The beginning of the third year of the youth project of the Green Project-Bardiani-CSF Faizanè (which will become Vf Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè from 2024), saw the inclusion of only one first-year rider: Philip Turconi (opening the Giro di Primavera, where he finished second, photors.it).
"This is because, given the investments made over the last two years," Roberto Reverberi immediately adds, "we have a roster that includes 9 under-23s out of 22 riders. In the season just ended we put together 220 days of competition, is starting to become an important activity. We only have Turconi by choice, also because Rojas, a Chilean born in 2002, also under 23, is also arriving".
In line with the project
The Reverberi family's choice continues in the direction taken in 2021. The arrival of the WorldTour team development teams has lowered the age at which selection is made, you can't wait for a rider to be under 23, you have to act earlier.
«The project continues and Rossato will always follow it – explains Reverberi – our choice remains tied to the international model. Teams have to come and pick up riders when they are juniors and they do it in Italy too.Our team has always been linked to young riders in our country, this entry into the market forced us to act accordingly. Turconi fits into this idea, he is an excellent rider and from the tests carried out by our staff it emerged that he is a boy with a great engine. Clearly this alone is not enough, but the head is also needed and here the second part of our project partially comes into play».
Time and space
What young riders need is the time and space to demonstrate their qualities. There is no question that WorldTour team development teams are not a good opportunity., but not all kids are ready right away.
"As a team," says Reverberi, "we offer first-year players a four-year contract in almost all situations. That's what we did with Turconi, too. These kids need time to grow up and have some peace of mind.In development teams, you usually sign two-year contracts and find yourself in a hurry to go fast and prove your worth. Having twice the time is a great peace of mind.Young riders players are pushing to emerge, but there are difficult moments. However, we've seen that players with four-year contracts don't feel they've arrived. but they work hard to grow and do well».
«Young riders riders have good opportunities here – he continues – also because as an under-23 calendar we can only run international races. You understand that this is a good test for a first-year rider., you can understand if it's worth it."
Continuous path
It doesn't just stop in the first year, the continued growth comes with the "intermediate" seasons and there are important examples ahead.
«If a rider has already spent a couple of years in the under-23 category – explains Reverberi – then you can take a step up and have him race among the professionals. Pellizzari e Pinarello These are two examples, especially the first. Julius (Pellizzari, ed.) went for a run Tour of the Alps and in one stage he finished third. He arrived according to at the Tour de l'Avenir and won the Giro del Medio Brenta. In my opinion, these results are a great testament to the project's effectiveness. Pellizzari himself, if all goes well, could ride the Giro d'Italia in 2024.There aren't opportunities like this in development teams. Even if you move up to the WorldTour in your third year, it's difficult to participate in the Grand Tours."
"Taking young players is increasingly difficult," Reverberi concludes, "but the rewards are there. Thanks to our project we still manage to take juniors prominent, keep them in Italy and raise them according to our method."
