As a profile picture on WhatsApp, New Year's Eve Szmyd has Sylvester the Cat which has always been his nickname. When the group gives you a nickname like that, it means that he accepted you and loves you. For this reason, even after quitting, Silvestro held on to that cat and the memories associated with it. In the opening photo, he is on Montegrappa at the 2010 Giro, with Nibali and Basso, before Vincenzo won his first stage in the Giro d'Italia.
The Polish man's name came up a few days ago speaking with Giovanni Aleotti, latest purchase of the Bora HansgroheThe Bolognese, just back from his first training camp in Germany, told us he'd ended up in Silvestro's hands during his training. So, under the pretext of exchanging Christmas greetings and reminiscing, we flew to his home in Poland.
“Here Christmas is double,” says Szmyd, “not like in Italy, which is only celebrated on the 25th. Boxing Day is the same story. We are at home with all our family, the streets are full of peopleSome wearing masks, some not. There will be a curfew only on the night of December 31st, until 6 a.m. And for the rest... Merry Christmas to you too!
Sylwester “Silvestro” Szmyd, professional from 2001 to 2016 with various teams including Mercatone Uno of the last Pantani and Liquigas of Basso and Nibali, He has been part of the German team's staff since 2018Initially, he was Patxi Vila's assistant for Peter Sagan. He was then entrusted with other riders, and, having completed the UCI technical course while still racing, he also took on the role of sports director. When the Basque finally left the team, Silvestro took over Sagan and took over the second team car, given that in the WorldTour races the two most important technicians travel on board the first one.
«Following them in the race – he says – is the best thing, you don't need to look at the training filesI see them before the race, I talk to them during it, I see them afterward. I know how they are and how they'll perform. Maybe I can't be there for all the races, because I risk not taking proper care of those at home, but being there is certainly an added value."
The Aleotti dossier
Di Aleotti studied the dossier first composed of arrival orders and training and race files. Silvestro considered the second place at the 2019 Tour de l'Avenir and observed Data from the last stage of the Giro d'Italia U23 of 2020, in which Giovanni just couldn't get going, missing out on the podium. Then he met him and finally managed to tell him what he thought.
«No idea – Silvestro smiles – I decided not to decideIt's hard to tell what kind of rider he is. From the numbers and what I've understood, it would be wrong to close it in the discussion of the grand ToursI thought of Nibali who, at a certain point, went from Fassa Bortolo to Liquigas."
What does Vincenzo have to do with it?
We all thought he was a classics rider And that's what he trained for. In 2010, he came to Teide with Basso, Kreuziger, Pellizotti, and myself. We were there for the Giro and the Tour, Vincenzo for the Ardennes. Things didn't go well in Belgium, and he returned home to the seaside. Until they asked him to come to the Giro, at very short notice. He didn't want to, but he gave in. And in the end, if he hadn't been in Liquigas, he could have won itAnd the funny thing is that we were joking about it the day before. Where do you go in stage races, you who are a classics guy? Instead that year he came third in the Giro and won the VueltaAleotti is the same. In the sense that it's too early to say what he's made for.
So what are you going to do with him?
We will work for the Giro d'Italia, provided the team decides to bring himObviously he won't be the leader and after the first year we'll see what answers he'll give us. I don't want to make up my mind now, I don't want to limit it. I'll try to work with him based on the races he'll be competing in, so he can improve. We'll have time to find out.
In the last few days we talked of the choice to immediately put Cunego on the Giri...
Perfect, I was next to Damiano from 2004 to 2008If no one had thought of directing him towards the Giro d'Italia, he might have won who knows how many Lieges.
The Fabbro dossier
On the Friulian side, we have to mediate between the outbursts of infinite esteem on the part of his technicians CT Friuli, with Bressan and Boscolo in the lead, and the results after the first Giro d'Italia as a true protagonist in his third year as a professional and finally in the right environment.
«Matteo – says Silvestro – is one of those who gives me the greatest satisfactionsHe had only one year left on his contract, he trusted me completely and it came outI don't think he was even supposed to do the Giro, but Covid changed his plans and he made the most of the opportunity. He trusts, works well, is honestHe's a serious guy, I like him.
Where can it go?
It's early for him too. He's not bad at time trials, but for now I'd say he can't be the leader at the Giro d'Italia. At least that's what I think. He'll do well as they tell him, maybe I see him doing well in the general classification at the Tirreno or Romandie.
Are you ruling out developments?
For the higher levels you have to wait for it, because 2020 was the first year so good. It improved on the climbs, he is with the best climbersBut I'd tell him that instead of finishing eighth in the overall standings, I'd rather aim for three stage wins. The important thing is that he goes strong again at the Giro and performs to his full potential.
Do you want to say something about Sagan?
Better open another chapter, there are things to say...
