We’re lucky to have worked with some great photographers over the years, so we thought it was time to shine the spotlight on some of them and ask them to select and explain some of their favourite images. First up is Paolo Ciaberta, native of Turin and a firm friend of inGamba. You probably know his work from magazines such as Rouleur, Peloton and ProCycling, but just in case we’ve asked a pal to introduce him. We hope you enjoy!
InGamba came to life in the verdant Tuscan countryside, but the story really began decades beforehand in Portugal, where our founder João Correia was born and where he first fell in love with cycling. We also count a number of Portuguese mechanics, soigneurs and guides among our staff – two of whom were National Champions – so a trip to Europe’s most western shores always feels like a homecoming.
My eyes flutter open. I hear birds chirping outside; a hazy beam of golden light shines across my bed, illuminating enough for me to discern the position of the clock’s hands. 9:30!
Have I forgotten how to read these things? A quick check of my phone confirms it. Trying to remember the last time I slept so deeply and blissfully, I open the blinds, and the Tuscan sunshine now overflows into the room. The rolling hills of Chianti, covered in vineyards, orchards, trees vibrant in their springtime glamour, and ancient properties unfold below me, and I feel it.
We’re a forward-thinking bunch at inGamba. And while we’d never just jump on a bandwagon for the sake of it, we like to embrace the new whenever we can. Sometimes, that means taking the sommelier’s advice and trying a new wine from little-known producer, and sometimes it means equipping our fleet of Pinarello Dogma F8s with red-hot new tech.
We don’t want to wish our lives away, but it’s hard not to look forward to the end of our European season when we know it involves L’Eroica, one of Italy’s most unique cycling events.
Most of you will already be familiar with it: Riders from around the world flock to Chianti to test themselves, and their vintage machines, on Tuscany’s famous white gravel roads.
We’re all about the little details at inGamba. We like to think our attention to detail is one of the things that sets us apart from the competition. But we’re not against a big gesture, either. And they don’t get much bigger than Big Mig, Miguelón, Miguel Indurain. For the second year running, the most successful ever Tour de France champion will be joining us at our base in the Dolomites, Hotel La Perla, for five days of fun on some of Europe’s most incredible roads.
When we say inGamba is all about the pro experience, we mean it. And it’s not just about riding Tour de France winning Pinarellos, the latest wireless groupsets from SRAM or the incredible custom kit that Giordana make for us, either. Those details are important – life is too short for anything but the best, if you ask us – but what really makes a trip with us unique is the people. From our founder João to our soigneurs and mechanics, there’s a serious amount of professional peloton experience in our crew.
