At the home of the Champion: Bertram Derthona's special day at Castellania Coppi
The sporting excellence of the Tortona region, in the place where the timeless symbol of sporting excellence of these lands and of Italy as a whole was born and raised. The Bertram Derthona Tortona team visited Castellania Coppi yesterday, the birthplace of the legendary Fausto Coppi, just fifteen kilometers from Tortona. It was a highly symbolic meeting, strengthening the bond between the Bianconeri club and its roots.
Accompanied by Mayor Giovanni Gugliada, the players and entire staff took part in a meaningful journey: from a visit to the evocative medieval towers of the hamlet of Sant'Alosio to the central stop at Casa Coppi, an iconic site preserving the memorabilia and memory of the Campionissimo. Even today, Casa Coppi remains an essential destination for enthusiasts and cycling tourists: on weekends, the steep streets of this small village in the Tortona hills come alive with visitors paying homage to a timeless figure.
The day concluded with a convivial moment in the town hall, sealing an experience that combined sport, history, and local identity.
«Castellania Coppi is truly a place of worship for any cyclist and sportsman in general», the words of the coach Mario Fioretti at the end of the visit. "For me, coming from the Bergamo area, a land of cyclists, and with so many friends passionate about this sport, we all grew up thinking about the legend of Coppi, and coming here was truly a powerful emotion, very, very touching."
«We are delighted with the organisation of this visit, there is a special thread that ties us to Derthona Basket», says the mayor of Castellania Coppi, John GugliadaWe believe we've showcased the highlights of our town, those normally visited by tourists, from the towers of Sant'Alosio to Casa Coppi, from the school where Fausto's bicycles are kept to our library named after Gino Bailo, where all the books of Casa Coppi are kept. We found the last one a few days ago in Rome after a years-long search. The town hall itself is full of his jerseys and those of other great champions who came to honor him, including Marco Pantani. I invite all nature lovers to come to Castellania. There are wonderful dirt trails that start from the town and can be explored on foot or by mountain bike. We are surrounded by what I would call wild nature, a rare treat considering we're fifty kilometers from Milan as the crow flies. We try to preserve this area as much as possible, which is full of woods despite its still low altitude, given that we're only 350-400 meters above sea level. Our only problem,” he concludes with a smile, “is that while other municipal offices can enjoy the peace and quiet of being closed on weekends, for us, Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest days due to the many tourists who arrive.”
