It is now well-known that Pope Leon XIV has a strong connection with sports, never hiding his passion for the Chicago White Sox baseball team and soccer. Cycling is also carving out a special role in the Holy Father's interests, who last June 1st welcomed the Giro d'Italia caravan with pink jersey wearer Simon Yates, and these two-wheeled encounters are set to continue.

A few days ago, Pope Leon XIV received the Ganna cycling team in a general audience, a historic Varese formation founded by the winner of the first Giro d'Italia. This year, the team has resumed its activities thanks to the valuable work of Andrea Stocco and Stefania Bardelli, who are giving new life to this small organization while passing down the history of pioneer Luigi Ganna to the youngest. The meeting with the Holy Father was an absolutely historic and emotional moment, especially for Luca Stocco, the team's only athlete, who presented the pontiff with a special Ganna jersey as an honorary affiliate.

"It was a truly exciting and special encounter, a sign that we are walking in the right direction. Ganna is not simply a team, but a true educational project. For us, the real victory is respect, consistency, and the ability to never give up. We will carry the Holy Father's greeting in our hearts; it's an additional push to continue our project," team president Andrea Stocco told us, still visibly moved. Over the years, various prominent athletes have been received by previous pontiffs, such as Peter Sagan or the Vatican review, but now Ganna reinforces a special bond between the values of sports and faith.

And now that Pope Leon XIV even has a personalized limited edition jersey, who knows - between one tennis match and another, he might just slip in a few pedal strokes.