What sport would you like to play? It was 1978 when Luca Casadei’s father asked the 6-year-old what sport he would prefer to play. From that day begins an indissoluble bond between Luca Casadei (born in 1972, originally from Abbiategrasso) and sport. Until the age of 14, the pool became his home, practicing pre-competitive swimming and obtaining good results. Then, influenced by his father’s Romagna origins, the passion for engines takes over, with the Trial and the Track. However, it was the bicycle that changed the course of his destiny, first as a mountain bike (also following an accident during a motocross session which required a rehabilitation phase), and later as a racing bike.
Sport is a vital element that constantly flows through his veins. Luca is also dedicated to cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snowboarding. The turning point in his life took place on 17 September 2017: during a final sprint in a two-wheeled race, he was involved in a spectacular group fall, hitting a barrier. The outcome is cruel: fracture of the L1 vertebra and a future in a wheelchair. However, love for the sport and for himself overcomes all obstacles. Luca begins a rehabilitation program through swimming, horse riding and wheelchair tennis, until he signs an agreement with Team Equa. Getting back on the handbike, he starts training again and takes part in his first races. The journey is not easy, but thanks to the precious advice of specialists and fellow travellers, the climbs begin to give way to the descents.
From when he admired the breathtaking views of the Cuneo hills pedaling on a mountain bike, until today in which the handbike represents his revenge for him, the bicycle for Luca Casadei means joy and freedom. In recent times, paraplegia has presented him with new obstacles to overcome, but the advice of his teammates has allowed him to resume training. Luca embodies courage and passion, walking arm in arm… and the question is no longer “what sport would you like to practice”, but “what’s the next challenge to win?