Valter Basili, the 38 year old amateur cycling champion from Cagli, stands in his shop with his leg propped on his bike repair stand and reminisces about the past 10 years of his cycling history. His bike shop, Basili Sport, is located on Via Flaminia near Cagli's industrial district. The local celebrity decided to open his own shop when he knew his name was synonymous with champion and people would appreciate the quality of his products and services. Basili started cycling only after his passion for soccer faded and he realized he was innately talented for cycling. Basili won seven races in his first year and the number of races he won continued to increase in the subsequent years. Eventually, he was winning more than 30 races a year. The award Basili is most proud of though, is his third place finish in the 1994 World Amateur Championship in San Marino, a town north of Cagli. At that time, he was relatively new to racing and uncertain about his competitive level. He entered the race with few expectations, and surprised himself when he finished third. There is a natural passion and certain physical characteristics one must possess in order to be a good cyclist, but Basili also trains hard and follows a strict diet and exercise regimen. He rides every day for two to three hours with his teammates and, a protegee, Celeste Gasparini. He also chooses what he eats carefully. A sample menu from his training meals: Breakfast - tea and crostata (thin cake with marmalade) Mid-morning snack - fruit Lunch - pasta and salad Dinner - vegetables, meat, minestrone He also does not drink alcohol or eat sweets. Before a race, his diet becomes much more important. Twenty-four hours prior, he eliminates meats and eats only pastas. Three to four hours before a race, he eats more pasta. During the race he drinks water with mineral salts, and of course, he stuffs himself after a race. Owning the Basili Sport shop makes it difficult for Basili to compete in as many races as he once did. Now, he competes in about 60 races a year; sometimes in as many as three or four in one week. At his racing peak, he would ride in 80-90 races a year. His team, which is made up of about 100 men ages 11-70, races with him. He organized this team and named it after his bike shop because of his influence as a champion. When asked what his secrets are to success other than his exercise and diet, Basili credits his intense passion for cycling. Basili advises that to be a successful cyclist, one must have clean lungs, a strong heart, and a resilient respiratory system. A deep determination and love for the sport of cycling, though, is Valter Basili's secret. With such a strict training schedule one would think Basili spends his free time doing something for fun. However, Basili simply shakes his head and says, "For fun? Riding is my fun."

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