BECYCLE 2024: the speakers
Read more about the speakers at this year's BECYCLE in Florence
Join us at BECYCLE from 26 to 28 June, 2024, on the eve of the Tour de France's Grand Départ from Florence, Italy. Get ready to experience three exciting days with some of cycling's most influential figures.
On stage there will be Luca Gregorio, one of the most illustrious voices among cycling television commentators, who will be guiding us through this unmissable event. Among the special guests, don't miss the opportunity to listen to Fabio Aru, winner of the Vuelta a España and winner of stages in the Grand Tours. Furthermore, we will have with us Alex Carera, a leading figure in sports management, who currently manages high-profile athletes such as Tadej Pogačar, Jasper Philipsen and Antonio Tiberi. And let's not forget Elena Casiraghi, expert in sports nutrition and scientific communicator for Equipe Enervit, whose presence will offer insights into sports nutrition and wellbeing.
Read more about some of the speakers at this year's BECYCLE or see the full line-up on the BECYCLE website.
Fabio Aru
Fabio Aru has left an indelible mark on the sporting scene. His sporting career is a succession of moments of glory and sacrifice, enriched by ambitious challenges and important successes, including winning the Vuelta a España and stage victories in Grand Tours. He wore the pink jerseys of the Giro d'Italia, yellow of the Tour de France and red of the Vuelta, a goal achieved only by true legends, such as Felice Gimondi, Francesco Moser and Vincenzo Nibali.
Fabio Aru's importance goes beyond results and statistics – his determination and passion have won the hearts of cycling enthusiasts worldwide. His sporting history is a source of inspiration for the new generations to whom he dedicates his academy. Don't miss the opportunity to hear directly from Aru about his sporting career and his lasting legacy.
Elena Casiraghi
Elena Casiraghi has a doctorate in physical activity, nutrition and wellbeing, and is a reference figure in sports nutrition. Expert in her field and a scientific communicator for Equipe Enervit, she has dedicated years to studying and researching the links between nutrition, wellbeing, and sports performance. A prolific author, her latest book is entitled, Feed Your Energy (ed. Cairo).
As a teacher at the University of Pavia, where she teaches theory and preparation methods in individual sports, she contributes to training new generations of professionals in the sports field. A former rowing and triathlon athlete, Elena Casiraghi has supported international champions such as Lara Gut (alpine skiing), Hervè Barmasse (mountaineering), Elisa Di Francisca (fencing), the Italian national athletics team and the Italian women's Olympic rowing team for Rio 2016. Her presence at BECYCLE represents a precious opportunity for sports enthusiasts, offering unique ideas and insights into sports nutrition and wellbeing.
Filippo Pozzato
Filippo Pozzato wrote himself into the history of cycling, conquering Milan-Sanremo and winning two stages at the Tour de France and one at the Giro d'Italia. These are just some of the moments that made his career unforgettable. Pozzato is an ambassador of the passion and tenacity that characterise this sport. His charismatic personality and communicative spirit make him an exceptional guest. Hearing his success story, including the anecdotes that made him a champion and his current projects, is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of cycling from the perspective of one of its protagonists.
Alex Carera
Alex Carera is a leading figure in sports management, especially in the cycling sector. In 1997, at just 22, he founded A&J All Sports, a management agency that stands out for its longevity and numerous successes. Between 2003 and 2006, he demonstrated his leadership skills as president of AIAC, the International Association of Cycling Agents. His ability to recognise talent is unparalleled, having managed three Grand Tour winners: Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali and Tadej Pogačar. Furthermore, he co-founded WARA (World Association of Riders' Agents) in 2023, of which he currently serves as a board member, contributing to the representation and protection of athletes' interests globally. His professional successes make him a highly anticipated guest at BECYCLE, thanks to his extraordinary experience and ability to offer in-depth analyses and enrich the debate with valuable and stimulating insights.
Alex Carera manages high-profile athletes such as Tadej Pogačar, Jasper Philipsen, Antonio Tiberi, Biniam Girmay and Cian Uijtdebroeks. But he represented champions in other sports, including the two-time world swimming champion Filippo Magnini, the Olympic swimming champion Federica Pellegrini, the 250cc champion Manuel Poggiali and ski champions such as Cristian Zorzi and Michela Moioli.
Luca Gregorio
Luca Gregorio is one of the most illustrious voices in the cycling scene. Since 2018, he has enchanted Eurosport spectators, forming a formidable pairing with Riccardo Magrini. In addition to being an expert commentator, Luca Gregorio has an extraordinary ability to manage the stage as a presenter. With impeccable craftsmanship, he knows how to create an engaging atmosphere that transforms every event into an unforgettable experience. He will be among the presenters on the BECYCLE stage and will be able to entertain the audience in Florence with his passionate and engaging speeches.
Luca Gregorio is not only a man of sport, but also a talented musician. Together with Riccardo Magrini, he is co-founder of the musical group Cane Vecchio Sa-und. With their music, they bring energy and passion throughout Italy, creating a unique combination of music and cycling in their evenings.
Daniele Bennati
With an innate passion for speed, Daniele Bennati was one of the strongest Tuscan cyclists of his generation, winning the points classifications at the Vuelta a España and the Giro d'Italia. Affectionately nicknamed the "Panther" for his agility and speed, he racked up 54 career victories, including three stages at the Giro, six at the Vuelta and two at the Tour de France, including a triumphant finish in Paris on the Champs-Élysées. With the blue shirt, he often played the role of captain in the race. For two seasons, he was a television commentator for Rai. Since 2021, he has been the technical commissioner of the men's national road cycling team. Having Daniele Bennati on stage is a unique opportunity for cycling enthusiasts. Audiences will feel inspired as they listen to his experiences and advice. It is an opportunity to celebrate his impact on the world of sports as an athlete and a coach. Daniele Bennati will surely know how to win everyone's hearts with his passion for cycling.
Omar De Felice
Omar Di Felice, widely recognised and appreciated as an extreme athlete and explorer, has faced the most demanding challenges in the most inaccessible places. After spending the last two winters traversing Antarctica, he recently added more feats to his list of successes: victories in Trans America and the Indian Pacific in Australia, two of the most challenging ultra-cycling races in the world. But his commitment doesn't stop there. Omar Di Felice is also an environmental activist and an active supporter of the fight against climate change. His Bike to 1.5°C project aims to raise awareness of the effects of the climate crisis and the importance of taking targeted actions to reduce carbon emissions and limit the increase in global temperature to within 1.5°C. His extraordinary experience in extreme cycling trials, combined with his fervent commitment to environmental protection, make him a powerful and inspiring voice on the urgent challenges we face. Join us to hear the inspiring story of how he overcame incredible obstacles and achieved goals that seemed impossible.
Davide Cassani
Davide Cassani is one of the souls of Italian cycling, having raced among professionals for 15 years and held the role of technical commissioner of the Italian men's national team for eight seasons. And to this is added the fact that he has become one of the most famous and authoritative voices among television commentators. Having recently returned to commentary on Rai, his twenty years of experience at the microphones has brought a passion for this sport into the homes of Italians, describing it in a meticulous and engaging way. This is also the result of a sporting career that saw him participate in 11 Giri d'Italia (where he won two stages), nine Tours de France and nine World Championships. In collaboration with great names in Italian journalism, he has published books that have contributed to making the general public aware of the beauty of a sport capable of exciting and which allows you to cycle in wonderful Italian contexts, discovering the most enchanting corners and challenging yourself along the climbs where the most significant pages in the history of cycling were written. In 2022 he was appointed president of Apt Servizi Emilia-Romagna. On the BECYCLE stage, he will share his unique vision of cycling, the most exciting stories of his career and his commitment to promoting the sport, inspiring enthusiasts and future champions.
Iris Slappendel
Iris Slappendel is a Dutch former professional cyclist whose career spanned 12 years. During this time, she achieved victories, including the Open de Suède Vårgårda Women's World Cup in 2012 and the Dutch National Road Championships in 2014. After her retirement from racing at the end of 2016, she began dedicating herself to her own clothing brand, called IRIS, an acronym for "I Ride In Style". With training as a product designer and extensive experience in professional cycling, she personally designs all products, checking every aspect of materials, fit and design. Her commitment to the world on two wheels has never stopped – she also became co-founder and executive director of The Cyclists' Alliance (TCA), an organisation that supports professional cyclists and is committed to improving their working conditions. Furthermore, her role as a commentator and reporter for Eurosport allows her to continue contributing to the world of cycling. Her presence on the BECYCLE stage will also offer the opportunity to delve deeper into the topic of the development of women's cycling, sharing her valuable insights into the progress and challenges that women cyclists face, both at a professional and amateur level.
Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali is a living legend of world cycling. Born in Messina, he has carved his name in the history of this sport thanks to an extraordinary career. From a young age, he demonstrated a fighting attitude and a flair for success that led him to become one of the most feared champions within the group. His audacity in the race, always on the attack, earned him the nickname "The Shark". His career is filled with epic triumphs. He won the Vuelta a España, demonstrating to the world his incredible talent. But this was only the beginning of a long road to cycling glory. Vincenzo Nibali has achieved the goal of the Triple Crown, a goal achieved only by a select few. In addition to the prestigious Spanish stage race, he has conquered the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France once.
What makes its sporting history truly special is its extraordinary versatility and numerous victories in other prestigious races. He is one of the four riders who, during their career, managed to win the three Grand Tours and at least two Monument Classics, the most prestigious and ancient one-day races. In fact, he triumphed twice at the Giro di Lombardia and once at Milan-Sanremo, demonstrating his supremacy also in this type of race. His impressive list also includes two Italian championship titles, two victories at Tirreno-Adriatico and seven other podiums in the three Grand Tours. His determination, his class and his courage make him an icon of world cycling. On the BECYCLE stage, his success story will be a source of inspiration and is more relevant than ever in the year in which ten years have passed since the last victory of an Italian at the Tour.
