An international acknowledgment of his outstanding social and environmental commitment through the BEKING project
Monaco, 9 December 2025 – Matteo Trentin has won the Gino Mäder Prize, which recognises outstanding dedication to environmental or social causes. The award was presented on Friday 5 December during the annual Vélo d’Or ceremony, which was attended by leading figures from the global cycling community.
Created in honour of Swiss rider Gino Mäder, who is remembered for his humanitarian engagement and environmental advocacy, the prize is awarded by a jury of cycling experts and representatives of the Vélo d’Or organisation. This year, the jury recognised Matteo Trentin for his meaningful social impact activities, particularly through BEKING and the annual Monaco Criterium, which he helped create and continues to develop with the support of Monaco’s institutions and partners.
BEKING was conceived with the aim of bringing cycling closer to people of all ages, and has evolved into a unique festival celebrating competition, education, charity, and family-friendly entertainment. Under Trentin’s leadership, the event has become a platform for promoting community engagement, sustainability and the positive values of sport.
The voluntary participation of professional cyclists enables the organisation of a charity gala in support of selected associations and social projects. In addition to this event, Trentin contributes to mobility education programmes in Monaco’s schools, promoting cycling as an environmentally friendly and accessible mode of transport.
“This award is not mine alone. First and foremost, it belongs to Claudia, whose hard work behind the scenes made Beking possible, and to all my colleagues who embraced this project and devoted their time to inspiring future generations,” said Matteo Trentin. “Beking was founded in 2020 during the pandemic with the simple idea of using cycling to inspire young people to enjoy riding bikes and encourage adults to rediscover cycling as a means of transport. Our goal was to bring the magic of cycling to the Principality of Monaco, even if just for one day. Helping others has always been a core part of our mission. Over the past five years, we have raised and donated more than €350,000 to charity, supporting major initiatives as well as individuals who simply needed a helping hand during difficult times. When I see children riding on the circuit long after the criterium has finished, or when I receive a thank-you message for our support, I know we’ve achieved our goal of inspiring and helping others. And all of this has been made possible thanks to cycling.”
Through this award, the cycling world is acknowledging not only Trentin’s personal commitment, but also BEKING’s growing social and educational role, whose initiatives continue to have a positive impact on the community.
