Motorcycle Career
A long series of bikes, races and emotions that Mario shared with the great champions of back then
At 17, he accompanied his friend, Alessandro Ricca, Italian champion in Speed Hill climbing from Alba, in one of the last street race tracks in Sanremo, where the friend would have competed for YAMAHA in 350cc category.
Mario had the honor of “warming up” Alessandro’s motorbike, before the official tests and the start, deeply savoring the perfume of castor oil – pure adrenalin in veins.
Alessandro ranked 6th in the race, aware of having competed with the world speed-race Giacomo Agostini.
The first races
Undaunted, Mario followed his passion and, at only 18, he took part in the Piedmonts reliability trial race with his motorbike KTM 125.
He craved for speed and, at that time, the only obstacle which could restrain him from participating in the National Championship was the legal age, fixed at 21.
Thus, cunningly, Mario brings his father in front of a Notary, to obtain the long-lasted sing, which would have allowed him to participate in the races ahead of time.
With his father’s silent approval, the young man enrolled in his 1st Italian Speed Championship in Junior Category where he raced on board of his Aletta Harley Davidson 125, bought in Varese, after having read an advertisement on the magazine “Motociclismo”.
The Monza circuit
Meanwhile, Mario prepared for racing onto his “equipped” Ducati Desmo 250 and eventually made his entrance on the Circuit of Monza for the first time, only armed of his passion and his motorbike, transporting his motorbike on his father’s FIAT 1100.
One of his first victories was on 18th May 1973, when he ranked 5th – on the same track, where, two days after, the Speed World Championship would have taken place, counting among its participants some of the most glorious names in international motorcycling world.
On that occasion, Mario was able to get an autograph, which he jealously treasures, still today.
In the same year he participates in many other track and hill climbing speed races, always ranking very good positions.
The conscription and comeback to the saddle
Turning 20, Mario is forced to set his passion aside and to sell his motorbike, for taking on his duty in the National Military Service.
At the leave, he decided to buy another motorbike, thus he participated to an auction where he won the prestigious Suzuki Titan 500, which his friend Alessandro Ricca used to race in the Italian Championships in Seniores category.
At this time, he continued training on the road with the famous Kawasaky Mach III 500.
The Italian Championship in 500
Turning 21, he participated in the Italian Championship in section 500 cc of the junior category.
The year was 1975 and in Mugello Circuit there were 173 participants: Mario was the only one from the province of Cuneo.
He ranked in the Tests, but, although his motorbike showed perfect performances, he positioned at the 17th place.
The tuning of the engine was crucial and Mario entrusted his motorbike to the hands of Brothers Ollearo from Turin, Italian Sidecar champions.
With an impeccable MOT, the engine of Mario’s Suzuki Titan 500 presented as precise as a clockwork.
In the race at Misano Adriatico his motorbike was perfect, performing excellent times during the tests, though while cornering on “Curva della Quercia”, his left foot peg caught the asphalt and crashed, signing the end of Mario’s racing career.
From pilot to centaur of the road
The accident didn’t harm Mario physically, but the impact seriously damaged his motorbike.
Even though he used his savings to fix the motorcycle, starting to race again was impossible, also because of the arrival of the new 4 water cooling cylinders Suzuki Gamma 500.
Mario says: “I had the pleasure and satisfaction of understanding my potential”.
He starts a new chapter of his life, bartering his racing Suzuki for a Laverda 750 SFC, on board of which he started wandering around the romantic scenic roads of Langhe with Mariangela, whom he would marry the following year, launching also his new job challenge as Jeweler.
A step back in Mario’s story.
During middle school, Mario was more interested in carefully reading motorcycling magazines and in drawing motorcycles, rather than studying.
He was particularly fond of Giacomo Agostini’s MV Augusta 350 cc and his AGV helmet.
On every drawing his signature was: Tom Roger
Tom originates from Tommaso, Mario’s middle name, handed down to him after his maternal grandfather. Roger is both the abbreviation of the surname Roggero and the name of many European and American champions and famous people of the time.
