Photo via Cyclingnews

'They’ve destroyed cycling' - Bardiani-CSF-7 Saber boss gives scathing assessment of the UCI after Italian team unable to race Giro d’Italia in 2027

Bruno Reverberi, the long-standing manager of the Bardiani-CSF-7 Saber squad, has announced that his team may soon cease operations due to the UCI's current qualification structure. Because the team failed to secure a top-30 position in the 2026 rankings, they have been denied entry to the 2027 Giro d'Italia, a race they have participated in annually since 1982.

Reverberi criticized the governing body for prioritizing a points-chasing system that discourages aggressive racing, noting that the team's focus on breakaways has left them behind rivals who traveled to events in Panama and Algeria to accumulate UCI points. Despite a recent sponsorship deal with 7 Saber, the manager expressed deep pessimism regarding the future of the sport's lower tiers.

The team has historically served as a development hub for riders such as Giulio Ciccone, Sonny Colbrelli, and Giulio Pellizzari, though it has also faced past controversies involving doping bans for individuals like Emanuele Sella and Stefano Pirazzi.

Up nextCycling· 2h ago

Tadej Pogačar reveals three fractured vertebrae after Vuelta crash: “I’m just happy to be alive”