Who would have thought, at this somewhat late hour on a Saturday lunch, on a day trip - or better yet, in today's terms, off the A16 highway - that you would meet someone who would passionately tell you something more about cycling?

Who would have thought, you out with your family from an overwhelming city like Naples, breathing the calm green that everywhere brings you closer to the gods, that in Rocca San Felice, a memory of well-preserved medieval bastions, at the peak of the Principalities of Benevento and Salerno, but in the province of Avellino, you would find someone who would still teach you cycling in depth?

And there at 'Ripa', a worthy tavern of loyal and not shady seasons, humanity, with its fireplace and wooden vaults, you sitting at the head of the table, turning to that graceful, slightly plump but even more smiling maitre d' who is taking the crew's order... 'Excuse me, but what is that mountain over there, so full of trees called?'. 'Jesus, that's Monte Laceno, haven't you ever seen it?'. 'Of course I've been there, you know I'm interested in cycling, and I still remember the Giro d'Italia stages first in 1998 and Pozzovivo the next time, 2012...'.

And he interrupts us abruptly and emphatically, 'Doc, my name is Rocco Rafaniello, let me introduce myself, I run this restaurant with my colleague Antonio Vegliante, and I assure you that you missed the best... You've seen a lot, I don't dispute that, but you haven't seen what I experienced at 12 years old, the first Giro arrival at Laceno, not far from here, and De Vlaeminck's victory in front of Merckx and Gimondi...'.

And yes, how could one deny an incontrovertible historical truth... 'And I'll tell you more, it was the stage where Francesco Moser, whom I as a young boy was a fan of, also lost the pink jersey, which passed to Felice Gimondi. What memories, doctor, next year it'll be 50 years since then...'

'Do you know, that was Gimondi's last Giro win, a true champion to learn from, not like a footballer or a tennis player...?' 'Of course I know well, Rocco...' 'But don't you remember, Gianni Brera wrote in an article, that Francesco Moser, my Moser, went into crisis at Laceno, just because of a damn gastroenteritis?'

'No, my friend Rocco, I frankly don't remember that.' 'Well, let me run to the kitchen, our chef is Enza Perna, precise, but we shouldn't keep her waiting too long, then I'll tell you the rest...'

'Ok, we're here until dessert and digestif...' 'But meanwhile, let me tell you, and my Moser would certainly agree with me, as a winemaker and mountain man, that the white Pallagrello you chose doesn't quite match with the ziti pasta with sausage ragù and Carmasciano pecorino shavings'.

And yes. 'White wine with red ragù, believe me, not even De Vlaeminck, the Belgian of the 1976 Giro, winner and good guy, would have had the courage to order it'.