«In pro races, it's very difficult for us continental teams to get to the front of the pack and stay there. There are clearly hierarchies.I saw him at the Giro del Veneto." Among the many answers he gave us Nicholas Arrighetti ten days ago, These words gave us food for thought on races in which athletes from two different categories compete.
Is it really that complicated to get up there and try to stay there? Or do we need to contextualize the various situations that arise in each race? To better understand how it works in these cases for continental formations, we asked Marco Milesi – the coach of the young Bergamo player himself Biesse-Carrera and ex-pro for thirteen seasons – to explain the various dynamics to us.
The art of “filing”
Arrighetti's objective discourse needs to be further contextualised because made by an 18 year old boy, who in the space of twelve months found himself competing from juniors to “ProSeries” races, that is, those one step below the WorldTour ones. It's normal that so many differences are immediately noticeable.
"Nicolò spent the last month," Milesi explains, "racing among the pros, and he experienced this thrill (smiles, ed.). He enjoyed the three races he took part in because he had a strong engine and was in good shape. And then because it's a big "file", it reminds me a lot in this (smiles, ed.) If you are not able to stay on the wheel and optimize each pedal stroke, you risk paying for your efforts very quickly on the race.Among amateurs, you still manage to survive, but among pros, no. First of all, because of the difference in speed and changes in pace. And then because you can't stay ahead for long. Now you can see it too, in the races you travel in blocks of teams.
Order of positions
«The WorldTour teams, especially if there are 6/7 of them, lead the race – continues Milesi – then there are the professional ones and finally we have the continental onesFor example, if the group stays compact before a climb coming from a fast, undulating route, the continental riders won't be able to get beyond the first 30-50 positions. If there are fewer WorldTour teams then you can hope to gain space in the pelotonI'm thinking of Foldager at Per Sempre Alfredo where he finished third. But it depends on many factors. The relationships you have. If you only have U23 players or only elite players. Or the type of race.».
Paradoxically, the tougher the course, the more the best continental riders can stay ahead in the finale. An example was Pesenti of Team Beltrami who in 2022 came sixth in the first stage of the Coppi e Bartali behind Van der Poel and other WorldTour riders..
«Of course, because at a certain point many men in the WorldTour and Professional teams step aside after having done their job, so the so-called leaders of each team are the ones who play the game. And the continentals must have been good at not wasting anything.».
Useful Tips
In cycling, it's not enough just to have great legs, but you need a head to know how to use them well. In this sense for a young continental team like Biesse-Carrera, the suggestions of an experienced coach like Milesi are very useful in certain types of races, both for the growth and sporting survival of the rider.
"When we go against the pros," analyzes the 53-year-old sports director born in Osio Sotto, "we already know that for us it will be all experience, but we also want to try not to suffer the match. Let's say you have to be good at seizing the moment to take the lead and attempt a breakaway, because anything else is almost impossible to do. This year at Tour of Sicily we went on the attack with Belleri in the first two stages for the pistachio jersey of the “gpm”. Even though we were a continental team, they didn't give us much space initially. then Michael finally managed to break away and strengthen the climbers' standings.
«We are sports directors – Milesi continues – that we have to say what we can do in the runningMaybe the continental teams that do few races with the pros can cause a bit of confusion in the group. In the pre-race meeting I always explain to the guys that we need to respect hierarchies and roles. In fact, we have never caused any big "messes" (smiles, ed.) and on this we have created a good credibility. In sprints, for example, the continental athletes are in the rear. I always tell my teammates that we won't form trains to avoid chaos.. Also because on a four-kilometer straight it's impossible to stick your nose out while you can save yourself if the final stretch is tortuous."
Comparison with the past
Milesi turned pro in '94 e It stopped in 2006, when a year earlier the UCI reform created the current WorldTour, Professional and Continental categoriesIt seems like many more years have passed than they actually have, and so it's difficult to make a comparison, but some similar racing moments can be found.
«Compared to when I was racing – Milesi concludes his consideration – some things have changed for the better, others for the worse. Even then, in the toughest races, the races were held in blocks and when the group decided to do so, no one would break away.Now you can even see the team blocks before the races. They're all together from the moment they get off the bus until the finish line. Honestly, I don't like this trend much. My impression is that before there was more socialityEveryone talked to everyone, without distinction between stronger or weaker teams. I can certainly say that now some senators get angry if they see risky maneuvers by some overly exuberant young person.In this sense, I catechized Arrighetti properly and didn't send him to the slaughter. This should always be taught to young people, whether they are from the continental leagues or not."
