THE BEGINNING
I’m Paolo Guerciotti.
My story is also that of Italo, my brother.
He was older than me and was a very strong cyclocross rider: he passed on to me the passion for cycling and thanks to him I entered the world of competitive racing.
In 1961 I made my debut among the very young ones, and since then I have never left the competition fields. Also with him I opened the first Guerciotti bicycle shop in Milan, our city. It was 1964, 20m2 in via Petrella.
My sporting career grew in parallel with the shop: in the 1970s we moved to a new, larger location.
In 1975 the new shop windows are in via Tamagno, after a quick move to Corso Buenos Aires. Not only cyclocross in the shop: in 1976 our racing bicycles arrived in the world of professionalism.
In 1979 they triumphed in 5 stages of the Giro d’Italia, thanks to riders of the caliber of G.B. Baronchelli and Giovanni Battaglin.
However, the best showcase for me always came in 1979 when I won the blue jersey for the cyclocross world championships in Saccolongo.
In the early 80s I put all my energy into the family brand
and, always with Italo’s support, we make it grow nationally and internationally, especially in the USA.
I retire from competitions, but I remain in the racing world.
First sponsor, then manager, always giving my all for the good of my sport, rejoicing in victories, encouraging in defeats, proud of the character tests of “my” boys. Victory isn’t just about crossing the finish line first.
Today they say that my name is the name of cyclocross in Italy.
Certainly, if you look carefully in the competition fields, in the sun, in the rain, on the meadows or in the mud, in the heat or in the cold, you will be able to see a yellow jacket running after the athletes to cheer them on at full strength, all without distinction.
In the beginning there is a dream, a family and a land and whoever knows how to link them with the gift of gratitude, in the end, wins.
