Valerio Zamboni

Last updated
Valerio Zamboni
Valerio Zamboni New Jet.jpg
Zamboni after 2011 Race Across America
Personal information
Full nameValerio Zamboni
Born11 March 1954 (1954-03-11)
Anzola dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
Team information
Current teamZamboni
Discipline Ultra-distance cycling
RoleRider
Major wins
2 times RAAM age category winner (2016, 2018)
2 times Race Around Ireland winner (2011, 2017)

Valerio Zamboni (born 1954) is an Italian ultra cyclist who is a six-time winner World Ultra-Cycling Association World Cup, [1] Ultramarathon World Champion, [2] [3] and record holder in the Race Across America. [4] He is also a pilot and founder of the business aircraft sales and acquisition company NewJet International.

Contents

Early life

Valerio Zamboni was born to Italian parents, Norina Balestri and Luciano Zamboni, in Emilia Romagna, Italy. He spent his formative years in Bologna, where he received his primary education. Zamboni pursued his education at the International High School of Languages. He became a glider pilot at a young age. After completing his studies at the Liceo Linguistico internazionale, Zamboni's passion for flying led him to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. [5]

At the age of 23, he relocated to Milan to embark on his first pilot job, starting his professional career in the aviation industry. He earned his commercial licenses and started his career as a co-pilot in 1978, flying the Falcon 10 and Falcon 20 for Milan-based charter operator VIP air. [6]

After being a pilot for about 15 years, now Zamboni own a New Jet International company, which became the exclusive sales representative for Bombardier's Business jet line in some European countries. [7] [8]

Cycling career

Valerio Zamboni was a climbing enthusiast until a severe fall and pelvis reconstruction forced him to stop physical activity. After gaining some weight, Zamboni turned to cycling in 2006 for health reasons. He began practicing at a competition level after undergoing extensive physical and mental training. In 2010, Zamboni participated in his first race, the Sebring, marking the start of his competitive cycling career. [9]

Medal record
Ultra-distance cycling
Representing Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco
RAAM
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2011Solo mens(50-59)
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2012Solo mens(50-59)
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2014Solo mens(60-69)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2016Solo mens(60-69)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2018Solo mens(60-69)
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2019Solo mens(60-69)
Race Around Ireland
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2011Solo mens
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2017Solo mens

Valerio Zamboni's interest in cycling came relatively late in life, particularly in the field of ultracycling. [10] [11] Nevertheless, he was able to achieve a world championship title, and numerous records showcasing his determination and commitment to the sport. [12] At the age of 57, Valerio Zamboni achieved first the Ultramarathon World Champion title in 2011. [13] [14] [3] His multiple Race around Ireland participations led to a 15-minute short film. [3] Zamboni has set various age category records and received multiple awards, including the Indoor Track Record in Montichiari, Italy in 2017, [15] and the Everesting record in France in 2016. [16] He has participated in the Race Across America 11 times, and completed 7 races, receiving numerous accolades for his accomplishments. [17] He has competed in 9 Races Around Italy and he is the only athlete who has always completed them and therefore has the most finisher's medals. [18]

Race results
YearEventCategoryPositionTime
2011 [19] Race Around Ireland Solo MensGold medal with cup.svg 1st131 hrs 36 mins
2011 [20] Race across America Solo mens (50-59)Bronze medal with cup.svg 3rd10 days 18 hours, 58 mins
2012 [21] Race across America Solo mens (50-59)Bronze medal with cup.svg 3rd11 days 18 hours 1 mins
2014 [22] Race across America Solo mens (60-69)Bronze medal with cup.svg 3rd12 days 20 hours 6 mins
2016 [23] Race across America Solo mens (60-69)Gold medal with cup.svg 1st12 days 14 hours 43 mins
2017 [24] Race Around Ireland Solo MensGold medal with cup.svg 1st125 hrs 45 mins
2018 [25] Race across America Solo mens (60-69)Gold medal with cup.svg 1st12 days 17 hours 28 mins
2019 [26] Race across America Solo mens (60-69)Silver medal with cup.svg 2nd12 days 12 hours 24 mins

World records

Valerio Zamboni Records officially certified by World UltraCycling Association
Record TypeDetailsCategoryBike TypeAgeAge GroupStart Date
Capital to CapitalMonte Carlo, Monaco - Andorra [27] SoloStandard61Men 60-692015-10-09
Capital to CapitalMonte Carlo, Monaco - San Marino [28] SoloStandard60Men 60-692014-03-08
Cross Country Italy E-W [29] SoloStandard59Men 50-592013-03-09
Cross Country Italy W-E [30] SoloStandard58Men 50-592012-03-10
Cross StateFlorida E-W [31] SoloStandard60Men 60-692014-01-18
Cross StateFlorida W-E [32] SoloStandard58Men 50-592012-01-14
Distance100 Mile Indoor Velodrome [33] SoloStandard63Men 60-692017-03-18
Distance200 Mile Indoor Velodrome [34] SoloStandard63Men 60-692017-03-18
Distance1000 km Indoor Velodrome [35] SoloStandard63Men 60-692017-03-18
Timed6 Hour Indoor Velodrome [36] SoloStandard63Men 60-692017-03-18
Timed12 Hour Indoor Velodrome [37] SoloStandard63Men 60-692017-03-18
Timed24 Hour Indoor Velodrome [38] SoloStandard63Men 60-692017-03-18

Personal life

Valerio Zamboni resides in Monaco with his wife, Alessandra Soncini, whom he married in March 2008. [5] [39] [40]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monaco Grand Prix</span> Formula One motor race

The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One motor racing event held annually on the Circuit de Monaco, in late May or early June. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, and is one of the races—along with the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans—that form the Triple Crown of Motorsport. It is the only Grand Prix that does not adhere to the FIA's mandated 305-kilometre (190-mile) minimum race distance for Formula One races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Race Across America</span> Long distance cycling competition in the US

The Race Across America, or RAAM, is an ultra-distance road cycling race held across the United States that started in 1982 as the Great American Bike Race.

Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling sports include artistic cycling, cycle polo, freestyle BMX, mountain bike trials, hardcourt bike polo and cycleball. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the world governing body for cycling and international competitive cycling events. The International Human Powered Vehicle Association is the governing body for human-powered vehicles that imposes far fewer restrictions on their design than does the UCI. The UltraMarathon Cycling Association is the governing body for many ultra-distance cycling races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morton Stadium</span> Athletics facility in Dublin, Ireland

Morton Stadium, or the National Athletics Stadium, is an athletics stadium in Santry Demesne, Santry in Ireland. Often called Santry Stadium, it is the centre for athletics events in Dublin city and the home track of Clonliffe Harriers. Managed by Dublin City University, it has also been the home ground for several Irish association football clubs including Shamrock Rovers and Dublin City. The modern capacity of the ground is 8,800, with a single 800-seat covered stand.

William Morley Sichel is a British long-distance runner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UCI World Championships</span> Annual competitions determining world champion cyclists

The UCI World Championships are annual competitions promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to determine world champion cyclists. They are held in several different styles of racing, in a different country each year. Championship winners wear a white jersey with coloured bands around the chest for the following year. The similarity to the colours of a rainbow gives them the colloquial name of "the rainbow jersey." The first three individuals or teams in each championship win gold, silver and bronze medals. Former world champions are allowed to wear a trim to their collar and sleeves in the same pattern as the rainbow jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Mangan</span> Irish ultramarathon runner (born 1957)

Tony Mangan is an ultra distance runner from Ireland. He completed on 27 October 2014 a 50,000 km (31,000 mi) distance running around the world for Aware, a charity helping to defeat depression. He is the current world 48-hour indoor track record holder 426.178 km (264.815 mi). Also the world 48-hour treadmill record 405.22 km. Mangan states, "I didn't start running till I was almost 30. Then I dreamed of running around the World. I got delayed for over 20 years for many reasons, breaking a few world ultra records. Now I am retired from competition I can finally live my dream."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christoph Strasser</span> Austrian ultra cyclist

Christoph Strasser is an Austrian ultra cyclist who is a six-time winner and record holder for the fastest time in the Race Across America. From 16 to 17 July 2021, he became the first person to ride more than 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) in 24 hours, on a course at Hinterstoisser Air Base in Zeltweg, Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juliana Buhring</span> British-German ultra-endurance cyclist and writer

Juliana Buhring is a British-German ultra-endurance cyclist and writer. In December 2012, she set the first Guinness World Record as the fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe by bike, riding over 29,000 kilometres (18,000 mi) in a total time of 152 days.

Katharine Ford is a multi record-breaking British ultracyclist, Epilepsy campaigner and Non Executive Director in the sport industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominique Scott-Efurd</span> South African long-distance runner

Dominique Scott-Efurd is a South African long-distance runner who competed at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans Am Bike Race</span> Annual cycling event in the United States

The Trans Am Bike Race (TABR) is an annual, self-supported, ultra-distance cycling race across the United States. The route is about 4,200 miles (6,800 km) long and uses the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail that was developed by the Adventure Cycling Association for the Bikecentennial event in 1976. The route runs from the Pacific coast in Astoria, Oregon to the Atlantic coast in Yorktown, Virginia, passing through ten states. The inaugural race was in 2014, which 25 people completed, the fastest of whom took less than 18 days.

The definition of ultra-distance cycling is far more vague than in ultra running or in ultra-triathlon. Any bike race or ride longer than a century ride, which is 100 miles (160 km), is sometimes considered to be ultra-distance cycling. However, such events are relatively common, so using a longer distance to define the category is more useful, such as any race or ride that is longer than 200 kilometres (120 mi), 300 kilometres (190 mi) or even a double century, 200 miles (320 km).

BikingMan is a French-based organization that organises unstaged, self-supported, ultra distance cycling events, in South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It was founded in 2016 by Axel Carion, who came back from cycling across South America in 2015 and wanted to share the experience of cycling unknown places in survival conditions for endurance athletes.

Race Around Ireland is a non-stop bicycle race which traces a route around the coastline of Ireland. The event was first run in 2009 and is a qualifying event for Race Across America, the most famous race in the world of ultra marathon cycling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashton Lambie</span> American cyclist

Ashton Lambie is an American track cyclist known for being the first person to complete an Individual pursuit in under 4 minutes, and for his moustache.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Thompson (cyclist)</span> Australian cyclist

Jack Thompson is an Australian cyclist who made a world record of riding most kilometres unsupported in a week. He documents his challenges in the form of documentary films. Thompson is based in Girona, Spain.

References

  1. "Ep 56: Valerio Zamboni - The Italian Legend Who Won't Retire (7x RAAM & Many More!)". ultracycling.show. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  2. oisinkelly (2019-06-24). "60 Year Old Joe Barr Triumphs at 3000 Mile Race Across America". Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  3. 1 2 3 "Valerie Zamboni, ULTRACYCLIST - Filmdocumentation by Groox Filmproduction". groox. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  4. "RAI 2017 Day 1 Update - Zamboni Leads the Way". Cycling Ireland. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  5. 1 2 "Interview with Valerio Zamboni: From Pilot to Ultracyclist – Cyprus Today". cyprus-today.online. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  6. "Valerio Zamboni". www.spears500.com. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  7. "Valerio Zamboni: "Je n'ai aucune limite"". PressReader. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  8. Reineri, Alberto; Gatti, Omar (2018-06-04). "L'ultracycling secondo Valerio Zamboni". Bikeitalia.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  9. Fossati, Alberto (2019-03-07). "Sebring apre la stagione internazionale dell'ultracycling". 4ActionSport (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  10. Robson, David. "Human body: The 'ultra-athletes' aged 60+". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  11. Pegurri, Davide (2021-03-17). "ULTRACYCLING. L'AVVENTURA LIGURE DI ZAMBONI". Rivista per ciclisti, InBici Magazine, Passione sui Pedali (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  12. "Valerio Zamboni: mi trovo sempre più soggetto alle allucinazioni". Il portale dell'Ultracycling in Italia (in Italian). 2022-01-16. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  13. "Well-known names in international field for 'Race Around Ireland' Sunday start". Sticky Bottle. 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  14. "World Cup Standings - Overall". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  15. admin. "Record Reports". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  16. "Race Around Ireland Solo (Men and Women) and Tandem Records" (PDF). Race Around Ireland Solo (Table of Records).
  17. "RAAM". www.raceacrossamerica.org. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  18. "VALERIO ZAMBONI - Race Across Italy". 2021-11-30. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  19. "Final Times for the 2011 Race Around Ireland" (PDF). Race Around Ireland . Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  20. Tooke, Dex (2012-03-23). Unfinished Business: The Inspirational Story of True Grit and Determination as Dex Tooke and His Crew Attempt to Conquer the Race Across America. AuthorHouse. ISBN   978-1-4685-5910-1.
  21. "Race Leaderboard 2012". Race Across America . Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  22. "Race Leaderboard 2014". raceacrossamerica.org. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  23. "Race Leaderboard 2016". raceacrossamerica.org. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  24. "RACE AROUND IRELAND 2017 RESULTS (Distance - 2,212km)" (PDF). Race Around Ireland .
  25. "Race Leaderboard 2018". raceacrossamerica.org. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  26. "Race Leaderboard 2019". raceacrossamerica.org. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  27. "Monte - Carlo - Monaco - Andorra - Valerio - Zamboni". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  28. "Monte - Carlo - Monaco - San - Marino - Valerio - Zamboni". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  29. "ITALY - E - W - Valerio - Zamboni". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  30. "ITALY - W - E - Valerio - Zamboni". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  31. "FLORIDA - E - W - Valerio - Zamboni". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  32. "FLORIDA - W - E - Valerio - Zamboni". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  33. "Zamboni Sets Six New Records - 100 Mile Indoor Track". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  34. "Zamboni Sets Six New Records - 200 Mile Indoor Track". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  35. "Zamboni Sets Six New Records - 1000km Indoor Track". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  36. "Zamboni Sets Six New Records - 6 Hour Indoor Track". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  37. "Zamboni Sets Six New Records - 12 Hour Indoor Track". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  38. "Zamboni Sets Six New Records - 24 Hour Indoor Track". World UltraCycling Association. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  39. Ferraris, Alberto (2022-06-01). "Race Across America 2022, 4.800 chilometri massacranti tra gli oceani: Giovanni Prosperi tra i quattro italiani". Cicloturismo (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  40. rédaction, La (2019-09-06). "L'infatigable Valerio Zamboni écume les routes". Monaco-Matin (in French). Retrieved 2023-04-28.