2 days to promote active mobility and sustainable tourism in the Marche: all the events of the Civitanova bike festival.
This weekend sees the return of the Civitanova bike festival, which was founded four years ago with the idea of promoting cycle tourism and cycling culture across the Marche region — an area that over time has received little recognition from this perspective, but which of late has been making great strides in welcoming those who choose slow (yet active) and sustainable holidays. Investment and communication in this area have grown accordingly, so much so that these efforts were rewarded in 2022 with the Oscar del cicloturismo. And rightly so — it must be said — because these places offer wonder to anyone who passes through them on two wheels. Around the town of Civitanova Marche in particular, there is a group of people who champion the cause of cycling and work daily to get tourists in the saddle and lead them to discover the nature and history of the Marche from a bicycle seat.
Among them is Mauro Fumagalli, founder of Marche bike life and organiser of the festival. Milanese by origin (as his surname suggests) and a Marche resident by love, Fumagalli is not only a cycle-tourism guide but also an important node in a network built around the bicycle that has brought together local authorities, associations and shopkeepers. The Civitanova bike festival was born from his desire to promote this route and create a platform for dialogue. The programme includes round tables with experts, writers and athletes, as well as moments of conviviality and socialising. On closer inspection, the Civitanova bike festival is a container of proposals where local experiences become aware of their significance within a broader, national landscape, forging stimulating connections.
During the days of the Civitanova bike festival, various figures from the cycling world are invited to discuss topics such as cycle paths, cycling-friendly municipalities, sustainable mobility and inclusive tourism. The festival is open to everyone — newcomers and cycling enthusiasts alike — who, alongside the thematic meetings, have the opportunity to get up close with stories from the world of cycling. Saturday evening is dedicated to the memory of Gino Bartali, with an address by his granddaughter Gioia Bartali and a performance by Luna e Gnac teatro entitled Bartali eroe silenzioso.
Considerable attention is devoted to the inclusion of people with disabilities in everyday social contexts. This topic is addressed with Luca Panichi (a wheelchair climber), Marina Romoli (a promising cyclist who became paraplegic as a result of a road accident) and Andrea Tomasoni of Remoove, a Trentino-based company working on these issues. With Fiab, the discussion turns to cycling-friendly municipalities, bicipolitane and the ciclovia adriatica, one of the most significant tourist infrastructure projects of recent years and the centrepiece of many routes that are transforming the holidays of Italians. There is also space for projects linked to sustainable tourism and walking trails, as well as the question of road safety. There are many workshops dedicated to younger visitors, with obstacle courses and fun activities, while for older participants there are aperibike sessions and freestyle shows. The final event on Sunday is an urban ride open to all, to leave a mark on the streets of Civitanova.