Record year for the Ghisallo Museum which closes the season with over eleven thousand visitors arriving in Magreglio, often by bike, from over 70 countries. Better than two years ago, even better than last year with a recovery which, after the forced stop due to Covid, continues to be constant and confirms its role as a global point of reference for cycling and sports culture enthusiasts.

«The Italy that attended us this year represents 58% of the total but year after year the attendance from distant and different countries also increases – explains the director Carola Gentilini – If we then consider the numerous sold out events of the season including exhibitions, awards ceremonies and meetings with the champions which numbered over thirty, the overall attendance is much higher than the official numbers of museum admissions”. «The appreciation expressed by the public for the temporary exhibitions has greatly rewarded me – continues the director – Both the exhibition dedicated to the Tour de France 2024 and that for the 80th birthday of Eddy Merckx were recognized as very high level installations. Considering the commitment, time and creative effort invested, it is a great satisfaction for us to note that many visitors have come specifically to see them.”

In the ranking of visitors arriving from foreign countries, the Germans are at the top, followed by the French and the Americans. Followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland but among the emerging nations experiencing strong growth there are Poland and Denmark. 80% of Italian visitors come from Lombardy, with a podium made up of Milan (26%), Como (25%) and Monza and Brianza (18%). The profile of visitors shows that the public is made up of 77% of adults between 18 and 64 years of age, 16% over 65 and 7% under 18. 18% of the total is made up of cyclists who arrive by bicycle, a constantly growing figure which underlines the museum’s vocation as a natural destination for cyclists from all over the world. And the new services that the Ghisallo museum has guaranteed in recent years have been dedicated in this direction: bike stands with free padlocks, accommodation for helmets and shoes, slippers for the visit, and just this year, also new spaces with showers and bathrooms.

«We focused a lot on technical assistance and an outdoor renovation of the Museum» explains the president of the Madonna del Ghisallo Museum Foundation Antonio Molteni who is satisfied but denounces the real difficulty in raising funds for a real change of pace. «My origins from the world of cycling of those who do it and also organize it for the teams and the propensity for concreteness in managing the work – he continues – leads me not to be optimistic, because we cannot afford to sit on our laurels. I would like and will do everything to ensure that this museum changes gear and becomes an example of sustainability and economics of cycling and its culture. However, I must say thanks to many friends who constantly come to help support our initiatives. They are the hard core that I hope will strengthen soon especially in anticipation of the important anniversary of 2026 which marks the museum’s 20th anniversary.”