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Wherever they go, the boys of the Active Handbike Team La Leonessa sponsored by MAK Wheels find a way to get noticed. It happened repeatedly in 2021, and the first results of the new year suggest that they can aim to do the same in the season which began last weekend in Lanzarote (Spain), with Simona Canipari, Mirko Testa and Alessio Scutteri competing in the Salinas Race, the first stage of the European Handbike Circuit organised by the EHF (European Handcycling Federation). The ideal appointment to regain confidence with the competitions after a few months of stop, moreover in those Canary Islands where many top athletes of the discipline are usually found to carry out the preparation, attracted by temperatures decidedly milder than those of the European continent. This choice was also made by the three Active Sport athletes, accompanied by captain Sergio Balduchelli and president Marco Colombo, who had an excellent debut. Simona Canipari won the WH1 category, taking the yellow jersey as leader of the circuit, while Mirko Testa finished fifth in the MH3 in the midst of many top-level athletes, holding his own throughout the race against the reigning world champion. Eleventh place, instead, for Alessio Scutteri in the MH4. “For our boys – says President Colombo – immediately an encouraging start, which confirms the progress of all. We are on the right path, to live another great season. I am only sorry that, due to personal issues or organisational difficulties caused by the pandemic, other athletes who would have taken part in the race were unable to join us in Lanzarote”.

Having said that the success of Simona Canipari, who as world champion has confirmed herself as the strongest in the world in her category, the most surprising result was that of Mirko Testa, whose progress is increasingly convincing. Both in terms of professionalism, so much so that the 24-year-old from Bergamo spent a whole month in Lanzarote in order to prepare himself in the best possible way for 2022, and for the results on the road. Despite the fact that Mirko interpreted the race as a kind of training,” says captain Balduchelli, “he was able to surprise us once again. To see him sticking to the world champion throughout the race was exciting. As captain, certain results fill me with joy. A round of applause also for Alessio Scutteri, who had a great season in 2021 but is not content with it, and is working hard with the desire to improve even more”. For Testa, there will now be a meeting with the Italian national team (which will also include Christian Giagnoni, another Active athlete) and then another training period in view of the European Cup and World Cup. These two competitions are fundamental to gaining points for the world ranking, necessary to secure passes for the Paralympics in Paris 2024, a major objective for the Active Sport athlete. “The call-up to the national team – continues Balduchelli – is another great achievement, which proves Mirko’s value. He is only 24 years old, he started practising handbike about three years ago, and yet he is already among the fastest. Seeing the results he has managed to achieve in such a short time, as well as the unstoppable growth of Simona Canipari, is the best proof of the value of our work”. Work that can lead from the rehabilitation department of the Domus Salutis in Brescia to a world gold medal. Or the Five Circles dream.