With Wings on Their Wheels Piano P

86 years after its foundation, Campagnolo has managed to maintain not only its charm, but also its cutting-edge thanks in no small part to an ability to keep in step with the times, but without uprooting itself from its unmistakable history; not only does it use its past to shape its present in a proactive and critical way, but above all it uses it to anticipate future scenarios.

The baton has been passed to the third family generation now, and Campagnolo tells us how their yesterday, today and tomorrow have been an almost seamless transition of successes.

Logo illustrated by Osvaldo Casanova.
English adaption by Sabina Zambon.

After talking about inventions and iron, steel and carbon, about races and champions and how Campagnolo always managed to somehow get the spotlight pointed at its products, in this episode we deal with another great challenge for the Vicenza-based company: the market itself.

Studying the competition has always been at the heart of the company's strategies. We look back at its origins, from when Tullio came up with the brainchild of emphasising the victories of the champions who used his gearshift by taking out ads in the newspapers, through to today, an era of commercial globalisation; decades have passed and the scenario has completely changed: here we'll tell you how Campagnolo evolved to keep up with the times.

Logo illustrated by Osvaldo Casanova.

It's not enough to create something new, it's not even enough to be the very best. You need to be able to communicate the facts. The importance of knowing how to create a buzz, how to be the name on everyone's lips, from Tullio's era to the digital age of social media.

This episode of "With Wings on Their Wheels" one again delves into the treasure trove that is Gianni Brera's biography of Tullio and the Campagnolo brand; the company's chief communications executive, Joshua Riddle, will obviously have a few things to say on the subject at hand; and there will be interviews with enthusiasts and collectors at the Eroica race in Tuscany and at the Grandfondo Campagnolo in Rome.

Logo illustrated by Osvaldo Casanova.

Campagnolo would not be part of mythology if it were not for the legendary races. We will explore the key role the brand has played in the history of competitive cycling, with standout events and anecdotes from the greats who rode to success, thanks to the "wings on their wheels": Coppi and Merckx, for starters, then the "local boys" from the same region as Tullio, Massignan, Zandegù and Ballan; the gold medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics and, later directeur sportif for Merckx, Marino Vigna, also has a few tales to tell, as does Pier Bergonzi, deputy editor-in-chief at the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
Some vintage newsreel adds to the sense of history, and we also delve into the atmosphere of a contemporary race: this year's Milan-Sanremo.

Logo illustrated by Osvaldo Casanova.

Our journey continues in the place where it all happens, in the Vicenza factory on Via della Chimica; this episode is imbued with the sounds and atmospheres of the heart and soul of Campagnolo production. A crash landing into the present-day nerve-centre of the brand, and a look at the past 80 years of frontline activity, with particular attention paid to the continuity between Tullio's philosophy and today's engineering and industrial requirements: an in-depth search for excellence with a finger on the pulse of every possible evolution of processes and products.
Another witness to the history of Italian cycling being written is Alberto Masi, the son of the legendary Italian frame-maker; he will add his voice to those from within the Campagnolo camp.

This podcast is also available as "Con le ali alle ruote" in Italian language.
Logo illustrated by Osvaldo Casanova.

What does "being Campagnolo" mean to cyclists today? We asked Valentino Campagnolo – son of the founder, Tullio – chairman of the Vicenza-based company, and Lorenzo Taxis, the marketing and communications director.
We cycle back in time to the brand's golden era, through the words of the great writer Gianni Brera who in "Il gigante e La Lima" recounts not only the creative genius of Tullio, but also how his entrepreneurial nose gave wings to the cycling brand. One of the most famous names from the "Gazzetta dello Sport" newspaper, and renowned cycling historian, Claudio Gregori, helps flesh out the history of this legendary brand.

This podcast is also available as "Con le ali alle ruote" in Italian language.
Logo illustrated by Osvaldo Casanova.