YOUR TEAM

The night before Eros Poli took victory atop
Mont Ventoux he couldn’t sleep. It was not
like he was dreaming of victory or even had
the slightest idea the next day’s stage would
change his life forever. It was just that it was
hot. Unbearably, unsleepably hot in his lessthan-
stellar French hotel. His roommate had
taken his mattress off the bed and was sleeping
on the small balcony outside their room. And
the man who would shortly become known
as Monsieur Ventoux was watching football,
Italy vs. Brazil in the World Cup final, to be
exact. Italy lost. The following morning as Eros
dragged his weary, tired legs out of bed and
down the stairs, as there was no lift, James
Brown came into his head. “I feel good, I knew
that I would now,” he started to repeat over
and over in his head. As it would the rest of the
day. He felt good, and the rest, as they say, is
history.

Manuel Cardoso is no longer sitting on the
front of the pack, pulling everyone along at
what some would describe as a “brisk” pace
and what others are unable to describe at all,
because they’re too busy gasping for breath
and holding onto the wheel in front of them
for dear life. Manuel is now sitting just slightly
off the back of the pack. As I look back, I
realize he has that look on his face. The look
struck fear in the hearts of the Pro Peloton for
many years. The look which is part grin, part
mischievous child, and all business. He is about
to start some shenanigans. Sure enough, just
a few kilometers later and Manuel has picked
one lucky contestant out of the pack and they
are sitting-in, waiting, like predators, for the
perfect moment. For Manuel, just like when
he raced pro, this is when the road turns
slightly up, a spot in the road where it gets
tough for everyone. And he accelerates with his
breakaway “partner” in tow. It is something
to see. He ramps it up to a speed with which
no one can latch onto the back and with such
precision you have to question whether or not
you actually want to try and close the gap he
has created. And you can’t see it, but you just
know, he is grinning from ear-to-ear.

You may hear the sweet, sweet notes wafting
toward your window at Borgolecchi, as our
resident aristocrat practices his newfound love
of the clarinet. We’re never quite sure if all of
his stories are based on reality, but they are
without a doubt highly entertaining. Probably
the greatest tale Giorgio is prone to tell you is
that he’s not really a cyclist. This yarn is not to
be believed.

After an impressive pro career that started
back in 2003, Sérgio Paulinho joined the
inGamba team at the start of 2022. But we’ve
known him for a long time, as not only did he
race against our founder João Correia, but he
was also a teammate of our star guide Manuel
Cardoso back in the day. A two-time national
champion in Portugal, Sérgio has also won
stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta a
España, and in 2004, he won a silver medal in
the road race at the Athens Olympics. So it’s
fair to say the man has pedigree! It isn't the
racing victories that impressed us most about
Sérgio though, it’s his personality, his friendly
nature on and off the bike, and the fact that
he’s always ready with a smile. That said, if
you find yourself running out of gas on a big
climb, it certainly helps to have someone like
him beside you!

Sancho had a late start to cycling, but he has been
very passionate about bikes ever since. His love for
the sport even made him change career paths to race
professionally—until, oh, the pandemic. Covid saw
him go back to school; he became one of our guides
after interviewing João for his masters’ final thesis
on Active Tourism. Today, he is more than happy to
share his passion for the sport with you, helping you
on and off the bike, whether your goal is to go full
gas or simply take it easy and make the most of the
scenery.

Paulo began mountain biking at the early
age of 16, and soon his love for bicycles,
road cycling, and mechanics was there.
Almost a decade later, he decided to take the
risk and become a bicycle mechanic, but he
never stopped participating at granfondos
and amateur races. He joined inGamba as a
mechanic in 2019 and now he is also one of our
guides.

Born in the North of Portugal, Rui has been riding his bike since he was 10. In 2011, he became a professional cyclist, and just five years later he won the Tour of Portugal. The following year, in 2017, he was the runner-up in the Portuguese Cycling Championship. His talent and incredible bike skills will be by your side during our trips.

Meet our lead mechanic! In fact, he’s quite
the athlete, having participated in athletics and
cycling for over a decade. After hanging up his
cycling shoes, he discovered his true passion
as a mechanic. In 2015, he joined inGamba as a
mechanic to help the team in the Dolomites. He
loved it so much that he came back again and
again until he finally became full-time. And
now, he’s an essential part of the team! Oh, did
we mention he’s also a proud breeder of some
beautiful bird species?

Jorge started working as a mechanic at
João’s team, Cervélo, but that’s not where his
journey with inGamba began. In fact, they met
when João was looking for someone to deliver
bicycles for an event, and Jorge was the lucky
one chosen for the job. That’s when he joined
inGamba and became the very first mechanic
to work with us. However, in 2012, he left
inGamba to join a cycling team where he had
the opportunity to travel to different parts
of the world and immerse himself in other
cultures and languages like English and Italian.
After nearly eight years of adventure in the
WorldTour, he’s back with us now. When he’s
not busy fixing bikes or cycling, Jorge loves to
fish or take horses out for a ride. His passion
for exploration and adventure is contagious,
and we are grateful to have him back on the
inGamba team.

Nuno is the elusive family member who
never shows up for family functions and he
never, ever appears in pictures, but he’s the
backbone of this family. He’s doing all the little
things you appreciate, even if you don’t realize
it. Nuno is the best.

Cycling has been a significant part of
Nelson’s life, making him a more responsible
and independent person from an early age.
Despite facing a few bumps in his professional
cycling career, Nelson never quit his passion for
biking. He may have had to abandon his cycling
profession during a significant growth phase,
but life had other plans. Eventually, destiny
brought him back to cycling, but this time as a
skilled mechanic, where he discovered his true
calling. Currently, Nelson works with inGamba
and is responsible for tuning and dialing our
fleet of Pinarello bikes with precision and
calmness.

Every family needs one, you know, an inked-up,
steely-eyed hipster wandering about looking all shady.
But regardless of João Simão’s stunningly good looks and
assemblage of tattoos, he can't escape the fact he’s a big
softie. So don’t let the looks fool you, he might carry a big
steel wrench, but he also has a heart of gold.

When Joaquim Sampaio raced, he was the
general. The boss. The en-forcer. And the
hammer. All this seems so foreign to what we
know of him now. He is funny, kind, and, dare
we say, sweet. He used to rule the peloton with
an iron fist and now he has the hands of magic,
which massage us back to the living. And he
knows his way around the stove, the oven, and
the grill. So he may no longer resemble the
bike-riding muscle of days gone by, but we
love who he has become.

António is not only a proud father to a 3-year-old
boy but also a former professional cyclist! António’s
love for cycling began at the tender age of 7, and
he spent years honing his skills and developing
his passion. He quickly rose through the ranks,
eventually becoming a professional cyclist himself.
For seven long years, he dedicated his life to this
sport, never letting his passion falter. In 2012,
António decided to take a break from cycling and
explore new opportunities. He ventured into the
cork industry, working alongside his father and
gaining valuable experience in a different field.
But as they say, once a cyclist, always a cyclist! In
2017, António returned to the sport as a coach for a
junior cycling team. For three years, he mentored
and trained young cyclists, helping them achieve
their dreams and reach new heights. In 2020,
António decided to expand his skillset and enrolled
in a course in physiotherapy and sports massage.
He quickly realized he had found his calling and
started working as a soigneur for professional
cycling teams. In 2022, António joined the inGamba
family, where he continues to work as a dedicated
and passionate soigneur. António’s journey is
a testament to the fact that with hard work,
dedication, and passion, anything is possible!

After 19 years as a professional rider—he
started when he was just 7—Virgílio joined
inGamba as a soigneur. Sampaio was one of
his masseurs when he was racing, so he’s like
a mentor to him. Virgílio’s thick and smooth
palms and fingers release all your knots and
aches so your legs heal faster and stronger.

Unlike most of us, João studied music and
learned to play the trombone. He played in
several bands and orchestras throughout his
life and even went on to join the army band,
where he served for seven years. In his final
year, he decided to switch gears and become
a massage therapist. And boy, are we glad
he did! A few years later, he joined inGamba,
where he’s been honing his craft with the help
of Sampaio. João’s skilled hands will work
wonders on you and have you feeling better in
no time.