Saturday 13th of January, it is the official start and presentation of the 2018 NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini team. Not an usual one: The last presentation of Damiano Cunego at his final year of an incredible career. The first presentation of Marco Canola as team leader, after his best season ever with the #OrangeBlue. The presentation of many new riders arrived to “boost” the team. The presentation of many guest and fans there to support the team. An international presentation with many guest and sponsor coming from Japan. The presentation of the new formal Ethic Code of the #OrangeBlue.
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14th of January 2018, Teatro Marrucino – Chieti.
A big presentation, of a team, of a project with ethics and values. This was the NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini big presentation in Chieti on Saturday 13th of January.
Many Sports Guest, Authorities, international sponsor coming from Japan and representing one of the two souls of the first & only Italian-Japanese Professional team. The other big soul is Italian, with a special hearth of Abruzzo, represented on the stage by Valentino Sciotti and Gabriele Marchesani, CEO of the two big title sponsors, Vini Fantini and Europa Ovini. The Abruzzo’s fans gave a big welcome to al the Japanese guest, especially to Mr Hiromi Iwata, the CEO of NIPPO Corporation, arrived from Tokyo together with other important sponsors as Aisan and IRC.
THE TEAM PRESENTATION.
On the stage the topic moments are dedicate dot the two leaders of the team, Damiano Cunego and Marco Canola. Today presentation has been the last one of the career of Damiano Cunego, with also a celebrating video surprise that created a very emotional moment. These the words of Damiano Cunego: “An incredible emotion, today I collected many successes in my career today to watch again the most important have been wonderful, together with my “big #OrangeBlue family” composed by friends, sponsors and fans. Now is time for the last very important months, I hope I can do other good things.”
Marco Canola, the confirmed leader comes from his best season ever. Many successes reached in 2017, ambitious goals for the 2018, here his words: “Yes I come from a 2017 that represents by best season ever as a Professional rider, but we are yet working hard for a great 2018. In my opinion if we work hard and together we could also improve our results as a team, because in my opinion this is the best roster we ever had as NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini team.”
With them all the confirmed Italian & Japanese riders and the 9 new athletes, many of them very young and Neo-Pro, that discovered how many fans has the team today.
FROM PROFESSIONAL TO UNDER23 AND JUNIORES.
The new partnership between Vini Fantini and Europa Ovini gives the chance to the team to build up a real “cycling talent farm” form Juniores, to Under23 #OrangeBlue teams, up to the Professional teal. All the affiliated team have signed the new Ethic Code, presented today on the stage by Francesco Pelosi, the General Manager of the team. “To link all our sponsor with different souls, since from the begin there are strong common values. As many big companies did we dedicated to write down an Ethic Code valid both for Professional and young teams linked to us. Transparency, Ethic Sports and Clean Cycling are the keyword of the document, the same keyword of our Professional team in these important years.”
The General Manager of the team also gives a comment about the new Roster. “Today on the stage we presented a team with many confirms and new riders. Confirmed about the method that for us is very important to give all riders the feeling to be in a World Tour team. Our method and professionally that gives us the chance to live the best season of our history for quality and relevance of results and to approach the 2018 season with a great confidence and determination. I’m very happy about all the new riders, many of them neo-pro and very interesting riders for the present and the future of our team.”
MAIN DECLARATIONS.
Mr Hiromi Hiwata, CEO of NIPPO Corporation, arrived from Japan for the occasion declares: “I’m honored of participating also this year to the presentation of the team. I want to thanks Mr Valentino Sciotti, president of Farnese Vini and Mr Marchesani, president of Europa Ovini, for their support. My big desire is to see the NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini team always as team able to give emotions to all the fans both in Italy and Japan. In the begin of the 4th year as a Professiona team, fans expect us to be always better results. In front of us there is a great 2018 season but also not so far away the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. It will be an important opportunity for all of us.”
Valentino Sciotti and Gabriele Marchesani, CEO of the brand Vini Fantini by Farnese Vini and of the brand Europa Ovini, into a double interview on the stage explained their decision to join their forces for the new season in the team Professional of high level.
Valentino Sciotti: “Together stronger, to build up something new in the landscape of the Italian Cycling Professional teams. A serious project and something new, giving the chance to many young talents to grow up without pressure in our Professional team but also in our Under23 and Juniores team. For this reason also together with my colleague Marchesani and our manager Pelosi we decide to write down the Ethic Code to which all #OrangeBlue teams have to sign.”
Gabriele Marchesani: “The team NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini is a dream becoming true. For long time me and Valentino Sciotti we have been discussing about that project with common ambitions and now is reality. Two companies from Abruzzo, with a great passion for sports and cycling. We are ready for a great season, has been an honor to have to our presentation so many personalities from the sports world, the politics and the showbusiness.”
About the team is Mario Manzoni speaking, as Sports Director of the NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini team: “The 2018 roster is a very balanced mix of experience and young talent. Half riders has been confirmed and knows very well our method of working. The other half is new, with new determination, with new young combativeness. As new riders We will have the experience of Simone Ponzi, Hatsuyama and Yoshida. Many new young talents as Imerio Cima, Filippo Zaccanti, Damiano Cima, Marco Tizza, Hiroki Nishimura, Joan Bou. A very strong and balanced mix.”
THE ROSTER 2018.
Il roster 2018 del team NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini:
The Champion: Damiano Cunego.
The leader: Marco Canola.
Complete riders: Simone Ponzi, Marco Tizza, Nicola Bagioli.
Important supporting riders: Kohei Uchima e Alan Marangoni.
Sprinters: Eduard Grosu, Imerio Cima e Hayato Yoshida.
Climbers: Ivan Santaromita, Hideto Nakane, Masakazu Ito, Filippo Zaccanti, Sho Hatsuyama, Joan Bou.
All-rouders: Damiano Cima, Marino Kobayashi, Hiroki Nishimura.