Allianz and Eroica join forces for SuperEroica

Allianz and Eroica join forces for SuperEroica

The Allianz UMANA MENTE Foundation, in collaboration with L’Eroica, organized the 2nd edition of the “SuperEroica”, the social cycling project launched for the first time last year to allow people with disabilities to participate in the famous “historic” cycling event as well, and at the same time, launch an important message to show that there are no limits nor should there be exclusions to the possibilityà to compete.

L’Eroica è a unique event that combines challenging routes, magnificent scenery and unforgettable refreshments, born in 1997 in Gaiole in Chianti, in the province of Siena, to reenact historical cycling with vintage bicycles and clothing, along the scenic and challenging dirt roads that wind through the vineyards and olive groves of Chianti and Val d’Orcia.

A great rally, which this year was divided into five routes (from the longest of 212.5 km to the “walk” of 46 km) scheduled on September 30 and October 1°. Enthusiasts have come from all corners of the world to travel the roads through the magnificent Tuscan hills; a race with no winners nor losers that, again this year, thanks to the contribution of the Allianz UMANA MENTE Foundation, has also taken on an important social significance.

In recent months, the Foundation has in fact supported the training of the “Team SuperEroica” composed of five young people with disabilities, together with their athletic trainers and a group of volunteers, for a total of over thirty people, who together took part in the sports event. Before the start of the competition, the boys were “held at the baptism” by Giancarlo Brocci, creator of L’Eroica, who wanted to meet the Team and wish them a special good luck. In addition to the patron of L’Eroica, the project can’boast another important supporter. In fact, Lucchese Roberto Lencioni, in art “Carube”, considered one of the best mechanics of Italian professional cycling, as well as Cipollini’s historical mechanic, has provided some of the “SuperEroici” bicycles and took care of their technical supervision before the race. 

Leading the group è was Piergiorgio, a young man with a passion for cycling, who works at ’”Orto Felice”, the social garden of the Allianz UMANA MENTE Foundation in Borgo San Felice, Relais & Châteaux and farm owned by the Allianz Group, located a few kilometers from Gaiole in Chianti. Already in 2019 Piergiorgio had participated in L’Eroica, riding more than 100 kilometers on his bicycle wearing the jersey of the Allianz UMANA MENTE Foundation; last year Piergiorgio è managed to complete the longest and most arduous route of the race.

Among the novelties of the 2023 edition is the presence in the “Team SuperEroica” of Fabio Triboli, gold medalist in para-cycling at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, and Silvia Epis, Technical Director of the Italian Cycling Federation’s National Youth Team.

Thanks to the’commitment of the Allianz Corporate Foundation, the five youngsters from “Team SuperEroica” had the opportunity to take part in the event. In fact, the five protagonists belong to the ID (athletes with autism spectrum disorders) and C21 (athletes with Down syndrome) sports categories who, unfortunately, can participate in competitions only as amateurs and not as competitive athletes.