Watching the Giro D'Italia through Oakley glasses

There is a strange feeling in the air as the Giro d'Italia arrives in Rome, an unprecedented conclusion to the pink race that usually comes to its natural end in Piazza Duomo in Milan. The electricity in the streets, the anticipation of the final sprint to the Piazza Venezia between the two wings of spectators accompanying the peloton on its last effort in the saddle, is a counterpoint to the monumental backdrop of Rome's historic city centre, serenely facing the fatigue of the riders. An impossible confrontation that winds through the streets of Rome, between the Colosseum and St Peter's Basilica, between the Circus Maximus and the Lungotevere, between tradition and technology. Cycling has always been a sport that vacillates between extreme technological research, futuristic tools and equipment that exploit every tenth of a second, and the almost primal, tortured effort that drives athletes to peak performance.

In this fascinating contradiction lies the most romantic aspect of cycling, which on this sunny Sunday brings together thousands of people on their two-wheelers waiting for the pink caravan. Whether it's the wind-tunnelled bikes of the pros, the squeaky wheels of the amateur cyclists or even the e-bikes of those who do not feel like riding home sweaty, they all share the same experience of freedom and community. And then there's me, who had the opportunity to watch the final stage of the Giro d'Italia up close thanks to one of RCS Sport's official main partners, Oakley. So close that I was shaken by the air movement of the peloton going full speed and recklessly onto the sampietrini in front of the Colosseum, the same sampietrini I had ridden with much more caution a few hours earlier as we descended the same loop of the official route.

Pedalling a few kilometres through the beauty of my hometown, on roads where it is practically impossible not to be clogged by cars, is an experience that echoes the sense of uniqueness and individuality that has animated the Californian brand for fifty years. A brand that is not characterised by just one sport, but by an idea of sport that consists of a constant search for perfection and self-realisation. While athletes in professional cycling have transformed themselves into perfect machines with their eyes fixed on the wattage expressed, there are few details that still distinguish the fast, colourful blobs that whiz by in front of the fans' eyes. Gone are the bandannas, goatees and wind-blown hair, replaced by polished helmets, monochrome jerseys and the ubiquitous sunglasses designed to hide fatigue and emotion.

And it was the glasses that became a means of standing out, shaping the forms like running water on the riders' faces. Pink jersey winner Primoz Roglic and his entire Jumbo Visma team used the most innovative Oakley models during the 21 stages it took them to arrive in Rome just a handful of seconds ahead of Geraint Thomas. Unfortunate Belgian champion Remco Evenepoel, who had to retire while leading the Giro, dominated the two time trials with his Sutro Lite Sweep, personalised with the world champion's iris. But above all, Mark Cavendish, one of the most successful sprinters of all time, who has been associated with glasses from California for several seasons and presented a new pair of gold Oakley Kato from his personal line at the Giro. And the finale on the Via dei Fori Imperiali was cinematic. Cannonball flew along the barriers and won his final stage of the Giro d'Italia wearing his signature Kato sunglasses.

The research and development work on PhysioMorphic Geometry technology makes the Kato a unique and innovative model, even among sports eyewear. With its flowing wrap-around shape, it hugs the entire face, protecting it from injury. Thank you to the Prizm™ lenses, which enhance contrast in all weather and light conditions, your gaze can wander in all directions. When you wear them, you are teleported a few centuries into a futuristic world where form and function are in perfect harmony. In front of the Colosseum, the reflection of the sun on the bronze glasses is like a sparkle. Surrounded by monuments that narrate the memory of the world, I wonder what the past would have looked like if the future had come earlier.