GHISALLO. TRIBUTE TO VITO DITANO, GREAT ATHLETE AND GREAT MAN

EVENTS | 01/10/2025 | 17:24

Vito Ditano wrote beautiful pages in the history of Cicli Guerciotti and the Sports Group currently known as Fas Airport Services-Guerciotti-Premac. Vito is now up in heaven and continues to cheer on the team riders of Paolo Guerciotti. The World Champion jerseys that Di Tano won in 1979 in Saccolongo (Padua) and in Lembeek (Belgium) in 1986 will not be forgotten.


The president of the Ghisallo Museum, Antonio Molteni, and Carola Gentilini, who serves as director, wanted to remember Vito Ditano as both a man and an athlete. At the meeting in the museum's auditorium, hosted by Alessandro Brambilla, Sara, Maria Grazia, and Alessandro, Vito's children, and the Guerciotti family participated. Friends of Vito and Cicli Guerciotti, and naturally some champions, were also present at the event.


Vito Ditano, born in 1954, joined the Al Hof-Guerciotti team (as it was then called) in January 1978. He came from Fiorella Mocassini. "Pagni, the patron of Fiorella, introduced him to me," Paolo Guerciotti explained to the Ghisallo audience, "and I decided to include him in the team. In January 1978, Vito finished 5th at the World Championship in Amorebieta; it was the beginning of a series of great results."

It should be noted that Vito raced for 13 seasons in patron Guerciotti's team, until February 1990. After his competitive career, following a period as the technical commissioner of the Italian Cyclocross National Team, he returned to the Guerciotti squad (long known as "Selle Italia-Guerciotti") as a sports director. As a DS, he spent 25 seasons with the Milan-based team. His last season as DS was 2023-24, the first winter with the Fas Airport Services-Guerciotti-Premac designation.

Of course, when talking about Vito Ditano, a two-time World Champion and winner of 6 Italian titles, the numbers can take a back seat: the man surpassed the champion. "Actually," Paolo Guerciotti admitted, "Vito became like a brother to me". Alessandro and Micaela ("Miki"), Paolo Guerciotti's children, shared their experiences first as students and then as young company and team executives alongside Vito Ditano. The children of the two-time World Champion, Sara, Maria Grazia, and Alessandro, shared a series of anecdotes. Maria Grazia elegantly outlined her father Vito's profile. Alessandro Di Tano, now 42, was a rider for Selle Italia-Guerciotti with various victories, including the Lombardy Elite Championship.

Gibi Baronchelli, present at the Ghisallo Museum, was also a Guerciotti testimonial. Gibi raced on Guerciotti bikes in 1979 when he belonged to Magniflex-Famcucine. Baronchelli is from Arzago d'Adda and for many years had Ditano, from Arcene, as a neighbor. "Vito and I trained together frequently," Baronchelli explains, "and I assure you that he often gave me advice. Vito taught me, for example, to have more rhythm changes during a race. Thanks to his advice in the 1980 season, my best year, I won 20 line races".

There were also interventions from journalists Andrea De Luca (Rai) and Nino Minoliti (La Gazzetta dello Sport), Stefano Pedrinazzi (Lombardy FCI Committee President). At the Ghisallo, Gioele Bertolini and Sara Casasola also had space, riders who improved their skills thanks to Vito's advice during their time with the Guerciotti cross team.

Damiano Grego finished 5th at the 1986 Lembeek World Championship. "I was Vito's opponent," notes the Vicenza cross rider, "but I had a wonderful relationship with his family. In a race in Mogliano Veneto in 1987, I was leading and Vito was chasing me. His son Alessandro encouraged me, telling me to persist because his father was making a comeback. Incredibly, Alessandro Ditano urged me to win in front of his dad. And I won".

Vito had a dream: "As a DS," added Alessandro Guerciotti, "Vito hoped to win the World Championship and European Championship. We succeeded thanks to Mattia Agostinacchio in the 2024-25 winter season. Vito was no longer our DS, he was receiving treatment. However, it is thanks to him that we signed Mattia Agostinacchio. And if our team continues to achieve great results in cross, the credit goes to Vito Ditano: he sowed well".

Vito's bike from his 1986 Lembeek World Championship victory will be exhibited at the Ghisallo Museum. Sports enthusiasts climbing to the Madonna del Ghisallo will also be able to admire the Guerciotti with which Mattia Agostinacchio triumphed in the 2025 Junior World Championship. "For our Fas Airport Services Guerciotti Premac riders," announces Micaela Guerciotti, "we have prepared a new bike model. It's the "Vito", in honor of Vito Ditano, and will be used in the 2025-26 season".


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