Over 250 people attended the 7th MAPEI Sport Research Center Conference. The annual appointment for sports experts, practitioners or simply sports enthusiasts celebrated a record date. This morning, at Hotel Le Robinie in Solbiate Olona (VA), many sport students and athletes, as well as champions like former cyclist Gianni Bugno, listened to the interesting interventions in the program related to the chosen theme: ‘Training, recovery and injury: the trilogy of Sports performance». After the inauguration of Mapei Sport Director Claudio Pecci, who recalled that Mapei celebrates the 80 years of activity this year and has supported Mapei Sport Center of Olgiate Olona (VA) from 21, Mapei Spa administrator Giorgio Squinzi, Dr. Gaela Bernini, who attended Diana Bracco, president of Fondazione Mai di Confindustria, and Mapei Spa marketing and external relations manager Adriana Spazzoli, there were three work sessions. The first, moderated by Ermanno Rampinini, presented the research of Luca Mondazzi, Mapei Sport responsible for the nutrition service for sport and the dietology service in wellness, “Molecular Biology and dietology in sport: the beginning of a new era?”; the one by Damiano Scolari of the Italian Winter Sports Federation Alpine “skiing: women muscular strength”; the one by Maurizio Fanchini of US Sassuolo Calcio “Workload and football injuries: cause-effect relationship?; and the one of Davide Ferioli of the University of Milan “Determinants of physiological performance for basketball”. Then space for the presentation of the 6th “Aldo Sassi” research grant for graduates in sport sciences promoted by Mapei in collaboration with Fondazione Giuseppina Mai of Confindustria with the contributions of Professors Amilcare Collina, Paola Vago of the Catholic University of Sacro Cuore, family members of the unforgettable sport specialist, and of Andrea Bosio who outlined the research project “Acute Effort of Training with Peripheral Blood Flow Limitation in Football and Cycling” to which the winner will be working at. The second phase of the work, introduced by Andrea Morelli, was completed by Federico Donghi, winner of the 5th Aldo Sassi research check, with “Delayed Potentiation, the effect on various sports disciplines: football and cycling”. The last session was dedicated to the round table, moderated by Federica Lodi, with Giorgio Squinzi, Eusebio Di Francesco (US Sassuolo Calcio), skier Sofia Goggia, cyclist Giacomo Nizzolo, Matteo Guadagnini (technical director of the women’s ski national team), Luca Guercilena (Trek Segafredo team manager) and Emanuele Tibiletti (athletic trainer of Basketball Reggiana), confronting on the two faces of training, namely loading and unloading. Dr. Squinzi began by emphasizing the importance of preparation and teamwork, on the same line Guercilena, Guadagnini and Tibiletti’s interventions, that used to work with different athletes for a common goal. «My sport requires a great deal of work and makes me stay away from home for a long time. I have an intense life and for eight months I’m around the world. Now I’m in the physical training phase, I’m laying hay in the farm in view of the great appointments of the Olympic year. Popularity has overwhelmed me, but I did not lose sight of my priorities» said the world bronze medal Sofia Goggia. «Because of an injury I could not prepare myself in the winter, being in Giro d’Italia with the tricolor jersey was a great goal. Now I am confident for the continuation of the season» added the Italian champion Nizzolo. «In addition to the technique and the physical preparation, the scientific findings that provide us with field tests to which the athletes are subjected are fundamental. Mapei Sport method together with our capabilities has enabled us to grow and reach important goals» concluded Di Francesco. The appointment with next MAPEI Sport Research Center meeting is for next year, with the ambition to engage and attract more and more sports enthusiasts.