Paolo Bettini shows off the official baton.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Damiano Cunego, Paolo Bettini and Danilo Di Luca enjoyed the Winter Games.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Paolo Bettini gets it rolling along.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Paolo Bettini balancing.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bettini showing off his handling skills.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Filippo Pozzato rolling what appears to be a barrel of wine.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Filippo Pozzato seemed to have the fit wrong on his bicycle.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alessandro Ballan running some poles.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Danilo Di Luca launches a funny looking mobile phone.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Damiano Cunego passes the baton to Daniele Nardello.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alessandro Grassi gets a hand from Filippo Pozzato.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bettini's new team bike for for 2008?(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Paolo Bettini finds the small bike hard to ride.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Tug of war headed by Paolo Bettini, Danilo Di Luca and Damiano Cunego.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Giovanni Visconti fights for the flag held by Franco Ballerini. Matteo Tosatto lots his balance.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Luca Paolini surely prefers the bicycle to running through tires.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Paolo Bettini during the awards ceremony of the First Bettiniadi.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Paolo Bettini had his World Championship kit stolen!(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
By Gregor Brown
The Paolo Bettini Fan Club successfully organised the first Bettiniadi with the help of the city of Bibbona, home of the two-time World Champion. Italian cyclists of the of the 2007 Italian national team squared off with journalists in school yard games Sunday, December 2, the day after the presentation of the 2008 Giro d'Italia parcours.
Other than Bettini competing, there were Alessandro Ballan, Damiano Cunego, Danilo Di Luca, Daniele Nardello, Luca Paolini, Filippo Pozzato, Leonardo Scarselli, Matteo Tosatto, Andrea Tonti and Italian Champion Giovanni Visconti. The journalists were headed by Stephen Farrand, an Englishman based in Livorno.
The Bettiniadi Games (named after Bettini and 'Olimpiadi', Olympic Games in Italian) were highlighted by the tug of war, sack race and the mobile phone launch, and saw the riders prevail over the writers. 'The Killer' Di Luca let off a little steam by launching his mobile some 22 metres.
An Octoberfest beer tent accompanied the games, and provided a venue for the ceremonies. The teams exchanged gifts; the riders gave the journalist two bottles of extra virgin olive oil, while the journalist gave two bottles of wine, a bottle of shampoo for 'clean cycling' and a condom with the slogan, "I won't risk my health."
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