For twenty-four hours they came together. A small reunion, complete with a celebratory Mapei jersey produced by Sportful, of the Cremona family. For twenty-four hours Paolo Bettini, Olympic champion and two-time world champion, along with Andrea Tafi, Pavel Tonkov, Gianni Faresin, Michael Rogers and Daniele Nardello worked hard to bring back into the peloton the famous brand of the Squinzi family, a leader in the production of chemical products for the construction industry. A true team, renamed for the occasion "Team Mapei Legend" and which colored the 24 Hours of Feltre. Completing and supporting the former "checkered" champions were also the cycling executives of the chemical multinational, who rallied and fielded Stefano Deri, Marco Ceraico, Daniele Sforza, Paolo Toniolo and Michele Orlando. With them also Marianella Bargilli, actress and companion of Athens gold medalist Paolo Bettini.

Twenty-four hours to spend together, to remember, run and ride for a good cause, that of "Pedale Rosso ODV" an awareness initiative born from an idea by Paolo Bettini and Marianella Bargilli and which is part of the broader program "La Toscana delle Donne" and promotes equality, gender parity and supports the fight against violence against women.

For the record, the same jersey was also worn by participants in the Granfondo "La Franco Ballerini", which took place last Sunday in Casalguidi in the province of Pistoia, an event dedicated to the memory of Franco Ballerini, the unforgettable champion of the golden era of the checkered team, with which he won two Roubaix.

A celebratory jersey

Born in the early nineties, the Mapei team kit, with its distinctive colored cubes, inspired by the company's products, accompanied some of the most memorable pages in world cycling. From 1993 to 2002, the team achieved 654 international victories, establishing itself in the most prestigious classics and major stage races.

Today that jersey has returned in a renewed form thanks to the collaboration between Mapei and Sportful, which has reinterpreted the original design with a contemporary visual language. The famous geometric cubes evolve into fragmented and overlapping shapes, crossed by beams of light that convey dynamism and depth, fading towards shades of white and light gray. The rigorous geometries of the past give way to gradients and ever-changing light effects, creating a modern, fluid and strongly identifiable aesthetic.