The 27th Sports Loyalty Award is being prepared and scheduled for Monday, October 12 at the Artè Theatre in Capannori. An award that over time has celebrated sports societies and dozens of local athletes, but above all has created a strong bond between the city's promising talents and the great names of national and international sports. Anticipation is building to discover the cast of personalities who will receive the golden sphinx minted by Lucca-based artist Giampaolo Bianchi and will write their names in the prestigious hall of fame. The event will once again be presented by Valter Nieri in an edition characterized by the organizational handover between him and the Cycling Team chaired by Pierluigi Castellani, former provincial F.C.I. president, with the support of the Municipality of Capannori.

FIRST NAME: "GOLDEN FIN" GIANPIERO MARINI
The organizing committee has officially announced the first golden sphinx to be awarded to Gianpiero Marini, nicknamed by Gianni Brera "Golden Fin". His career includes the world championship won with Italy in Spain in 1982. At club level, he was an Inter legend, winning the 1979-80 Scudetto and two Italian Cups. Alberto Cerruti returns to the Award as a guest, one of the most successful journalists in the history of Gazzetta dello Sport with the newspaper's record of being sent to 8 FIFA World Cup finals. Among the guests of honor is also the regional CONI president Simone Cardullo, who has been present at the event for several years.

THE AWARD COMMITTEE IS FORMED
At the logistical level to advise Pierluigi Castellani, the Committee has been formed with Valter Nieri as honorary president. It already includes Ivano Fanini, Francesco Donati, Gaetano Ceccarelli, Luca Tronchetti, Stefano Gori, Stefano Bendinelli and promoter Claudio Dania.
The collateral award in memory of Gigi Simoni continues, now in its fourth edition. The award will be presented by his son Leonardo, Inter scout, and his wife Monica.

DENMARK, FANINI AND A SPHINX TO CHOOSE
From the Seventies to the present day, marked by Jonas Vingegaard's victory at the 2026 Giro d'Italia, the bond between Danish cycling and Italy has had one precise point of reference: Ivano Fanini. A story spanning over half a century, marked by the yellow jersey worn at the Tour de France by Rolf Sørensen, the Monument Classics conquered by the Copenhagen champion and the Tours de France won first by Bjarne Riis and subsequently by Vingegaard (who also wore the first yellow jersey at this Tour).

Thanks also to collaboration and relationships built with Ole Ritter, over 70 Danish riders among juniors and professionals had the opportunity to move to Italy, compete with a more competitive cycling movement and find the confidence that, at the time, they would hardly have received by staying in Denmark. It was a cycling profoundly different from today's, experienced with great popular participation and animated by champions capable of capturing the attention and affection of fans.

The relationship with Denmark represents one of the most important chapters of this story. Jesper Worre, Rolf Sørensen and Jørgen Marcussen were among the first great Danish riders to arrive in Capannori and today are candidates for the "Golden Sphinx" of the 2026 Sports Loyalty Award and the winner will be decided by the Honorary Members of the Award which from this year will be organized by the Cycling Team chaired by Pierluigi Castellani, former provincial F.C.I. president, with the support of the Municipality of Capannori and presented by its founder Valter Nieri.

The first chapter is dedicated precisely to Marcussen.
Jørgen Marcussen occupies a special place among the numerous Scandinavian riders who found in Fanini's teams the ideal environment to grow, establish themselves or relaunch their careers. His path testifies to the importance of the connection created between Danish and Italian cycling, in which Fanini assumed a decisive role by offering athletes not only a contract, but also stability, assistance and confidence.
Unlike other compatriots who arrived very young at Fanini's court, the strong Danish climber-passer arrived in his teams in the final phase of his career. However, it was precisely those last four years that gave him the most important road victories and some of the most significant satisfactions of his long professional experience.

Marcussen possessed an extremely resistant engine, a remarkable ability to sustain high pace and climber-passer qualities that allowed him to defend himself even on the most challenging climbs. What penalized him above all was the lack of a particularly explosive kick in the final kilometers. He therefore had to wait a long time before conquering a major victory, although he achieved numerous prestigious placings.
The most important result came in 1978, in his third year as a professional, when he won the bronze medal at the World Road Championship held on the grueling German Nürburgring circuit.

World bronze behind Knetemann and Moser
Marcussen was racing in the Danish national jersey. The world championship race, held over a distance of 273.7 kilometers, was characterized by the action of Dutchman Jan Raas. A quartet formed at the front consisting of Raas himself, Gerrie Knetemann, Francesco Moser and Marcussen.
In the final, Moser attacked and only Knetemann managed to respond. The two battled for the world title in a sprint, with the Dutchman beating the Italian champion at the photo finish by just a few centimeters.

«I launched myself in pursuit alone and, on the last lap, managed to make up about forty seconds. Unfortunately it was already too late: Knetemann and Moser battled for the title in a sprint. I was left with the great satisfaction of the bronze medal anyway».

That third place established Marcussen among the best riders of his generation, but the Dane had to wait several more years to fully express his qualities in major road races. The turning point came with his meeting with Ivano Fanini.

The meeting with Fanini and the most victorious years
The relationship between Marcussen and Ivano Fanini began in 1986, when the Danish rider was already 36 years old. Despite many advising against betting on an athlete considered too advanced in years, Fanini decided to offer him confidence, peace of mind and a structure in which he could think exclusively about training and racing. It was a gamble won by both.

With Murella-Fanini, in 1986, Marcussen finally conquered his first major road victory by winning the prestigious Trofeo Matteotti. At the finish line he beat Pierino Gavazzi and Giambattista Baronchelli, who would later wear the Fanini team jersey themselves.
That victory represented a liberation and a well-deserved reward after so many years of sacrifice. Shortly after, Marcussen repeated himself in his homeland, winning the fourth stage of the Post Danmark Rundt, the Tour of Denmark. It was a success with particular significance: a Danish rider, relaunched by an Italian team and by Ivano Fanini's confidence, managed to impose himself in front of his own country's public.

In 1987 the triumph in the record pre-world championship
In 1987, a unique episode occurred in the history of international cycling. The second Premio Sanson was being held, the last indicative test before the selections for the World Championship in Villach, which was later won by Irishman Stephen Roche ahead of Moreno Argentin.
In that season Ivano Fanini fielded two professional teams simultaneously, Pepsi-Fanini and Remac-Fanini, which completely dominated the race by occupying the first four positions in the final standings. The winner was Jørgen Marcussen, with Pepsi-Fanini, ahead of teammate Roberto Gaggioli. Third was Pierino Gavazzi, of Remac-Fanini, while fourth place went to young Danish talent Rolf Sørensen, also in Remac-Fanini colors.

«With Fanini I found home, peace of mind and confidence»
During his career Marcussen changed teams almost every year. The only manager who managed to convince him to stay for four consecutive seasons was Ivano Fanini. «When I raced for other teams I often returned to Denmark. I didn't have the opportunity to live in the same place all year and the constant moves made it harder to find concentration and continuity. Fanini, on the other hand, provided me with a house and allowed me to live permanently in Capannori. For him it certainly represented a greater cost, but he was able to get the best out of me that way. To achieve a winning performance you need peace of mind, concentration and continuity. Even the best training program can become less effective if an athlete is forced to constantly move from one country to another. When I arrived at Fanini in 1986, I had completed a good preparation period in Denmark with my great friend and teammate Rolf Sørensen, with whom I still keep in touch periodically. The peace of mind that Fanini transmitted to me made the difference: he didn't burden me with unnecessary pressure, he believed in my abilities and let me work in the best way».
How much did Ivano Fanini impact the development and international establishment of Danish cycling? Marcussen's answer is clear: «A great deal. Thanks to him, many Danish riders had the opportunity to come and race in Italy, compete with cycling at the highest level and achieve great successes. Fanini has always been a great motivator: he knows how to understand athletes and manages to bring out the best in every rider. That's exactly what happened to me too».

from In Lucca Veritas signed by Valter Nieri