Fabiana Luperini will bring a wealth of world-class experience and knowledge to the men's peloton next season as she steps into a director's role at Team Corratec in 2023.
The Italian will become the first woman to direct a men's pro cycling team in her nation and says she's proud and enthusiastic to be a part of progress in the sport.
"I am very happy about this opportunity which was given to me. I especially thank Francesco Frassi, who I've known for many years, for choosing me. To be the first female sports director of an Italian team is a great source of pride," Luperini said.
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Asked if she placed importance on the masculine or feminine sports director title in Italian - direttore or direttrice - and if the distinction mattered to her, Luperini said that respect was the most important aspect of anyone's role.
"Just call me Fabiana, no problem. I like that even more. What matters is respect, both personally and for the roles," Fabiana Luperini said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Luperini is one of a handful of women who have earned leadership roles on high-level men's cycling teams, and she applauds the steps taken to bring more women into management roles that have, for the most part, been held by men.
Robin Morton was the first woman to own and manage a men's professional team, Gianni Motta-Linea MD, that competed at the Giro d'Italia in the 1980s.
In recent years, Rachel Hedderman (now General Manager at EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) directed the men's and women's UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, Fran Millar became CEO of Team Ineos in 2019, Yana Seel moved from her management role at Astana-Premier Tech to Chief Business Officer at Lotto Soudal in 2021, and Cherie Pridham took on a Director's role at Israel-Start Up Nation in 2021 before joining Lotto Soudal's team of Sports Directors in 2022. Human Powered Health announced that it had appointed Ro De Jonckere as the team's new General Manager in 2023.
"I knew that there were already women directors abroad. As for me, I hadn't noticed it," Luperini said. "It's good to know that female figures have arrived in purely male environments, it's a good thing," Luperini said.
"If you think about it, even in women's teams, the directors, for the most part, are men. On a personal level, I'm proud of it. I'm not afraid. If anything, I'm enthusiastic. And I'm sure the team will help me.
"In general, [women offer a] different point of view and a different sensitivity. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. And the thing itself is an enrichment. The Corratec team will be young, and I can make my experience and my technical competence available. And maybe, when needed and it is opportune, I can be less harsh than a man would be."
She acknowledged the higher standards that women are often held to in the workplace, and in cycling, particularly in their pursuit of leadership opportunities.
“Unfortunately, history says it, women must always prove that they are not one step better, if anything, ten, compared to men. Especially to get to high-level roles. Sticking to my experience, I would like to be an example for many women."
Now retired from a successful career that spanned two decades, 48-year-old Luperini has spent her post-racing years helping to run a family-owned agriturismo business at her home in Pontedera, near Pisa in the Tuscany region of Italy.
She brings her world-class racing experience to the men's programme next year, including a record of five overall victories at the Giro d'Italia Donne in 1995-98 and 2008, three wins of the former Tour Cycliste Féminin from 1995-97 and three Flèche Wallonne titles in 1998, 2001 and 2002. She is widely regarded as one of the strongest climbers of her generation.
Her career was not without controversy, however, as Luperini completed a reduced eight-month suspension after authorities found traces of nandrolone in a urine sample taken in October 1999. It was reported, at that time, that she denied using the performance-enhancing substance and argued that the positive test was due to a contaminated supplement.
At Team Corratec, Luperini will direct a team that has so far confirmed 15 riders, along with their intent to acquire a second-division ProTeam licence. The team will include Valerio Conti (Astana Qazaqstan Team) and Attilio Viviani (Bingoal Sauces Pauwels WB).
Italy, a powerful nation in women's cycling, has shown remarkable growth in two seasons. Elisa Balsamo won the world title in Flanders last year, and this season a 'golden week' of victories at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem.
Elisa Longo Borghini won Paris-Roubaix and the Women's Tour, while Marta Cavalli won Amstel Gold Race, the Flèche Wallonne, and finished second overall at the Giro d'Italia Donne. Other successful performances have come from Marta Bastianelli and Erica Magnaldi (both UAE Team ADQ), Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM), Chiara Consonni and Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (both Valcar-Travel & Service), Rachele Barbieri (Liv Racing Xstra) and Gaia Realini (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria). And, of course, Silvia Persico was the revelation at the rebirth of the Tour de France Femmes.
Luperini is pleased with the growth and professionalisation of women's cycling since her retirement and said she hopes the same development will continue on the team management side of the sport.
"Good progress has been made. The salaries of women racing have grown, and the popularity of the women's movement is on the rise. So many steps forward can still be made. I certainly hope that the number of women in the role of sporting director will increase," she said.
