From Track to Trail: Jacopo Lahbi the laughing rebel

To paint a portrait of Jacopo Lahbi, you have to start from his eyes: he’s one of those people who always seem on the verge of bursting out laughing at something. And those who can laugh at life usually have a good story to tell.

In Jacopo’s case, true hardcore dancer at our concerts, that story is built around his career as an international middle-distance runner, his life as an unconventional cyclist, and, indeed, his way of facing fate with a touch of lightness.

Born in 1993, he spent his whole childhood and adolescence running, becoming a professional athlete who tied almost all of his destiny to those lightweight shoes, until something broke, changed, evolved.
He’s one of the founders and an active member of Enough Cycling, a cycling collective and team that, in recent years, has revolutionized the way people see and live this sport competitively, yes, but also with a spirit that pushes you to take the bike and go far, always with that bit of nonconformity we really like.

This conversation with Jacopo is the first unconventional interview of BAMtastic!, our brand-new, sparkling newsletter.

What’s your first memory of yourself running, and what does it mean to be a kid, and then a young man, training to become a professional?

“I don’t have a clear first memory: I was basically born on the track. It was my world until 2020.
Training with big goals means having a clear sense of priorities and accepting that you’ll have to put aside everything that doesn’t bring you closer to the results you want.
As a kid, it’s frustrating, but over time you gain awareness: you start to see the fruits of your sacrifices and understand why you’re fighting. For many, that’s enough to build careers that last decades.”

When did the mirror crack? When did you decide your path was taking a different turn?

“It never really cracked, to be honest. I loved running, and it gave me a lot of great memories.
But as I grew up, I realized that to reach the top I had to give up on developing important parts of myself. There was always a curious, restless, adventure-hungry side that didn’t fit into the life of a professional athlete.
At some point, I decided to give it a voice. I calmly set an expiration date for my big goals, and in 2020 I ended my athletic career.”

Then came the bike, as a new way to express effort and travel. When did you realize it might be love?

“I’d say right away. For years, I only observed: since I couldn’t yet practice, I studied, watched, and became fascinated.
I remember my first real ‘wow’ moment: discovering the journeys and energy of Cento Canesio and the Tigers, or the first time I stepped into Fratelli Scavezzon in Mirano.
When I finally started riding, I met extraordinary people who taught me a lot and passed on their passion. From there to my first bike trips didn’t take long, and those really opened up a whole new world for me, literally!”

And the Enough project? You’re one of the founders, can you tell us what inspired you to create it, and where you’re heading now?

“Enough was born from the belief that a bicycle is enough to be happy. It’s a way to bring together people with different backgrounds, approaches, and styles.
For me, the drive came from wanting to show that on a bike, you don’t need labels to define yourself.
I like to think of Enough as fertile ground where everyone can express their imperfections and originality, on and off the bike.
It’s not easy to say exactly where we’re going: the world changes fast. But remembering that a bike is enough to be happy will never go out of style. That’s still what moves us, the same spirit we had five years ago.”

We ask each guest about their “guiding spirit” not necessarily a person; it could be a book, a tree, a concept. What motivates you when the fog rolls in?

“I don’t think I have a real guiding spirit. But I often find inspiration in a vision, I’d say almost Pirandellian, of things.
In the bike, I see a constant: it’s always there, ready to adapt to the many personalities we’re made of, even the ones that clash.
There’s space for introspection, and for the moments when I want to be surrounded by people; for when I crave endorphins, and for when I don’t want to pedal even a single meter.
For those who live cycling for what it is, free from constraints and obsessions, a bike will always be enough to be happy, even when there’s fog outside.”

G.Cury