In the world of cycling there are many inspiring stories, but few as captivating as the one that Lina has starred in. Without much cycling tradition (her family has always been more into basketball), she has achieved the challenge she set herself, conquering 1000 summits around the world on her bike, but she has also been the fastest girl to do it, taking 10 years, when the usual is 30, that is, a real barbarity.
Throughout all this time, Lina has made many friends, who at the same time have become true admirers of her feat, and it is that in the end, 1000 bigs give to meet many good people. That feeling was translated into a gift that our protagonist will never forget, a commemorative jersey for the occasion. That was the idea that her friends had to celebrate those 1000 bigs, to give Lina a skin that paid tribute to all this way that she had and continued to travel.
Obviously, this is where Gobik and its customization service comes in, as one of her friends says, "We wanted something that could not be bought. From there and thinking about it, we came up with the idea of making a specific and commemorative jersey for that day. Something that was unique and of which there are only the jerseys we made. Through the club I'm in (BERA BERA) in San Sebastian, they gave me the contact of GOBIK. The truth is that the brand was enthusiastic about the idea. With the indications we gave them, they designed the jersey and we didn't have to make a single modification. They got it right the first time and we were all very satisfied."
A story like Lina's, deserved a unique and commemorative garment, and from Gobik we are tremendously proud to have made it happen, to have told such an inspiring story that started from nothing, and that has been carried out by a totally normal girl, as she says when we asked her, "Who is Lina?", "I would define myself as a person like any of us, with her family commitments, work, and that we need to find time for cultural, social and sporting life. We seek balance between all this by stealing time from time or trying to find balance by putting two tics in one shot. Like looking for family trips closer to the mountains and get up early to climb a mountain pass or tell them, leave me here and we'll see each other for dinner at the hotel. I am fortunate to have such a generous family. So between their support and the wonderful friends I have, I've been adding up the Bigs over the years". And from ascent to ascent, she found herself immersed in a challenge that she had not consciously begun, but to which life had naturally led her.
When visualizing these types of challenges or feats, the eye is always on the end, however, what is really important is the road you travel, as in life itself, and so Lina explains it perfectly, how her heart and head, the day she reached 1000 big were in everything she had traveled until that day, in all the people and experiences she had been able to enjoy, "The day of 1000, what a day, I was with a lump in my throat all weekend, more than one tear of happiness. And I will tell the truth not for reaching the 1000 and being the protagonist of an event that friends and family organized for me, but for what the road offered me, for the people I met, who by sharing this road became very good friends, they are not just bike partners, they are invisible ties that we have between us, an unconditional friendship. Having them all there thrilled me and not to mention the unexpected details like the Gobik jersey customized for the occasion. The printed detail of the fabric that left the image of a cyclist just off the bike after having pedaled km on gravel road, the accomplice smile and one turned to show my name on the sleeve!!!! Wow I couldn't believe it, I didn't expect it. Very grateful, I think I'll wear it for a couple of rides to show it off and keep it as a souvenir, it's a very special gift".
With these words, in Gobik we feel full, to make special people feel special is a privilege, to tell this kind of stories, of milestones in our garments in a pride, and one of the reasons why we always open the doors to each and every one of the people who want to make special their garment to go out cycling.
QUESTIONS
How did you meet Lina?
We met her on a BIG trip in 2016 where we were going to do the Via di Sale in the Italian Alps that border France. It was a trip that we opened to more people and among the people who attended came Lina, and that's where we shared route for the first time.
Have you accompanied her on her ascents?
Throughout these 8 years since we met her, we have shared trips and ascents. Not all of them, because Lina's pace was frenetic, but every year we would always go on a trip together.
How did you come to the idea of making her that jersey?
We wanted something that could not be bought. We also gave her a personalized photo album of the trips we have shared over the years. From there and thinking, we came to the idea of making a specific and commemorative jersey for that day. Something that was unique and of which there are only the jerseys we made. Through the club I'm in (BERA BERA) in San Sebastian, they gave me the contact of GOBIK. The truth is that the brand was enthusiastic about the idea. With the indications we gave them, they designed the jersey and we didn't have to make a single modification. They got it right the first time and we were all very satisfied.
What is the design based on?
It's a bit of a mix of everything. The BIG challenge is 1000 ascents around the world. That fact had to appear. Then the fact that Lina has beaten the record time to complete it, she has done it in 10 years (from 2014 when she did the first one to 2024 when she did the last one). The average is usually around 30 years to finish it. Then we of course wanted to personalize it with her first name "Lina". We also put the date on which the challenge was to end (June 23). And, finally, since the mountain pass to be climbed was the mythical Colle delle Finestre, we wanted to add the altimetry made by one of us.
How was the process with GOBIK?
Very simple. After talking to the person in charge of orders and explaining the casuistry, he was delighted. She agreed immediately to place the order even though it was not really a large number (15 jerseys were made and 15 were ordered). She put us in contact with the designers, who with the above mentioned indications and the BIG logo and the profile we attached, did the rest.
How was the moment of giving it to you?
Very exciting. She didn't know or expect anything. We all stayed in the room and waited for her to come down to the breakfast area. We knew she would be anxious and would be there as soon as the restaurant opened. When they told us she was already downstairs, we all went with a jacket covering the jersey we were wearing and when we greeted her we took off our jackets and she stared at us when she saw that we were all dressed the same. She didn't associate anything until she started to see the details and every time she discovered something she screamed louder and louder. Thank goodness it was 7:30 a.m. and there was only one other couple having breakfast besides us. It was a scandal!
