Paolo Bettini, nicknamed “il Grillo” (the Cricket), was born in Cecina in 1974 and grew up in La California, in the municipality of Bibbona. A professional from 1997 to 2008, he won Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Milan-San Remo, three World Cups, the Olympic gold in Athens 2004 and two world titles.
«I was born in Cecina and have always lived between La California and Riparbella. It is a corner of Tuscany between the sea and the hills where tranquillity reigns for ten months of the year,» he says.
Among his favourite routes is the “giro dei Soffioni”: from Marina di Bibbona towards Volterra, the hills of Pomarance and the Valle del Diavolo at Larderello, then down towards Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri.
As a boy he used to come into Le Esperidi with his friends under the pretext of watching football matches. «Le Esperidi have always been a tourism landmark for Marina di Bibbona. A special place, set in a fantastic pinewood directly overlooking the beach».
