It was the Fuga. Fuga of the twenty or fury of the twenty. "The violence of the winds – writes Emanuele Repetti in his "Geographical, Historical, Physical Dictionary of Tuscany" – that blow over those bare summits of the Apennines". It is the Futa: between Tuscany and Emilia, between Florence and Bologna, between Barberino di Mugello and Firenzuola, the state road 65 that rises to 903 meters of altitude. From 1927 to 1957 in the route of the Mille Miglia, motorsports, from 1979 to 1998 in that of the Futa Time Trial, cycling.

Bruno Confortini, already author of biographies of Guido Boni (Geo, 2015) and Franco Lotti (Geo, 2022), has written "The Time Trial of Champions" (Noferini Editions, 100 pages, 15 euros), a precious book of chronicles, photos and memories (but also flyers, clippings and statistics) about the race dedicated to Gastone Nencini, 14 kilometers from Barberino to the Pass. Because Gastone was from those parts (Bilancino di Barberino), because for Gastone on the walls of houses and on the hairpin turns of the road athletes wrote (in capital letters, in huge letters) LONG LIVE NENCINI, because for Gastone at the top of the Pass there is a monument inspired by his achievements, because to Gastone from 1980 that race was dedicated as the Nencini Memorial, so much so that Gastone also appears on the cover, at the Tour de France, in the yellow jersey, hands high on the handlebars and a grimace as moving as a smile. "I still remember when he told me about his training sessions – writes in the preface Elisabetta Nencini, Gastone's daughter -. He would leave from Bilancino and pedal all the way to Milan and back. 'It's not possible, dad, that's too many kilometers!', I told him once, incredulous".

Those 14 kilometers and 635 meters of elevation gain from 268 to 903 meters, almost 5 percent average gradient with one kilometer at 7 percent, was challenge and duel, pre-world championship and showcase, mirror and spotlight. It began with amateurs, ended with professionals, resumed in 2020 with juniors and Under 23s (and with masks for the Covid pandemic). Among professionals, in 20 editions, 184 athletes from 19 countries and three continents. And among the winners, Gibì Baronchelli (the first) and Saronni, Moser and Bugno, Chiappucci and Rebellin (the last). The record belongs to Francesco Casagrande: 25'21" at over 33 kilometers per hour average. Only a third place for Pantani, it was 1992, preceded by Ghirotto and Della Santa. Today, like so many other races, it belongs only to memory.

"Who knows how many times – wonders Elisabetta Nencini thinking of her father Gastone – he passed over this summit, between sweat and dreams, stopping for a quick greeting to friends and fans". The Fuga, the Futa. Cycling.