GIOS Raduno 2022

 GIOS RADUNO 2022

One of our favorite events - part of why May is a special month in Italy for us. Not only La Corsa Rosa but the annual GIOS Raduno, this year the 5th time the GIOS family has gathered in Volpiano. In 2016 Zio Lorenzo was invited despite not having a GIOS bike. We missed the next few but were back in 2019. This was the first since then due to the pandemic and the first time both of us had our very own GIOS bikes.

Celebrities and old guys from the past show up to pay their respects. Here (l-r) is famous cycling author Herbie Sykes hawking some of his works alongside the son of Brooklyn team massagiatore Bruno Ragona flanked by Aldo Gios and Ragona himself.

Eventually the ride formed up and left the GIOS showroom, following Marco Gios in the car. Our destination was an intersection with the Corsa Rosa start in nearby Rivarolo Canavese. It's great to amble along seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones - all fans of GIOS biciclette.

Eventually you need a break, even if at this point your jaw is the only thing tired! Fons De Wolf always flies in for this event, posing for anyone who wants a photo. When you ride next to a pro like this, you really can see the class and grace they display.

We eventually arrived at the race intersection where the race passed by. Someone's mother phoned them and said they showed the Giro gruppo passing by the GIOS family, most dressed in Brooklyn or GIOS livery.

Post-ride everyone was treated to lunch at Papi-Break, which just happens to be next door to the GIOS showroom. As we got ready to depart post-pranzo we couldn't find Aldo Gios to say arrivederci. Marco led us to the club GIOS as you can see here, where Aldo was dining with friends.

Everyone left with great memories and this bottle of wine. Mille grazie to Marco, Aldo, Silvia and everyone who put on this great annual event. We keep our blue bikes in Monferrato so we can ride 'em in this event as well as the rest of the time we're up north. We'll be back up there in late June in fact...

...to ride 'em some more.