With the sunny Mediterranean glimmering just beyond the barriers, Monaco’s Port Hercule transformed into a race circuit.
BEKING 2025 showcased cycling, one that fused elite performance, grassroots joy and social purpose.
This fifth edition confirmed what regulars already knew and newcomers discovered immediately: BEKING is not a conventional race day. It is a meeting point. A place where world champions, aspiring young riders, families and fans share the same tarmac.
Claudia Morandini, the driving force behind the event, captured the mood perfectly. Relief blended with pride as she watched the harbour come alive once more, especially with a historic first: women racing on the BEKING course. Their presence was not symbolic, but essential. Energy and generosity flowed naturally from the riders to the crowd, and most importantly, to the children who remain the emotional centre of the event.
Speed, Grit and a Historic Women’s Criterium
The women’s criterium exploded into motion across 27 relentless kilometres. Twenty laps of attacks, counter-attacks and surges kept spectators locked in until the final moments. In a decisive uphill move Lorena Wiebes asserted her authority, crossing the line ahead of Kasia Niewiadoma and Anna Trevisi.
For Wiebes, the format felt refreshingly familiar. Raised on Dutch races, she embraced Monaco’s streets with instinct and aggression, calling the race thrilling and the setting truly unique. Niewiadoma, meanwhile, praised the seamless organisation and the event’s deeper purpose, racing hard while contributing to a meaningful cause.
The significance extended far beyond results. BEKING had widened its horizon, and the sport was richer for it.
The Crowd and Monaco in Full Voice
As the afternoon deepened, the men’s criterium raised the volume another notch. Thirty-five laps. Forty-eight kilometres. Thirty-five riders. Attacks flew, gaps opened and closed, and tactics sharpened with every circuit. At the end of it all, Jonathan Milan powered to victory, edging past Tadej Pogačar and local favourite Victor Langellotti.
For Milan, back at BEKING for a second time, the win was secondary to the atmosphere. This was not just competition, it was connection. Cycling, stripped of excessive rigidity, reintroduced as play, performance and purpose all at once.
More Than Racing: A Village in Motion
Between the criteriums, BEKING’s soul thrived elsewhere too. The Pro-Am once again blurred the boundaries between professional and amateur, turning teamwork and solidarity into a spectacle of its own. Nearby, the Village des Enfants buzzed with pump tracks, skills challenges and laughter. The “Draw Speedy on a Bike” competition filled the harbour with colour, creativity and a reminder that inspiration often begins with a simple pencil.
Trophies by Varisco Cristalli reflected the sunlight on the podium. As Matteo Trentin noted, BEKING has reached a maturity where people actively look forward to it. The children riding, smiling, and braving cooler air were proof enough that the mission is working.
EKOI and BEKING
Behind the scenes, and increasingly at the heart of the experience , stands EKOI, one of BEKING’s most committed partners. For the fourth consecutive year, the French brand continued its sponsorship of the Monaco event, reinforcing a partnership grounded not just in performance, but in people.
Pietro Cicoria, Director at EKOI, describes BEKING as far more than a race. For him, it is a rare space where WorldTour athletes can battle for victory one moment and ride alongside children the next….a closeness that perfectly mirrors the EKOI philosophy of accessible, shared performance .
To mark the 2025 edition, EKOI unveiled a special-edition BEKING helmet, designed to echo Monaco’s energy and the bold spirit of the event. The helmet is modern, sleek and uncompromisingly expressive. The collaboration continues to grow beyond equipment, evolving into co-creation, immersive fan experiences and a shared long-term vision for the future.
A Finish Line That Feels Like a Beginning
BEKING 2025 left something lasting behind. Memories of sprint finishes and tactical brilliance, yes … but also the sense that cycling can still be a common language, one spoken through sustainability, movement and community.
With Lorena Wiebes and Jonathan Milan crowned, children inspired, and partners like EKOI reaffirming their commitment, BEKING once again proved that the most powerful races are not always the longest but the ones that bring the widest circle together.
The road, clearly, is already pointing toward the next edition.
