Enrico Pizzorni
Born and raised in Acqui Terme in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, Enrico Pizzorni has been leading Ciclismo trips since 1999 and has led every Ciclismo tour at least once. With a passion for maps and itineraries, he’s also one of Ciclismo’s top tour research and development specialists, spending his winters dreaming up new trip ideas and scouting out the destinations.
Except for three years as a student in Genoa, Enrico has lived his entire life in his hometown, although he has traveled extensively throughout the world. “Around Acqui Terme there are magnificent hills with vineyards to the north and west, higher mountains to the south, and a green plain to the east. There are infinite options for riding, hiking, or mountain biking, and traditional cuisine and wine are top class,” he says. The founder of a rugby team, Enrico coaches young children on a volunteer basis. He and his wife, Daniela, have two sons, Michele and Riccardo, as well as two cats and a dog named Asso (Ace).
Cycling since the age of four, Enrico started racing for a local club at age 12. During summer vacations he traveled all over Europe on group camping trips. Along the way he discovered mountain biking and started opening up trails in his area and participating in races. In 2004 he started racing in mountain bike stage races around the world, conquering more than 110 different passes and cols in the Alps, North America, and South Africa.
When not on the bike, Enrico enjoys cooking, eating, drinking good wines and beers, and reading. His great passion is mountains, whether telemark skiing with Ciclismo colleagues or climbing, mushroom hunting, and fishing in the creeks around his hometown. His biggest regret is that he has never learned to dance or play an instrument, and – but for a terrible art teacher at school – he would have loved to be a painter.
Still, the art world’s loss is Ciclismo’s gain. Joining one of Enrico’s trips is like being welcomed into his home. He strives to offer Ciclismo guests a more accurate and nuanced impression of Italy than they had when they came. “My passion is to show them how different we are east to west, north to south,” he says. “I also want them to feel the respect and care we give. Even when there are challenging moments, the guest is our primary thought.”
Enrico will be a life-long friend. We shared some lovely conversations, and he personally ensured that I completed the climb into Cortona on the last day – his coaching was exactly what I needed not to ‘wimp out’…
In Their Own Words
“I like to be Italian because this is a country that has something new to appreciate and enjoy in every new village, every ridge. It’s a country where the differences are so numerous and great that a curious person never gets bored. I like the Italian people, too, because they are funny characters.
“If I had to choose a favorite pass it would be Col d’Allos in France, which is featured on our Alps to Riviera trip, but for a leisure trip, I’d love to bring my family and friends to ride in Sicily when the orange scent is all over, or in the olive groves of Puglia, or the Gran Sasso in Abruzzo, as on our Giro d’Italia tour. And I thank the creator in only one spot, which is five kilometers from my home, between hills covered with vineyards with the Alps as a background. It’s part of the ride on our Piedmont: Land of Barolo and Truffles tour.
“I like the fact that all Ciclismo guides are unique individuals and not stereotypes. That brings to each trip a unique blend that cannot be repeated. I like the way we select itineraries that are safe and fun to ride, with the right amount of interesting stops and an almost total lack of van transfers; we ride a whole week from point to point on almost all our tours.”
