Enel in the saddle with the Maglia Rosa

Enel in the saddle with the Maglia Rosa

The Giro d’Italia is an ongoing challenge of gruelling climbs, breathtaking descents, races against the clock, heat, rain and snow. It’s a race that requires dedication, commitment and passion

This is what the race means as a sport, but on a symbolic level it is a profound expression of a century in our country’s history. It’s also about the regions that host the roadshow and the people who cheer the athletes on as they speed along the tarmac, greeting them at the finish line and celebrating the achievement of the riders who will enter legend as winners of the Pink Jersey, the Maglia Rosa.

“We joined up with the Giro d’Italia for the first time in 2016,” recalls Carlo Tamburi, Enel’s Head of Country, Italy, “supporting the Maglia Rosa with Enel’s recently launched new logo. This alliance continued in 2017 for the landmark 100th edition of the race, and then again in 2018. For us it is a great source of excitement and pride.”

The 11 May 2019 is the starting date for the 102nd Giro d’Italia, and this marks the beginning of a new three-year period for our company, which is supporting this legendary, thrilling race. 

As in the previous three-year period, for Enel following the race as it unfolds is also an opportunity to tell the company’s story. Like the race itself, it is based on close links with the local regions, constant development, innovation and energy, reflecting Enel’s continuing commitment to the country as a whole. 

And so once again this year we explain, through the events of the Giro d’Italia, the work we carry out every day. 

One example is our commitment to encourage new ways of producing and using energy by promoting renewable sources and e-mobility. We offer bespoke solutions for families, young and old people, small and medium enterprises and public administrations, ensuring that humanity remains at the core of all our efforts.

Our support for the “Pink Race” also forms part of Enel’s wider association with top-level cycling in Italy. The vision that guides our business strategy harmonises perfectly with the values of sustainability that cycling embodies. That’s why we’ve also chosen to sponsor other classic races like the Milano-Sanremo (Milan-Sanremo) and the Tirreno-Adriatico (also known as “the Race of the Two Seas”).

These values are also shared by Ride Green, an eco-sustainable separate waste collection project run by RCS Sport, the race’s organisers. The project began in 2016, in collaboration with E.R.I.C.A., an ecological group. Its aim is to create greater awareness among members the general public, the workforce and the media about recycling and protecting the environment. In last year’s edition of the race some 75,000 kilos (82 tons) of waste were collected.

 

But this year’s edition is also about innovation. Together with the Enel X division, we are the title sponsor of the first official Giro E, the electric bike version of the Giro d’Italia. Following last year’s rehearsal races, it will be open to non-professional cyclists, who will be able to compete in 18 of the Giro’s 21 stages.

These collaborations have earned our company the honour of supporting the athletes, their achievements and their efforts as they speed along our country’s roads, experiencing all the natural beauty that Italy has to offer.

Our link with cycling, and especially the Maglia Rosa, is a very special one. “One of the most emotional moments,” recalls the Head of Enel Italy, who is himself a keen cyclist, “was Vincenzo Nibali’s victory in the 99th Giro d’Italia. His win was the result of an extraordinary effort, which took us from eager anticipation and then, almost, to disappointment and dejection. Then it was as if all of Italy was pushing the athlete towards the finish line. We’re huge fans of the Maglia Rosa, because it represents sacrifice, energy, lucidity, team spirit and great humanity. And of course, it’s all the better when it’s worn by an Italian!”.  

Now it’s up to us to mount the saddle.  

Discover more about Enel and the 102nd Giro d’Italia.