Covid patient-1 participated in the Giro-E stage together with world champion Gianni Bugno. At the departure the greeting of Professor Bruno, head of San Matteo who cured him from the virus
«The Giro is the symbol of the restart after Covid. I couldn’t miss this appointment ». Together with world champion Gianni Bugno, Mattia Maestri was the first to cross the finish line of the Giro-E, the race dedicated to electric bikes, which yesterday made a stop from Casalpusterlengo to Stradella, before the arrival of the professional riders: patient 1 of Covid-19, the first person in Italy diagnosed with the virus in February 2020, wore the 2003 jersey of the local “Cuore” special team, created for the occasion. With them at the finish there was Professor Raffaele Bruno, head of the infectious diseases department of San Matteo di Pavia, who treated Mattia and saved him: due to an injury he was unable to participate in the stage, but was still present at the departure to greet one of the patients he will remember most in his career and whom he now considers an older brother.
«I try to participate in all these initiatives and, when Emanuele Bombini invited me to be part of this special team, I couldn’t say no – said Maestri on arrival -. It was a great adventure because I had the pleasure of racing with a great champion like Bugno ». For the 39-year-old from Codogno, researcher of the multinational Unilever and a great sports enthusiast, in particular swimming, running and football, it was not a problem to tackle the 86 km that separate the Lodigiano from the Oltrepo for what has turned into an anti Covid: «This Giro represents the restart that now seems to be near – he adds -. Fortunately, the vaccination campaign is continuing, obviously always paying the utmost attention and taking all precautions. Certainly the situation today is quite different from that of a year ago when I woke up ».
On the podium with Bugno
Now Mattia wants to look ahead and leave the last year and a half behind: “In this period I have tried to make my life return to the way it was before, both from a physical and mental point of view, a bit like everyone who is been affected by Covid – he continues -. I resumed work immediately after recovery and now I want to go on ». Before going on stage with Bugno for the celebrations, a mention of the Oltrepo and the Pavia area could not be missing: “I have been several times in Oltrepo both for sport and for the passion for wine, also given the proximity to Codogno – he concludes -. And obviously I am very attached to San Matteo, to Professor Bruno, to all the doctors, of whom I can only speak well because they saved my life ». For Mattia there is only the final catwalk and the applause together with Bugno on the award ceremony stage in Piazza Trieste. Emotion and hands raised towards the sky together with the former world champion: yes, because for Mattia this last year and a half was a victory from all points of view. Oliviero Maggi