter the Institutions.

"This is true. Roberto Pella is an important figure, with great initiative, and has sensitized the Institutions, which are supporting significant projects. Being in that environment is an honor, but also an opportunity to make ourselves heard. Our sport is disappearing from the media, and we must also think about other initiatives. Personally, I believe I can be useful on other issues as well. I consider myself a field person and think about safety, mobility projects, race problems, and support for organizers."

What is needed to grow top-level cycling?

"I don't want to take sides, but I can make a reflection. The period related to the FCI election campaign is over. Cycling needs stability to carry forward work programs. Now all parties can finally sit down and plan projects together."

Saronni then gives an example related to race situations.

"As far as I'm concerned, race safety is fundamental. I would no longer want to see situations like the 2024 Tre Valli, suspended due to bad weather. The Cycling League must also work to find solutions and protocols that help prevent certain problems.

We live in an era where weather conditions increasingly influence races, as we saw at the Giro d'Italia with several episodes. Preventing these situations is essential (weather tools allow us to do so), because they cannot be left only to the riders' decision. I understand them, it's not easy to race in extreme conditions, but there are also other actors who must make decisions.

Certainly the rider must be protected, but tools are also needed to act quickly. In Varese, for example, with a clear protocol, the race could have been neutralized and restarted.

The Professional Cycling League must work to define these solutions: a set of predetermined procedures to avoid short circuits and manage emergency situations best."