Have you come across the Giro del Veneto? It is a semi-classic European road bike race, found on the UCI ProSeries calendar, that has been renewed in 2021 after a 9-year hiatus. The single-day race’s history reaches back to 1909 and this year’s scenic 86th edition stretched over 170 km, starting in Tombolo in the city of Padua and finishing on the famous Vicenza climb. It has a rightful place in the Italian cycling history and the race’s dedicated website even calls it “the cradle of cycling“ – this means it attracts a multitude of pro teams who crave to add it to their riders’ palmares.
The 2023 edition took place on October 11. Among the several competing UCI ProTeams was also Eolo–Kometa, an Italian-registered, Spanish-based team sponsored by the Fundación Contador headed by road cycling legend Alberto Contador. Acquiring their UCI ProTeam license fairly recently in 2021, Eolo–Kometa is made up of up-and-coming, eager riders and already managed to snatch a stage at this year’s Giro d’Italia or an overall victory at the Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo.
We Love Cycling has followed in the team’s footsteps as they were gearing up for the Giro del Veneto and throughout the event. The short documentary utilises a more intimate and up-close approach, eschewing the classic narrative of sports broadcasts. Instead of focusing on results and tactics, it delves into the inner workings of the race, the team’s background, the indispensable support crew in Škoda cars and the technology they utilise, and all the rest that usually stays hidden from regular cycling race audiences. Besides the cyclists, you’ll get the perspective of the DSs, drivers, mechanics, and all who toil outside of the limelight.
Enjoy this concentrated peek into a UCI ProTeam’s race day!
