Today, Saturday, July 16th, during the press conference (11.30 am), the General Director of the Tour de Pologne, Czeslaw Lang has donated a Colnago bicycle to Pope Francesco. For now the bike has been delivered to the Polish Catholic Caritas organization. Pope Francesco will be coming to Krakow for World Youth Day which is scheduled for the end of July (26-31/07). The Colnago bicycle from the Tour de Pologne will be given to him while he’s here. Afterward the bike will be given back to the Caritas to use for good causes.
There has always been a warm friendship between Poland and Ernesto Colnago, owner of the famous and winning brand of bicycles made in Italy. Thanks to him, Czeslaw Lang and Lech Piasecki went on to race in Italy with team Del Tongo-Colnago, becoming pioneers of the modern professional movement in Poland.
“Ernesto has always been an important figure in my life, to whom I really owe a lot. He has a special bond with Poland. I remember when a meeting with Karol Wojtyla was organized in Rome, and Ernesto Colnago brought the Holy Father a racing bicycle, because he knew that as a young man in Krakow, He had been an excellent cyclist. Afterward the bike was substituted with a touring model, which was more practical for the Pontiff, who used it during his outings in Castelgandolfo. It was a very emotional meeting,” says Czeslaw Lang.
“The 2016 World Youth Day will be a great opportunity for all of Poland. Even in light of the tragic events that happened in Nice, and which have been happening all too often lately, I want to say that now more than ever there is a need for peace, brotherhood and unity among all of humanity. Young people are our future, they can be and should be the foundation upon which we build a better world. In Krakow we will all come together for an important moment. We can only hope that sports and cycling can play an essential role in spreading a message of peace and hope in these trying times” concludes Lang.
Photo © Ilario Biondi
Source: Lang Team
