Matteo Zoppas combines a senior role in Italy’s international economic promotion with a very personal racing ambition. He is president of Agenzia ICE, while also being an Italian Enduro champion. His competition record includes participation in a World Championship and the International Six Days, giving his interest in the Dakar a sporting foundation rather than making it a casual aspiration.

Agenzia ICE is Italy’s government agency for promoting Italian businesses abroad and supporting the internationalisation of Made in Italy. As part of that mission, it has worked with FMI and ANCMA-EICMA on initiatives designed to bring Italy’s two-wheel supply chain into the agency’s activities. A B2B forum in Sepang was one of the examples of this approach.

The Dakar as the next step

Zoppas has set the Dakar as a personal racing goal. His preparation included the Rally del Marocco, where he was injured. By EICMA 2026 he had not yet fully recovered and was wearing a brace on his right arm over his jacket. The injury provided a visible reminder of the physical demands involved in moving from Enduro towards rally-raid competition.

His connection with motorcycles extends beyond racing. Zoppas had appeared in Rome in July at the Moto d’Italia – Cultura oltre la pista event, while Agenzia ICE’s work with FMI and ANCMA-EICMA places the Italian two-wheel sector within a wider international promotion effort. For Zoppas, the sporting challenge and the industrial mission run alongside each other, with the Dakar remaining the most ambitious personal target.