“I have a bike and two legs in good shape. Doing 10 kilometers (six miles) a day is no big deal, ”Martinelli said in an interview this week. “I wanted to help the people who always support me during the season. Time to give something back. “
Martinelli joined a Facebook group called “Lodetto Solidale” (Lodetto Solidario) that people in need can go to. They can request things online, over the phone or with text messages.
The cyclist receives the orders every night and prepares the route for the following day.
“I go to the pharmacy and when I get there I put on gloves and a mask,” I say. “If I go for three or four people, there is less risk of contagion.”
Lodetto has just 1,500 inhabitants and everyone knows who Martinelli is. Or rather, who is his father.
Giuseppe Martinelli is one of the most successful cycling team managers in Italy. He worked with figures like Marco Pantani and Vincenzo Nibali when they won the Tour de France and several Giros de Italia.
Martinelli’s father said that what his son is doing “is a step above a victory for one of my riders, because it is something that gratifies him and because he is part of our family.”
Davide is part of Giuseppe’s Astana team, who says he had nothing to do with his son’s initiative. He only gave him a father’s advice: “I told him‘ take care of yourself. Don’t touch anyone. Wear a mask and gloves when you go to the pharmacy. ’”
Martinelli is 26 years old and a long time ahead in cycling. For now, he has won only a couple of stages in minor races, both in 2016. His gesture has given him much more recognition than the one he earned as a cyclist.
