Rudy Project Celebrates 40 Years With Big Party

In 1985, what seemed to be a simple bet between two friends at a bar – “I'm going to make glasses” – led to one of the most important stories in international sports eyewear. Rudy Project now celebrates four decades of innovation, performance and passion for sport: it has become a global benchmark in the technical sports accessories industry.

Rudy Project celebrated its 40th anniversary with a spectacular event held on June 18 at Castelbrando, one of Europe’s most fascinating historic residences, nestled in the heart of the Prosecco Hills.

Hosted by the showgirl Justine Mattera and Eurosport cycling commentator Luca Di Gregorio, the event welcomed over 200 guests, including VIPs, athletes, customers, employees, employees, business partners, and media representatives from across Europe.

During a conversation onstage with Luca Di Gregorio, the two brothers revisited the brand’s origins and shared pivotal moments in its history – including a legendary bet made by their father with Moreno Argentin (present at the event) during the 1986 World Championships in Colorado Springs. That bet led to the brand’s first road racing victory using Rudy Project eyewear (see dedicated press release). Cristiano recounted: “The night before the race, we were staying at the same hotel as the Italian national team. My father challenged Moreno over a game of billiards: ‘Wear my glasses tomorrow and win, and I’ll sponsor you going forward’.” Argentin went on to win the race in a sprint finish against Mottet and Saronni—marking the brand’s first historic victory.

To honor this iconic moment, the brand unveiled the Performance 40 – a contemporary version of its original eyewear design, crafted from titanium using 3D printing technology. This exclusive edition is limited to just 100 units: a tribute to cycling and design enthusiasts alike.

Cristiano Barbazza also emphasized the founding values that have driven the brand’s evolution: curiosity about trends and cultures beyond sport, meticulous attention to detail across the organization, and an enduring passion for innovation. “The future of Rudy Project is evolution,” he said, highlighting continued investments in sustainability, technology, safety and style.

Simone Barbazza introduced exciting innovations for 2026 and reaffirmed the company’s dedication to sustainability through its RideToZero initiative. A key milestone is the upcoming launch of the first recyclable cycling helmet, set to hit the market in early 2026. He also underscored how “performance” has always been the brand’s guiding principle – from the name of its first eyewear model to today’s motto: “Performance Starts In Your Head.” He concluded by announcing Rudy Project’s upcoming entry into the trail running market, officially launched on June 25.

ATHLETES PAY TRIBUTE TO 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Throughout the evening, top athletes currently competing with Rudy Project gear across various disciplines took the stage to share their personal stories.

• First came the triathlete Gregory Barnaby, first Italian to win the Ironman Pro Series 2024. Gregory Barnaby told about how important it is to rely on quality partners like Rudy Project, so athletes can focus on their performance. About his recent victory at Kona, he said: “It was a dream to race in Hawaii. It was my first time in Kona, and I never imagined I would do such a performance!”. Among future projects, he is training fo the T100 – the official World Championship Tour for long-distance Triathlon. For 2026, of course there’s Kona again.
• Hannah Auchentaller, Italy’s rising talent – silver medallist in the relay at the 2021 Junior World Championships in Obertilliach and gold medallist in the 4 × 6 km relay at the 2023 World Championships in Oberhof – affirmed: “I’m doing everything I can to compete at the Milan–Cortina Olympics; I’ll be racing at home, in the very place where I first put on skis. Rudy Project believes in young athletes: I was looking for an eyewear partner when I met Ivan Parolin, who oversees Race Service for the company, and from that moment we began collaborating. Together we’re doing exciting things.”
• For cross-country skiing, an Italian icon of the sport: Federico Pellegrino. The first non-Scandinavian to win the Sprint World Cup in 2015/16 – and again in 2021 – the athlete, who also won two Olympic silver medals (Sprint in PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022) and seven World Championship medals, has made no secret of his desire to finish his long career on a high note at the upcoming Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. “I’ve spent almost my entire career wearing Rudy Project sunglasses. (...) Our sport, by necessity, takes a long-term view: the target is often a four-year Olympic cycle, but in reality the cycle spans eight years because we must alternate between classic and freestyle techniques. I began as a sprinter, and in recent years I’ve even tackled a few prestigious 50 km races—so the icing on the cake will be to finish with the 50 km at my home Olympics.”
• For track cycling, the young talent Matteo Bianchi – who won his second consecutive European Championship gold in the kilometre time trial at Heusden-Zolder 2025, while wearing Rudy Project eyewear – spoke about the brand’s partnership with the Italian national cycling team. Naturally, the athlete is setting his sights on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
• From the velodrome to the ice rink, the spotlight then turned to Tommaso Dotti and Andrea Cassinelli. In short track, Dotti won the silver medal in the 5 000 m relay at the 2023 World Championships in Seoul, while Cassinelli as well earned the silver medal in the mixed relay at Beijing 2022. The two athletes discussed Rudy Project’s collaboration with the Italian Ice Sports Federation (FISG) and the company’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, aerodynamically advanced eyewear and helmets—an essential edge for competitors in their discipline.
• The sporting testimonials concluded with Antonio Tiberi, a rising star on the Bahrain Victorious World Tour team and 2019 Junior World Champion. Tiberi recounted his ill-fated 2025 Giro d’Italia, where a crash sadly dashed his hopes of a strong showing. As is well known, he nevertheless completed the race without abandoning. “How do I handle the pressure of being hailed as Italy’s next Grand Tour hope? I focus on my work, my training, and my life as an athlete, and I avoid dwelling on media pressure. I strive to do things properly, step by step, and the results always follow.”

With music, a DJ set, and the traditional cake-cutting ceremony, the celebration closed by honoring a brand that—with consolidated revenues exceeding €17 million in 2024 and a presence in more than 60 countries—continues to lead innovation in the world of sports eyewear.

Rodolfo “Rudy” Barbazza’s intuition seized an opportunity in a market that was just emerging, that of sports eyewear specifically designed for athletes, and in particular, for cyclists. From that insight grew a business that today develops, produces, and distributes sunglasses, helmets, goggles, and vision solutions for sports in over 60 countries around the world.

The history of Rudy Project is first and foremost the story of a family, the Barbazza family. When in 1986 the “Super Performance” – the brand's first goggle-type model – took over the world thanks to Moreno Argentin's victory at the World Cycling Championship in Colorado Springs, the company was little more than a visionary idea.

The Super Performance was followed in 1989 by the Super Evolution, which further honed the concept of technical eyewear; then in 1991 came the light and aerodynamic Typhoon, and in 1994 the Mask III. 2001 saw the launch of what would later become Rudy Project's longest-lasting model: the Rydon, whose main features were lightness, versatility and interchangeable lenses. These glasses still embody the brand’s very essence today.

The company introduced technological innovations that are now market standards: the ImpactX® technology with photochromic and unbreakable lenses, advanced materials such as Kynetium™ – an aerospace alloy that combines lightness and strength – and Grilamid®, an ultra-light thermoplastic that guarantees comfort and resistance.

In 1993, the company started making helmets with “Sweeto”, and thus immediately introduced the philosophy of uncompromising safety that still characterises every Rudy Project helmet today. This evolution has culminated today with the Wingdream, developed in collaboration with aerodynamics experts and tested in the wind tunnel to achieve the maximum reduction in air resistance, while remaining very protective, which is key.

“Performance” is not merely a word for Rudy Project, it is the DNA that runs through every company decision. From the historic “Elevate your performance” slogan to the current “Performance starts in your head”, the very essence of the brand remains unchanged: optimising one’s athletic performance, exceeding every limit, improving every result.

But performance is also about protection, comfort and design. In fact, as Cristiano Barbazza stressed, “First of all, our product must be beautiful – so that a person, looking at him or herself, feels good”. This is the Italian spirit being conveyed through design, it is uncompromising excellence.

The direct relationship with professional athletes is a key element of Rudy Project. Over these four decades, the company has collaborated with numerous top athletes in every sport, from Francesco Moser to Bernard Hinault, from Miguel Indurain to the best athletes of contemporary cycling, as well as those of the triathlon, athletics, Nordic skiing, speed skating and high-level sailing competitions such as the America's Cup; it has also sponsored teams such as American Magic.

Today the brand boasts strategic partnerships with national and international cycling and ice sports federations, collaborations with elite teams such as Bahrain Victorious and athletes such as Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. The partnership with the Italian Cycling Federation will continue until the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. There are also new additions on the way that will further expand the brand's portfolio of international collaborations.

Rudy Project's environmental commitment translates into a sustainability strategy through the “Ride to Zero” programme, through which it seeks to reach the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. The initiative implements eco-friendly practices in both product design and manufacturing processes, with a special focus on environmentally-sustainable materials such as Rilsan® Clear – a 45 per cent castor bean oil-derived, BPA-free, high-performance biopolymer –, sustainable packaging, and reducing emissions by optimising business operations.

“Sustainability is not just a responsibility, it is an integral part of our identity,” said Simone Barbazza, Head of Marketing and Communications. "Those who practice outdoor sports have a natural connection with the environment. Our commitment is to develop products that respect the planet in which we move and live”.

The focus on open-air, non-motorised sports – from cycling in all its forms to running, trekking and nature-related outdoor disciplines – testifies to a corporate philosophy that has realised that protecting the environment means safeguarding the place where sports are practised.

Today, Rudy Project is an international company operating in 80 countries through a network of around 2,500 points of sale. With a 2024 group turnover of over €17 million, the company has consolidated its direct presence in Italy, France, Germany, Austria and, starting from 2025, in Switzerland too. Its German subsidiary, founded in 2017, shows the company’s commitment to an increasingly widespread presence in strategic markets.

Its team of around 60 people in Italy and Germany operates in three main business divisions: technical-sports eyewear with a focus on photochromic, helmets for all cycling disciplines and vision solutions for sport. A portfolio of about 1,000 products ranging from cycling to triathlon, from running to winter sports, from sailing to outdoor activities.

As proof of the popularity of the Rudy Project brand in the various disciplines, 42 Rudy Project athletes won a medal at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, which confirmed the technical excellence of the Treviso-based company's products.

Therefore, the company’s 40th anniversary is not just a celebration of past success stories, but also a new start towards a future where innovation continues to make the difference for athletes all over the world, while remaining in harmony with the planet.