Ciclista Juninense

Lore & Background

Club Ciclista Juninense was founded on 6 November 1923 by a group of friends to promote cycling in Junín. Its first president was Salvador Campo, and the club rented land from the city's charity hospital to build a cycling circuit. The first race was held on November 11, 1923. In 1925 the club adopted its colors of green, red, and white, which remain to this day.

Basketball began at the club in the late 1920s. Ciclista won its first title in 1929, defeating team 'Los Indios' 12–11. The club inaugurated its basketball arena in 1931 on Aristóbulo del Valle street. In 1942 Ciclista purchased the land where its basketball court had been built, a significant achievement for the club. The basketball squad won additional titles in 1952 and 1954, defeating San Martín and Los Indios respectively. A new basketball stadium opened in 1955.

Ciclista entered national competition in 1994 when invited by the Asociación de Clubes de Básquet to join the Torneo Nacional de Ascenso (TNA), the second division. The team debuted on September 18, 1994, losing 96–106 in overtime to Obras Sanitarias. After relegation and subsequent returns, Ciclista achieved promotion to the top division, Liga Nacional, in 2005 by defeating Juventud Sionista 76–70. The club was relegated again in 2007 but returned to the top division after winning the TNA championship in the 2013–14 season, sweeping Instituto 3–0.

Reader's Guide

Club Ciclista Juninense represents a notable example of a community sports club that evolved from a cycling focus to become a competitive basketball organization. Its history reflects the grassroots development of Argentine basketball, with early local titles in the Junín league preceding national-level competition. The club's journey through the Argentine league system—including promotions, relegations, and the purchase of a TNA place in the late 1990s—illustrates the financial and competitive challenges faced by smaller clubs. The 2013–14 TNA championship, led by MVP Luciano Massarelli and coach Julián Pagura, marked a high point. The club's home arena, originally called El Coliseo del Boulevard and later renamed for longtime player Raúl Merlo, underscores the importance of local figures in club identity. Ciclista's persistence in the second division and occasional forays into the top flight make it a resilient institution in Argentine basketball.

Did You Know?

• The club was founded on 6 November 1923 as a cycling club.
• Its first basketball title was in 1929, a 12–11 victory over team 'Los Indios'.
• The home arena, Raúl 'Chuni' Merlo Stadium, was originally known as El Coliseo del Boulevard.
• Ciclista won the Torneo Nacional de Ascenso championship in the 2013–14 season, sweeping Instituto 3–0.

From Bicycle Racks to Basketball Courts

Ciclista Juninense traces its roots to a small gathering of friends in the city of Junín, Buenos Aires, who on 6 November 1923 banded together with a single purpose: to promote cycling in their community. Under the leadership of their first president, Salvador Campo, the group rented a stretch of land belonging to the city's charity hospital and built a racing circuit there. Just five days later, on 11 November 1923, the first race was held. By 1925 the club had settled on the green, red, and white colors that still define its identity today. Basketball arrived at the club toward the close of the 1920s, and the sport quickly overtook cycling in prominence. The Verdirrojo claimed their first basketball title in 1929, edging out a rival side called Los Indios by a single point, 12 to 11. A dedicated basketball arena was inaugurated on Aristóbulo del Valle street in 1931, and the club added two more local titles in 1952 and 1954. A landmark moment came in 1942, when the club finally purchased the land on which its basketball court stood, a long-sought achievement for its members.

The Long Road to National Competition

Ciclista Juninense's entry into Argentine national basketball was neither smooth nor permanent. In 1994, an invitation from the Asociación de Clubes de Básquet opened the door, and on 18 September the Verdirrojo took the court in the Torneo Nacional de Ascenso for the first time. Their opening match, an away contest against Obras Sanitarias, ended in a 96–106 defeat in overtime, and by season's end the club had been relegated after an 81–92 loss to Belgrano de San Nicolás. The following year they regained their TNA spot by trading it for television rights, only to be pushed down again. After two seasons in the lower Primera B division, the club secured a new TNA berth by purchasing it from Campana's Club SIDERCA for US$96,000. The breakthrough finally arrived in 2005, when head coach Adrián Capelli guided the team to promotion into the Liga Nacional, closing out a five-game series against Juventud Sionista 76–70 before a packed Coliseo del Boulevard. Their first top-flight campaign saw them push as far as the quarterfinals before falling to Ben Hur, but the 2006–07 season ended in relegation after an 86–100 defeat to Boca Juniors.

A Home Court with a Name and a Story

The arena where Ciclista Juninense hosts its home games carries a name that honors one of the club's most enduring figures. Opened on 10 December 1955 under the original name El Coliseo del Boulevard, the venue has an estimated seating capacity of around 2,000 spectators. In August 2008, the club renamed the stadium in tribute to Raúl "Chuni" Merlo, a shooting guard whose career stretched over three decades. Merlo's connection to Ciclista was deep and recurring: he suited up for the Verdirrojo on three separate occasions, in 2000, from 2001 through 2004, and again in 2006 and 2007. The renaming was a way for the club to cement the memory of a player who had given so many years to the green, red, and white jersey. For a team based in the city of Junín, Buenos Aires, a 2,000-seat arena may seem modest by national standards, yet it has witnessed pivotal moments—from the 2005 promotion celebration to the 2013–14 TNA championship run—making it far more than just a venue.

Coaches, Champions, and the 2013–14 Comeback

The most celebrated chapter in Ciclista Juninense's modern history unfolded during the 2013–14 season, when the club crowned itself champion of the Torneo Nacional de Ascenso and earned a return to the Liga Nacional. Under the guidance of head coach Julián Pagura, the Verdirrojo dispatched the Córdoba-based Instituto in a clean 3–0 series, a dominant performance that sealed the title. The individual star of that campaign was Luciano Massarelli, who was named the season's Most Valuable Player, a recognition that underscored his central role in the team's success. This achievement capped a turbulent journey through the Argentine league system: the club had first tasted the top division in 2005 under coach Adrián Capelli, endured relegation in 2007, and spent years navigating the second tier and below before finally climbing back. The 2013–14 triumph represented not just a trophy but a restoration of the club's place among Argentina's elite basketball programs, fulfilling a promise that had been in the making for nearly a decade.

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