Martini promotes health with ride across Italy

Bacardi Limited's Martini is hosting a two day cycling challenge in Italy, setting off from Pavia and culminating at Casa Martini in Pessione, as part of its Martini Racing Ciclismo.

The Martinia Racing Ciclismo is a bespoke programme to promote health and wellbeing in the drinks industry through cycling.

Competition to secure one of the 45 spots on this year’s ride has seen bartenders selected according to their commitment to training – and a final seat has been allocated as a ‘wildcard’ for bartenders to compete for.

“We have been overwhelmed by the number of people wanting to take part in this year’s ride after the huge success of last year’s from Milano to Torino,” says Roberta Mariani, Martini global ambassador. “Martini Racing Ciclismo is all about bringing as many bartenders as possible to experience cycling – from indoor spinning classes, to city rides and of course to La Classica weekend – so it seemed a great idea to team with ‘Cocktails for You’ to make a spot available for
anyone to go for! All the participants for the ride in September will be following a bespoke six week training schedule put together by Italy’s Grand Tour stage winner Daniele Ratto, who will also guide them on the ride. We are looking for a bartender who can show us that he or she is as passionate about Martini and cycling as we are, and ready to help us raise money for our chosen charity, Wine to Water, a non-profit organisation focused on providing clean water to people
around the world.”

The chosen riders will arrive in Milano on 15th September to be kitted out in the Martini Racing colours; they will then depart on Sunday 16 from Pavia to ride 120km through the hills of vermouth country – climbing a total of 1000m – alongside a full team, including medics and masseurs, under the guidance of pro-cyclist Daniele Ratto. The second day takes the group 100km through the rolling hills of Martini sparkling wine country, climbing 1400m, before completing the challenge in time for aperitivo at Casa Martini in Pessione.

“I’m very happy that‘Italy Bike Tours’ are partnering again with Martini to guide the cyclists on La Classica,” says Ratto. ‘We have designed a route that encompasses the best of Italy and will certainly challenge even the fittest cyclist. Over two days the bartenders will have an opportunity to cycle over 200km, making lifelong friends along the way.”

Bartenders wishing to grab the ‘wildcard’ spot should check ‘Cocktails for You’
www.cocktailsforyou.net/martini-la-classica-wildcard for details of how to apply – the competition runs from 1st August for three weeks. They will join 44 other keen riders – including bartenders Rich Woods (London’s Duck and Waffle & Sushi Samba); Max Venning (London’s Three Sheets and Bar Three); Alberto Sinibaldi (Mama Group, France); Stefano Nincevich (Bargiornale, Italy) and Jacques Bezuidenhout (PlumpJack, San Francisco), as well as the Martini brand ambassador team and ‘Cocktails for You,’ for a three-day cycling challenge in September.

26 July 2018 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor