Martin Marcellusi He is one of the rare talented riders who come from LazioA region where the passion of young people is too often stifled by the lack of teams and the heavy traffic that inevitably surrounds the capital.
And Martin is truly a Roman Doc. He comes from the eastern outskirts of the city, the one between the plain and the first hills that gradually become real mountains as you proceed towards of Abruzzo.
The brother's cup
It is on these hill roads that Marcellusi He saw his father first and then his brother riding a bike. It was a truly healthy spirit of envy towards his brother. Daniel, he made him get on the saddle.
«One day – says the Roman – Daniel, who was racing his bike, came home with a trophy. I was impressed. I wanted one too. It all started from there."
But those are also hills where he trains: San Polo dei Cavalieri, Saracinesco, Monteflavio. «And from this summer too ScalambraI discovered it recently but it's really tough: 10 kilometers at an average gradient of 10 percent. Sometimes, but very rarely, I also go out with Valerio Conti, more often with Luca Taschin (of the Montegranaro Shoemakers) and with the group of Blokko Racing Team. But it's not easy because there are only 5 or 6 kids my age in the whole of Lazio."
Martin won that cup and now the dream gets bigger: it's called WorldTour. And maybe become like his idol, Peter Sagan.
«I like his way of interpreting cycling, even if by characteristics I'm perhaps more of a Valverde… all things considered, let's be clear!
And indeed, when he tells us he prefers the San Polo climb, which is the most rideable of those mentioned, we better understand the type of rider he might be. Acceleration and speed prevail over pure climbing. Despite his numbers (1,72 meters and 62 kilos) one might think he is a grimpeur in front of him.
Martin talks generally about young players who are turning pro at an increasingly early age and, above all, who are immediately winning at the highest levels. The names are now well-known. Hindley It's just the latest on the list. But for those who are still amateurs, is all this an incentive or an added pressure?
«I don't think about it, otherwise I'll get demoralized. If I think that there are people just a little older than me (Martin is 20, ed.) who win the Tour or come close to the Giro, while I'm among the amateurs, I feel like I'm late. I don't know if that's right, though. I prefer to have a long career. So I'm focusing on my dream of turning pro."
The Extragiro seal
Marcellusi was the one who won the first race after the lockdown. It was the first of the races Extragiro.
"When I left, my spirits were high. Compared to others, I handled the quarantine well. Zwift we had created a nice group, I was having fun on the rollers and in fact when I started again I felt good, but I didn't imagine I would win so much. While I expected something more from the Line of Business. I had some physical problems close to the start and the crash in the second stage affected the rest of the race a bit. And in fact, doing well in the Giro is one of my 2021 goals. But first I would like to win the Florence-Empoli. I won it in my first year, I really care about this race. And I won't forget the world championships and the classics before that. I'd like to try the Tour of Flanders."
Mastromarco second home
It's not often you see an amateur move from one important team to another. Marcellusi was in fact at palazzago and from there it ended up at Mastromarco Sensi Nibali di Gabriele Balducci.
In Tuscany, I found a much more familiar environment, and I have a special relationship with Balducci. It's a relationship, however, that's been built over time. He manages to make you understand things and not impose them on you. It makes you face reality. For example, we were returning from a race where I'd always been in the lead, I kept pushing, even though we knew it would end in a sprint. I was convinced that what I'd done was right and I didn't give in. Balducci didn't scold me. He made me think, he explained a few things to me, and in the end... he was right. And I assure you, I'm not easy to deal with: I'm stubborn and I have a hard time accepting advice!
It is said that when Marcellusi knocked on Mastromarco's door, he wasn't very attentive to many aspects of the rider's life, starting with his diet.
"True, I was quite overweight, but that's exactly what made me bond with Balducci. He was the one who got me to the right weight and taught me to eat well."
