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Police Without Borders: A joint Slovenian-Italian cycling team adds to the electric atmosphere at the Giro d’Italia

Details

Nova Gorica was buzzing with excitement on 24 May 2025, as it hosted a true celebration of cycling. Not only did one of the stages of the prestigious Giro d’Italia cross into Slovenia, but this year, police officers also joined the action—on two wheels. A joint Slovenian-Italian police team participated in the Giro-E, the official e-bike event held alongside the main race.

Video, screen capture. The footage shows cyclists at the start, including competitors in blue jerseys from the Slovenian and Italian police

Watch the video report 

Skupinska slika: šest tekmovalcev Domen Prevc, Mario Sajko, Meta Špacapan, Paolo Taverna, Roberto Kriznich in Luciano Gonano ter vodja ekipe Simon Rosič

The Slovenian-Italian Police Without Borders team

The initiative, aptly named Police Without Borders, brought together three Slovenian and three Italian police cyclists, working together as one team.

Representing the Slovenian police were Domen Prevc, the reigning world champion and record-holder in ski jumping (employed at the Top Athletes Centre of the Slovenian police), Mario Sajko, the current men’s Slovenian police road cycling champion (from the Novo mesto Police Directorate), and Meta Špacapan, the current women's Slovenian police road cycling champion (from the Nova Gorica Police Directorate). The Slovenian side was coordinated by Simon Rosič from the General Police Directorate’s Public Relations Division. Their Italian teammates—Paolo Taverna, Roberto Kriznich, and Luciano Gonano—were all officers from the Gorizia Railway Police Unit.

Domen Prevc, wearing a cycling jersey and helmet, gives a statement to the media, with Minister Poklukar standing behind him.

The joint team was led by none other than top Slovenian athlete Domen Prevc

Group photo (from left): Prevc, PetriÄŤ, Poklukar, Sajko, Ĺ pacapan, RosiÄŤ and Feltrin.

At the finish line, the team was greeted by Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar, Acting Director General of Police Damjan Petrič and Interim Director of the Nova Gorica Police Directorate Robert Feltrin.

Participants at the round table, on the left is Martin Hvastja, holding a microphone.

Ahead of the main race, a roundtable titled "Sharing the road: from self-control to tolerance" was held at the Eda Centre in Nova Gorica. The discussion featured Miha Koncilija, the first coach of Tadej PogaÄŤar, Lara MaretiÄŤ, a coach of female cyclists, and Martin Hvastija, a cycling coach at the Top Athletes Centre of the Slovenian police. They addressed road safety for both competitive and recreational cyclists, as well as the broader outlook for the future of cycling in Slovenia.

The police mascot "Pika the bear", with two girls standing next to her.

Alongside the race, police officers took the opportunity to showcase their work and connect with the public. Adding to the lively atmosphere in Bevk Square in Nova Gorica was Pika the Bear, the police mascot, who brought smiles to visitors of all ages.

A motorcycle police officer is riding along the bike route, fans are standing on the side.

Ensuring safety was a joint effort—Slovenian and Italian police officers worked side by side throughout the event.

Related content

Slovenian and Italian police officers to form Police Without Borders team at the Giro d’Italia

Republic of Slovenia
Ministry of the Interior
POLICE
1501 Ljubljana, Ĺ tefanova 2
Phone: +386 1 428 40 00

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

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