Crotone Coach Davide Nicola is keeping his promise and after securing Serie A safety he’ll ride his bicycle from Calabria to Turin, but there’s a serious message too.
The Squali were in the bottom three for the entire campaign, except for the final 70 minutes, as they beat Lazio 3-1 in the last round and saw Empoli lose in Palermo.
Nicola had pledged to cycle all the way from the Stadio Scida in Crotone to Turin – effectively the entire length of mainland Italy – if they managed to escape relegation.
Crotone Coach Davide Nicola is keeping his promise and after securing Serie A safety he’ll ride his bicycle from Calabria to Turin, but there’s a serious message too.
The Squali were in the bottom three for the entire campaign, except for the final 70 minutes, as they beat Lazio 3-1 in the last round and saw Empoli lose in Palermo.
Nicola had pledged to cycle all the way from the Stadio Scida in Crotone to Turin – effectively the entire length of mainland Italy – if they managed to escape relegation.
He will begin the 1,300km journey tomorrow, but it’s a very personal one for Nicola, who lost his 14-year-old son in a bicycle accident.
The 44-year-old tactician is also dedicating it to MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden and former Giro d’Italia winner Michele Scarponi, who were both killed when their bikes were hit by vehicles in Italy.
Nicola hopes to raise awareness for more road safety and respect for cyclists.
“It’s not a race, but a sporting promise to be kept,” said Nicola on Mediaset Premium. “We’ve been talking about it since June 18 and I prepare for this as Coach of Crotone.”
He will travel along the Adriatic coast via Taranto, Bari, Pescara, Ancona, Livorno, Genoa and Turin.
Also making the trip are his brother-in-law Paolo Boretto, nephew Alessio Capello and Crotone staff member Elmiro Trombino.