150 years since the foundation of the well known Romagna brand and 70 years since its debut at the Giro d’Italia: two anniversaries that Pastificio Ghigi 1870 celebrated by once again sponsoring an Italian team in the cycling event and organising an exciting historical commemoration.  The event that took place on 25th June brought together past and present athletes who cycled across the Romagnolo seafront, accompanied by the historic Alfa 1900, flagship of the Ghigi team from 1958 and 1962.

In the 1950s, Ghigi 1870 was the third largest Italian pasta factory and between 1951 and 1962 participated with its own team in the most important national cycling events. This year, Ghigi is back as sponsor of the Bardiani CSF Faizanè team at the Giro d’Italia, providing the athletes with healthy, 100% Italian food, Ghigi wholemeal pasta. This is one of the many initiatives planned by the well-known Romagna brand to celebrate its 150th anniversary. A long journey of activities and development that has led the company to promote a short supply chain philosophy that guarantees high quality in a product traced back to the field and made with 100% Italian wheat. Today it forms part of the most important national agri-food group, listed on the stock exchange: Gruppo BF spa.

Cycling Between Past And Present

In addition to the 150th anniversary, Pastificio Ghigi 1870 also wanted to celebrate its 70th anniversary from its debut in the Giro d’Italia and, to celebrate the occasion, organised an exciting historical commemoration in the streets of its land. There was great participation and enthusiasm from the crowd that applauded the flagship Alfa 1900 that accompanied the team from 1958 to 1962, becoming a symbol of an era. Guests of honour, some famous athletes in the history of Italian cycling and members of the team at the time: Luigi Sarti, Romano Piancastelli, Angiolino Piscaglia, Mario Minieri and Livio Trapè. Accompanying them on a bike were today’s protagonists represented by the Bardiani CSF Faizanè team: Giovanni Visconti, Giovanni Carboni, Enrico Battaglin and Luca Covili. The team manager of Bardiani CSF Faizanè, Roberto Reverberi, was also present at the event. The parade, starting from the Grand Hotel in Rimini, proceeded along the seafront of the Romagnolo capital and, passing through Riccione, arrived at the pasta factory in San Clemente di Rimini. Here, the participants were able to go back in time by visiting the museum hall specifically set up to mark the link between Ghigi and cycling, recounting a piece of Italy history.

When thanking all the guests, Mauro Tonello, Ghigi 1870’s Chairman said: “Today we have remembered the past by celebrating the present and the future. We would have liked to remember many important moments with this commemoration, indeed starting from the 150th anniversary of the Pasta factory and up to the close relationship between Ghigi and world of sports, with particular focus on the world of cycling and, of course, the Giro d’Italia. A relationship that is created and based on the close relationship that healthy eating has with sports at all levels. If we think of the very high performance required of cyclists, food is certainly one of the factors that contributes, for example, with a top quality raw material to provide those nutritional properties required by sportsmen and that only a certified and transparent chain such as that of Pastificio Ghigi 1870 can guarantee.

Federico Vecchioni, CEO of BF Spa, reiterates: “This celebration, after a very difficult year for everyone, wants to celebrate the great achievements of Pastificio Ghigi 1870, and is a moment that fits perfectly into that combination of tradition and innovation that is the basis of all our activities. So once again, all the best to Pastificio Ghigi 1870”.