Moneymore company ‘gear up’ for Giro d’Italia

Clici Sport, one of the official dealers of Pinarello bicycles, who are the official sponsors of this year’s Giro d’Italia, have been asked to supply a number of Pinarello bicycles for the launch and associated events. Clici have brought their rich heritage in cycling to the build-up to the historic race, which comes to Northern Ireland for the first time next week on 10th May.

Jonathan Smyth of Clici Sport told the MAIL: “With Stephen Roach, coming in and out of the country we have been lending him bikes and equipment. My dad John and mother Eleanor were invited to the event when Stephen Roach was inducted into the hall of fame, so it was a great event for the family.

“I myself have also been invited to the Gala Dinner after the Team Presentation at the City Hall as a special guest, it sounds like a pretty special event so I am looking forward to that.”

Cicli, who take their name from Italian roots and bring three generations of cycling tradition to Mid-Ulster, with Jonathan’s grandfather Tommy Smyth still holding an Irish record to this day.

Tommy sadly passed away in 2003, and numerous attempts have been made to break his record but as yet none have been successful.

UUP MLA Sandra Overend said she was ‘delighted’ to see a local firm involved with the Giro: “I am particularly delighted to see Cicli Sport, a cycle firm from Moneymore in the heart of Mid-Ulster with almost 40 years in the business, being so much involved in the preparations of the Giro D’Italia events. I would take this opportunity to congratulate this local business on their success and their contribution to cycling. Indeed, to see another product of Mid-Ulster’s rich cycling heritage, we need only look at the successful cycling career of Wendy Houvenaghel, from Upperlands, Co. Londonderry,” she said,