There is great enthusiasm at home Q36.5, the new professional team born on the ashes of QhubekaMatthew's victory Muskets it was a confidence boost for the team, engaged in a mission, that of reconnecting the thread that had suddenly broken in 2021. Douglas Ryder, the mentor of the project as he was of the South African team, has always kept a very careful profile in his words, right from the beginning, but now that the manager has stepped aside a little, great enthusiasm and concentration emerges from the group.
Normally Gabriele Misson, one of the team's sports directors, is quite reluctant to lend himself to notebooks and microphones, but this time he lets all the desire to do that drives him and every other member of the Q36.5 shine through without any restraint.
«It comes to mind – he says – when it all started, there is a specific date: July 21st of last year when Douglas, I and a few other survivors of that beautiful but unfortunate adventure decided to get back to work. We started from scratch, but by November we had already completed the entire organizational chart."
Was it a difficult job?
I think like no one else in my experience in cycling in various capacities. We've redone everything from scratch and the work is still not finished, let's say we're a work in progress with objectives that are far ahead in time., but in the meantime, all the bricks for the house have been laid and we have time to fix it up and furnish it properly. Meanwhile, we've already won, and that's important: we've put hay in the barn.
One problem that Ryder highlighted on the eve was the construction of the calendar…
Things went even beyond our wildest expectations. Being a new team, we didn't know who would invite us, We sent requests everywhere and we received so many proposals back, more than we would have ever hoped for.We will participate in all the races on the Italian calendar, as well as all the Northern classics, including the Monuments. France, Belgium, Spain, and much further afield.
A WorldTour team calendar…
Exactly, and this justifies our choice to have a very large roster of 24 riders, as only teams relegated from the top circuit or associated with it have. Moreover, it was essential for Q36.5 to have a very high-profile calendar, also to respond to the high-profile sponsors who have placed their trust in us. We are at kilometer zero of a journey that has a shared goal with all those who have invested in this idea: to return to the WorldTour, where Qhubeka was.
You are also present at the Tour of Rwanda.
For us, that participation was almost a duty given our roots and our past. I do not hide the fact that, when the invitation arrived, among us sports directors we fought over who would be present., in the end it was Alexandre's turn Sans Vega And that's fine, it'll be for next year. We did quite well in the first stages, even if it's not an easy race, for example our tip hagen He crashed and was forced to retire. But in an early-season race, that's understandable.
Now that the car is launched, was it difficult to build it, in terms of bringing riders into the team?
A lot, because when you start from scratch, what can you offer managers and riders? We can say that Those who believed in our project are now more and more encouraged to work, training, running and I check it every day, while Those who refused are kicking themselves, and there are cases…
The team has a hard core of Italian players…
Half of the registered members. We decided from the start that we needed a single-nation base, even considering that among the 24 riders, there are 13 countries represented. It's Italy, and I'm pleased about that, but it could have been any other country. We have chosen young riders, who have to gain experience, but also experienced people.Riders who work together as a team. Ours is like a family, where everyone works towards the same goal. Those who are part of it have understood that it is different from any other team, first and foremost in spirit.
A team that, however, has no real strikers.
We are aware of this, we don't have a real WorldTour rider, but it wasn't possible to take one, they were all under contract. If we do everything right, I think they will come knocking on the door of Q36.5 next year.
What did Moschetti's success represent?
It was different from any other I've ever attended, it had a particular flavour. We have a lot of faith in Matteo, I see him differently from the past, more determined, he works with much more passion. It gives morale to himself but also to us. Brambilla Instead, we really wanted him because we know what he can give us in the race but also outside. Unfortunately this winter he had an appendicitis operation and missed three weeks of training., he is behind in his preparation but we hope that in these races at the beginning of the year he will make up for lost ground.
What can you tell us about other Italians?
Su Conca I really believe so, even for him the trip to Rwanda wasn't very lucky but I expect him to grow. Parisians He comes from our Devo team, he has also gained experience in the national team, he just needs to progress, as well as Puppy: I remember that he had done an internship at Qhubeka, I took him to Bernocchi and in response he finished 6th in the edition dominated by Evenepoel. Calzoni He's a real obsession of mine, I really wanted him in the team and I have to say he started off strong right away, even beyond my expectations. The same can be said for Fedeli, that the Saudi Tour has started really promisingly. Then among the Italians we can also consider Badilatti, a Ticinese from the border, who is doing well in Rwanda.
Ryder said that the goal for this first year is 10 wins: will it be easier to get them in the first or second half of the season?
Double figures are the target we have all set ourselves for 2022.The first part of the season will objectively be tougher, with the classics and the many challenges that await us, but I'm very optimistic. We'll take stock at the end of the year, draw a line, and see how it went, also thinking about UCI points. Victories aren't everything in this case; the real goal is in three years...
