Historic feat of the young blues led by CT Lupi: the 18-year-old from Lecco wears the rainbow jersey; Matteo Tugnolo closes in fourth place.
Source: press release
The Italy of BMX, at the beginning of the new Olympic four-year period, enters the history of this discipline with the world title of Marco Radaelli, who among the juniors dominates a final in which Matteo Tugnolo, former European vice champion at Zolder, closes fourth place. On the eve of the World Championship in Papendal, the coach Tommaso Lupi recalled how this group of juniors was competitive and able to blossom sooner or later. Only the pandemic, last year, with the stop of the activity, had prevented us from already reaping some important results at an international level. Having brought two Azzurri and a world title to the final shows how true this prediction was. Just 24 hours ago a fourth place in the cadet category would have had the flavor of a victory; the day instead ends with a world title that gives impetus and enthusiasm to the whole movement and rewards the work of these years, demonstrating that qualification for the Olympics was only the first step towards a relaunch of this specialty. There is certainly no better way to restart and to plan the next four years.
Today Marco Radaelli, former European cruiser champion in the youth categories, has interpreted the wonderful and fast track of Papendal in the best possible way. He won the three runs of his heat with authority, flying to the quarters in the company of the other two Azzurri who represent the future of this specialty: Matteo Tugnolo and Leonardo Cantiero. Cantiero stops at the semifinals, going off the track during the second line. In the final come Tugnolo and Radaelli, together with the favorite, the New Zealander Bearman, the French Rousseau, Carlier and Geisse, the American Polk, the Finnish Lindberg.
In the final the New Zealander and the French Rousseau start immediately, Tugnolo and Radaelli do well. At the first corner, the 18-year-old from Garlate enters the interior and takes the wheel of the French. At the beginning of the third line the New Zealander, perhaps too sure of himself, swerves and loses his head, the Frenchman and the blue overtake him and in the final he expresses his maximum effort and overtakes the opponent.
The compliments of the FCI President, Cordiano Dagnoni also arrive. “At the Olympics we understood that there was work to be done to improve and this success however confirms that we have the men to focus on for the future and hope to do well in Paris 2024”.
Speaking of Radaelli: “I met him at the European Cup in Verona and he is certainly a handsome athlete. The new generation is growing well and the team result is enhanced by Tugnolo's 4th place, which confirms the value of the group ”.
The President of the off-road sector, Massimo Ghirotto, closes the speeches: “I can say that this is a success of the work of the CT Tommaso Lupi, it is no coincidence that we obtained the Olympic qualification in Tokyo2020 with Giacomo Fantoni”. Ghirotto reveals a background: "In recent days I had been at the Federal Center of Verona and I had noticed that there was a lot of confidence for the World Cup, but also superstition, and therefore he kept a low profile".
WHO IS MARCO RADAELLI
He is 18 years old and lives in Garlate in the province of Lecco. He attends the A. Badoni high school. He started competing in BMX at the age of 5 thanks to his grandfather who passed on to him the great passion for BMX. He accepted his suggestion and liked him so much that he became his only "sport".
The future: “The goal among the Elite I do not know yet because from next year I will not be elite but rather Under23. What I want is to improve myself and always give everything ".
His sports CV: "My initial company was called Team il Biciaio, but after a few years my father, the current president of the company in which I am a member, broke away, creating the Bicimania Garlate team together with other figures such as Gianluca Bonanomi and Gianluigi Spreafico" .
The most important results:
2014 1st at the European Bmx Championship in Denmark, Roskilde
2016 7th place in the World Championship in the cruiser category in Colombia, Medellin
2017 1st place at the European Championship in France, Bordeaux
2017 7th place bmx world championship final in the united states, Rock Hill
2018 1st place in the European cruiser championship in France, Sarrians
2019 5th place bmx world championship in Belgium, Zolder
2019 1st place in the cruiser category at the European championship in Latvia, Valmiera and 4th place in the student category (bmx) at the European championship in Latvia, Valmiera
2021 1st place in the junior world championship
