The cycling legacy left by Lorenzo Finn was partially carried on by Roberto Capello. The Ligurian's choice, junior world champion in Zurich last September, to go running with the Grenke-Auto Eder had raised many questions. Now, once the wall had been torn down, the fact that another junior Italian is going to race in the development team of the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe it doesn't raise so many negative reviewsOn the one hand, this is positive; on the other, it should prompt us to reflect. It's not a matter of complaining, but of recognizing that riders begin to look beyond the edge of the nest at a young age.
On the same steps
Some teams offer a path and an opportunity for growth that our teams cannot guaranteeIn a certain sense, yes, given the lack of an Italian WorldTour team, but that doesn't mean existing teams can't offer the right path for growth. For now we are in front of another boy who will run in a I have to team up.
«I'm fine – says Capello – I'm training for the races that will start in a couple of months, I'll make my debut atEroica Juniores Nations Cup. The team will also race in Belgium in March, but those are races more suited to my teammates., I am one of the lightest and so we decided to start from races close to my characteristics".
How did the transition to Grenke-Auto Eder go?
The biggest problem, which didn't turn out to be a problem, was the language. Being an international training, we speak English.I started studying it in the winter, before the team retreat. I've always been good at it at school, but it's different than having to use it every day to communicate. We had our first meeting in Austria, there I met everyone: staff and teammates. Without a bike, however, it was just a retreat to get to know each other.
The first time you all rode together?
We did it in Mallorca. It wasn't a particularly intense retreat, neither in volume nor in intensity. But we got to know each other better and had the opportunity to spend even more time together.
Let's take a step back: how did the contact with Grenke-Auto Eder come about?
Around mid-July, more or less, I remember the Tour de France was supposed to finish. There was a three-way call between my agent John Wakefield, the team and myself.It was an initial introductory meeting, the next day they called me and said they would be happy if I wanted to race with them next season (2025, ed.).
Which rider did they take?
I'm a long climber, I don't have great explosiveness or a particularly strong acceleration. I like races where the pace is constantI think I can also do well in time trials, an aspect I want to focus on a lot this year, during which I'll have the opportunity to use a competitive bike and train well for races of that kind.
How was the technical approach to the new team?
From a training standpoint, not much has changed; I've always been accustomed to putting in long hours on the bike. Obviously, compared to last year, I've changed coaches. First I was with Mattia Gaffuri, now I'm with the team coach: David De KlerkCompared to last year, I will work more in blocks.
What does it mean?
It goes from week to week with pre-established blocks: four days of loading, one day of unloading and so on for four weeks. Then there is a tapering period, that is, a reduction in the load, which in general should correspond to the days preceding the race. Now that I'm away from competitions I've done three blocks of work over a month, where the volume has remained more or less constant but the jobs have changed.
How many hours of training per week?
It's always around 20 hours, but this has been the case since last year (when he was a first-year junior, ed.).
You'll be working with an Italian sports director: Cesare Benedetti. How did you get along with him?
There are two sports directors: Benedetti and Olaberria. My point of reference will be Cesare (Benedetti, ed.). Having a figure who speaks my same language to lean on is nice, Furthermore, Benedetti has been in the Bora world for over ten years.
Did Finn's example, which paved the way for this team, help you in your choice?
I would have been willing to come to Grenke-Auto Eder anyway. When I had the chance I didn't think twiceIn the end, a boy my age who races for an Italian team finds himself competing every Sunday, while I spend much more time at home. This means that I can organize myself better with school too., so that I can train properly.
A few weeks ago you were at the national team training camp with Salvoldi, did you talk?
He seemed quite favorable to me on the subject of going to race abroad already as a junior, especially given Finn's positive experience in 2024.
Do you already know what schedule you'll be doing?
I will do a first block of races which is Eroica Juniores and Gran Premio del Perdono. Then in mid-May I should be at the Peace Race with the national team, But it's not confirmed yet. In June I'll be at the Classic des Alpes, a race I ran in 2024 with the Piedmont Committee, and at the Italian championships at the end of the month. After a training period I will run in Luxembourg and at Tour du Valromey, which is the race I care about the most. August will be a month of training to get ready for the Tour of Lunigiana, I will conclude the calendar with the Buffoni Trophy and San Rocco.
A well-defined program…
Knowing what I'll be doing in September and October gives me peace of mind and allows me to enjoy my training even more, without being afraid of overdoing it. In a few weeks we will go on retreat in Girona and we will stay there until March 11th.Once that's over, the races will begin. I can't wait.
