Jannik Sinner and Bebe Vio tear through a long line of tickets, inviting a large group of international guests to step onboard the ACG Wild Express. Framed by the words of two sporting icons, unmistakably Italian, yet globally resonant, the atmosphere becomes charged, at times almost surreal. Milano Centrale station watches as an entire platform turns orange, populated by a train that radiates outdoor avant-garde.

Then comes the familiar whistle. The journey begins. A journey into the essence of ACG’s new direction, embodied by this travelling basecamp headed for the Grigne. Accompanied by hypnotic lakeside views, the kilometres roll towards the Lecco area, and each carriage takes on the feel of a destination in itself: a treasure to discover, a film set, a temple of outdoor design refined down to the smallest detail. Spaces that reveal a clear intention: to open a renewed gateway into this athletic world, built around style, codes, function, and a natural affinity with its wildest side.

The day unfolds at the point where wild experience, mountain magic, and movement intersect: movement understood both as high-altitude exploration and as a social engine. A script made of hiking and trail activities lived at their best, across every unknown and every condition, thanks to product research and innovation. Highlighting this blend: a dedicated layer like the Lava Loft Down Jacket, and an all-terrain shoe like the Ultrafly, both symbols, and latest outcomes, of the All Conditions Gear research lab.

After testing a balance of aesthetics and rationality, and after reaching one of the ridgelines that rise above the crystalline surface of Lake Como, we have time to talk with two ACG top athletes, Cesare Maestri and Caleb Olson. Their voices accompany us on the way back to Milan’s metropolitan rhythm, but also into the molten core of their relationship with ACG and into the brand’s current state, serving as the perfect outro to a day unlike any other.

All Conditions Gear: what does the contemporary essence of this brand mean to you, and how does its ability to create new ‘conditions’, in different ways, emerge through an event like this one?

Cesare Maestri: “When I found myself in Portland last year, listening to Nike’s intention to relaunch ACG, I immediately understood they wanted to aim high: to do things with a strong, recognizable, distinctive style. And today, experiencing this kind of experience is simply beautiful. In this new chapter, ACG has chosen a direction, and it has done so clearly, straight on. What I love most is the enthusiasm driving this new phase of the brand: an enthusiasm I feel too, as an ACG athlete. And then, I think it’s quite unique to have the vision and the ability to create an event like this… For me, it’s all just beautiful.”

Caleb Olson: “Everything here and, in general, with ACG is pretty wild. I’m not a fashion person at all, I don’t really know anything about marketing or brand activations, but it’s been genuinely fun to see what they’ve built and how much attention to detail they’ve put into everything. And it goes far beyond this train and this project: whether it’s product design or any kind of experience they want to create, there’s an extreme level of care. You can tell their focus is fully there. And it’s a really fun thing to be part of.”

How much do weather conditions affect the way you live and approach your disciplines? Do they function more as unknown variables, or as an epic score?

Cesare Maestri: “Weather conditions are a stimulating factor, and obviously always present in our discipline. I love certain extreme conditions, while others honestly scare me a bit… I can’t say I enjoy everything that’s extreme, at least when it comes to the weather. Deep cold and storm situations are always complex to process. With excessive heat, instead, I struggle less: I notice I’m able to acclimatize better than many of my competitors. In general, weather conditions are variables, and as such they need to be approached. I try to imagine them, to prepare for them… And I think that’s also the beauty of our sport: arriving at a race, finding a wild situation and, thanks to training, already having the tools to manage it. Of course, there’s always a bit of improvisation, but it’s an integral part of the charm of trail running.”

Caleb Olson: “A lot. When the weather is bad, it can be really hard to even get outside and train. So having gear that makes the conditions feel less harsh is huge for me. As a professional athlete, if I’m freezing cold or soaked, it stops being fun, and honestly, I won’t do it. Having the right gear for the occasion makes a massive difference. And during races, it also impacts performance. I do think weather connects to that epic side of it. If you’re in an incredible place and you’re properly equipped, you can actually enjoy the full experience of the race. When you’re suffering and miserable, you shut down: your world narrows, and you’re only focused on survival. But if you’re ready for it, everything becomes way more epic.”

Today we understood, once again, how ‘wild’ fatigue can lead to an extra-sporting final goal: the ability to truly taste natural wonder. What role does contact with nature, and its most magical landscapes, play in your everyday athletic life?

Cesare Maestri: “A fundamental one. I believe nature is the reason behind every trail runner’s journey: it’s the true motivation that leads an athlete to embrace this kind of discipline. When someone is drawn to nature’s wonders, they go looking for them. Then you find yourself feeling good inside them, and you feel the need to try again, and again. It’s true everywhere: every time you visit a new place, the desire to discover new natural landscapes kicks in. But the satisfaction also comes from simply reliving places you’ve already explored… There’s a constant sense of surprise. Like today, I often catch myself thinking: ‘Wow, how can it be this beautiful here?’ And I find myself repeating it constantly, even in the places I live every day. I think that’s the perfect summary of what pushes us to be outdoor athletes.”

Caleb Olson: “It’s everything. Nature is the reason we get into this sport in the first place: we want to experience it. And hiking isn’t fast enough for the amount of nature we want to take in, so we start running, and then it becomes an obsession. The motivation behind trail running is getting out into beautiful places, moving through landscapes that feel unreal, and racing on courses that cut through mountains. Without nature, without truly beautiful places, the sport would lose a lot of the magic that makes it so special.”