Towards new horizons
The Horizons Cycling Club is the first women team in Italy to wear an anti-violence and anti-stalking number on its jersey.
Published: November 29, 2024
If the history of women's cycling is one of the flags of the revolution for rights and equal opportunities, today's athletes are increasingly champions of the battles they fight with awareness and determination.
Horizons Cycling Club consists of a junior and under-23 riders who are pursuing a lifelong dream: to become professional cyclists. Their mission to go beyond the horizon doesn't stop at sport, but transcends boundaries to deliver a message of hope in a world full of violence: "You are not alone!"
A dream to pursue, a challenge to win.
Horizons Cycling Club draws inspiration from the spirit of adventure, breaking free from conventional norms. Crossing the Pillars of Hercules means seeing the horizon as a starting point to keep going. There are no more insuperable limits, only goals to dream about, to look far ahead. The team, made up of eight under-23 riders and two junior riders, reflects on the role of women's cycling in the modern world and takes a stand against violence against women, both in the family and at work. This often entrenched habit continues to perpetuate crimes on a daily basis.
"Violence can be a subtle weapon," said Marino Ongarato, president of the Horizons Cycling Club. "Last year a major sponsor dropped out because the CEO hated cyclists, especially women. I saw this incident as a real form of violence. At the time, we in Italy were deeply shaken by events we never wanted to see. All this made me want to send a strong message, even in our small and passionate community. Every drop in the ocean matters, and this one is for all the girls facing tough times, fighting daily battles, and feeling afraid."
For the 2024 season, the team's athletes took part in all competitions while carrying Italy toll free number to call in the event of violence or stalking. A way to break away from the past and open up new opportunities of safety and personal freedom.
1522, You are not alone.
Launched in 2006 by the Governmental Department for Equal Opportunities, the 1522 helpline is a 24/7 public service number active in Italy. Accessible from both landlines and mobiles, operators are available to answer in multiple languages and work in partnership with law enforcement agencies to provide information and direct support to all women seeking help.
"The space freed up on the jersey," Marino continues, "had a very specific meaning. It could not be taken by another brand. It was a cry from all the girls who have lost their rights and are judged, mistreated and abused every single day all because they are women. We had to fill this void".
Placing the number 1522 on a cycling team's jersey is a powerful and unique gesture in Italy, and Ongarato hopes it will inspire other organisations to take important steps in this ongoing battle.
Cycling for a future of hope.
Cycling has always been one of the greatest forms of freedom. The philosophy of the Horizons Cycling Club is closely linked to the values that cycling teaches to new generations in the fight against hatred, from respecting cyclists and defending the 1,5km distance to all other forms of violence.
"When I think about abuse," concludes Marino Ongarato, "and the number of accidents that happen to cyclists on the roads, I believe that the team's message is perfectly in line with this. These are young women with a goal, and it's wonderful that they are an inspiration to all the girls who, like them, dream of a life full of passion and achievement".