Red Bull.com

As soon as he was steady on his feet, his father, who was crazy about motocross, gave him his first BMX bike. At the age of three he was already whizzing around without the stabilizers.

His hero is DAVE Mirra, the miracle man. He initially flitted between dirt and street BMX, but it’s park tricks he’s really into.

In 2003 he won the Italian Championships, and three years later he was finishing at or near the top in international competitions too, coming first in the Suzuki BMX Master in Cologne, second in the Nokia FISE in Montpellier, first in the King of Paca in Marseilles and fourth in the Red Bull Drenaje in Mexico.

In 2007 he was chosen as Italian Freestyler of the Year, as well as winning the China X-Games and the T-Mobile contest in Berlin, and coming up with the “Best Trick” at Hit The Target,

The following year, in addition to holding onto his position among the undisputed leaders of the European scene, he began making headway in the US, the home of the world’s finest BMX riders. He came 10th and 11th respectively in the Cleveland and Orlando stages of the Dew Tour, thus automatically qualifying to take part in the 2009 edition.

The 2009 got off to a great start for Ale, who is in superb shape, with a run of wins in the first five stages on the FISE Experience tour in France.

The only regret he has is not being able to train in Italy and having to spend most of the time – when he’s not racing -  at the Woodward Park in Pennsylvania, which offers facilities better suited to his level.

An “ Italian Woodward” would be a dream come true for him – but that dream may not be so far off, because he will very soon be opening his own park near Ceva, where he lives…