The Team

Born in Vicenza in 1978, Nicola caught the travel bug at a very early age and spent years living in various countries in Asia, North Africa, Latin America and Europe, always working in tourism. In Lin Yutang's own words, however, "You do not realise how wonderful it is to travel, until you return home and lay your head down on your dear, old pillow." Which is why Nicola adores his home town so much: Vicenza, where he lives with his wife and two children, and works designing and planning bike tours in Italy.

Born in the Berici Hills outside Vicenza, the fourth of five siblings and the only girl. A femminist and contrarian by vocation, she is never short of a pretext for being out on the road: particularly memorable are her temp jobs around Europe, including at a small ice cream shop along the River Main cycling track. Graduated with a thesis on Käurismäki's films, Alice still loves a challenge, despite settling down as a partner and parent. Next up: a marathon, teaching her little girl to pedal and... cycling the Paris-London!

A household name to any cycling aficionado: raced for 15 years alongside the top champs, before settling down – after 8 Giri d'Italia, 4 Tours de France and 17 international victories – with his new team: Girolibero. Andrea is in charge of programming our racing bike tours (many of which he also leads) on the most thrilling routes around Europe – and will happily take you to the moon if asked! When not pedalling, he loves spending time with his children, family and friends.

Given the option, Anna will always bike it: not that she loathes cars – she just hates parking them. Developed an early passion for languages through her friendship with pen pals, with cultural exchanges in France and Britain followed by a year in Lakewood (California) at the end of her secondary studies. Graduated in languages in Venice with a semester in pedal paradise (Amsterdam). Met her soulmate on a bike race – and sometimes thinks she would have been better off driving that day!

After University, Ilaria found her new home in Berlin and then in Melbourne, two cities where she left a piece of her heart.
She collects some experiences all over the world and then she comes back to Italy, but the thirst for travels and adventures didn’t end at all.
During the day she takes care of booking the tours and in between she daydreams, in the evenings she travels with her mind through books and travel stories. She loves aperitifs with her friends, walking in the nature and, of course, planning the next adventure!

Born in a hamlet snuggled in the Pelmo and Civetta mountains, Katia moved down to the Venetian lagoon to study Chinese. Further East, strapped to her rucksack, she toured from frosty Manchuria to the remote mountains of Sichuan, from East Coast towns such as Shanghai and Canton as far as the desolate plateaux of Tibet. After settling in Vicenza for love and work, Katia now tours on two wheels with Paolo, forever seeking out new horizons and cultures. In her spare time she loves reading, mountain walking, jogging with colleagues and trying out new Chinese dishes. Adores ice cream.

With a rucksack full of adventures collected with the Scouts, Maddalena loves mountains and nature. Ever drawn to what lies beyond, she graduated in translation and interpreting and has spent time abroad – notably in Germany but also in Ireland, Switzerland and Spain. An inquisitive walker, Maddalena loves to sniff out all there is to know about a town that is new to her. Through her passion for art, her work as an exhibition guide inevitably led her into the folds of Girolibero. Maddalena is also keen on drama and, needless to say, two-wheeled travel (both motorised and leg-powered). She is fascinated by cats and their feline perfection.

In Girolibero since 2018. Fourth of five siblings, she was born in Pakistan, but has lived mostly in Thiene (Italy). With the family she shares the passion of videogames and fantasy and Bollywood films. In her free time she likes to read and watch telefilms. One of her dreams is to make a journey on her own in Pakistan.

From South Tyrol by birth and the Veneto by adoption, Sandra was lured away from the Dolomites by the Muses to study history of art in Verona. Armed with her perfect bilingualism – and forever harmonising Teutonic orderliness with Italian brio – she landed at Girolibero via a roundabout route through galleries and museums. Attention to detail comes as second nature to Sandra, who loves puns and the small pleasures in life. Away from the office, she’ll be admiring a work of art or a landscape, enjoying a film, or baking pastries and crackers in the kitchen – not least for her colleagues. And to switch off work? – A good jog or an aperitivo with pals.