Liberation and healthcare: safety first

The adventure of Americo Zugaro at the Gran Premio Liberazione has deep roots, going back to 1996: since then he hasn't missed an edition, taking great care of everything related to the healthcare aspect of the Roman classic on April 25. But his memories are there, more vivid than ever. "My activity in a cycling club in Abruzzo once brought me to Rome where I met Eugenio Bomboni, who was organizing a race for youngsters in which we participated. In cycling I did a bit of everything, from lead car to speaker, but I worked as a doctor and 'the general,' as I always called him, as soon as he found out, entrusted me with the healthcare service of the Liberazione. We never lost touch again."

Over the years Zugaro has gained great experience in a very delicate field: "Without us the race can't start: once at the Giro delle Regioni (the stage race that took place immediately after the Liberazione, ed.) the ambulance crew woke up very late and arrived late at the start, which 'because of them' was postponed by over an hour."

An episode that has never happened at the Liberazione nor 'should' it happen: "I always have to make sure that interventions are as prompt as possible. We are organized with an ambulance stationed at the finish area, one in the opposite area of the circuit, and a medical car following. Each vehicle has at least two nurses, with the doctor in the car, and above all, each vehicle is equipped with a defibrillator. The car is connected with the race director, to intervene immediately in case of accidents."

And there have been accidents at the Liberazione: "I would say that every year there is some crash and we often have to deal with some broken collarbone and riders to take to the hospital. I remember one year when Collinelli was racing, he had just won Olympic gold in Atlanta '96, on the second lap they called us, there had been a crash at the big curve right after the finish straight and the victim was him: he was the star of that edition, I was really sorry."

The years have passed and the Liberazione has changed hands at the top, but the regret for Bomboni remains: "I must say that in the staff alongside Terenzi there is great professionalism and the race could not have ended up in better hands. Besides, many of us from the previous management are still here and we all know what to do. It's a machine that runs by itself, that's the great strength of the Gran Premio."