ANDREA CIACCHINI

• Pisa, Italy
• Age: 22
• Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 11

Andrea Ciacchini is 22, from Lucca, Italy, and has been racing bicycles since he was seven. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2001.

Andrea comes from Tuscany, where the local cycling competition is especially strong, and waited until he finished school before he started training to race professionally.

“There was only one doctor I could find in Italy who specializes in diabetic athletes, and with his counsel and advice I have adopted a serious method of preparation for training and races. With the goal of having optimal blood sugar before, during and after events, I now have the dream to become a professional cyclist. I began training for the season in November and will get to the United States in good condition.”

“Monitoring blood sugar and making corrections is the most important part of my training regimen, and based on a healthy diet and the right technology, I can put in a good competitive performance every time I come to the start line.”