A Sunday in the saddle with Fabio Felline. A big party and bright sunshine in Almese, in the province of Turin, for the return of cycling with the thirty-two year old of theAstana Qazaqstan Team, which was also attended by Umberto Marengo of the Drone Hopper-Androni and the 2022 Italian Paralympic cyclo-cross champion Fabrizio Topatigh. On the sidelines of the IX Fellinata, whose proceeds were donated to the Scarponi Foundation and the 160cm Foundation for multiple sclerosis research, we had a detailed chat with Fabio.
How does it feel to welcome back two-wheel enthusiasts after two years of pandemic?
I have to thank theAssociation on the Hairpin Bend, because Without their support it would have been impossible to do the Fellinata: they did a beautiful job.
From the road to the track, because on November 12th and 20th we'll see you as a guide at the Motovelodromo Fausto Coppi: how did the idea come about?
I would like to avoid what happened to me: when I went pro, I didn't have a point of reference, I was the only PiedmonteseIf at that age I had had another Felline who hung out with me and told me what I was doing wrong, maybe I would have had an extra push. I don't want to be a teacher, but I want to be approachable and help some willing kids. who wants to be a cyclist when they grow up. How many have never ridden on a track? The velodrome can be a great alternative for many autumn training sessions and it's an experience worth trying.
Your biggest supporter is little Edoardo: what's it like being a cyclist dad?
It's nice, but if you want to do it well, everything becomes more challenging. I've never taken a nap in my life, but now when he does, I sometimes nap too. The pace has changed completely and sometimes I'm surprised by myself., because before I used to complain, while now I feel like I have much more energy to do more things.
The gadget that stole the hearts of the participants was the water bottle featuring the parrot Frankie, named after Michele Scarponi: can you explain this choice?
Michele and I have always been adversaries, but His way of being, his desire to strike up a conversation and his smiles won me over. There was a relationship of mutual respect and esteem between us, and when he passed away, a symbolic figure was lost. Not just for me, but for the entire group. I'm very pleased that he came to pedal with us his brother Marco, who has the issue of road safety for us cyclists very much at heart.
How much has cycling changed since you turned pro?
Today's management has understood that You have to strike while the iron is hot, as is done in other sports.I don't know if it's right or wrong, but I think about how little I trained, How fast I was as a kid and all the time I wasted.
Can you explain it better?
When I passed pro', It seemed like a crime that I had done it too young and I had even received a fine from the Italian FederationToday there is exaltation for young phenomena, while veterans are cast aside far too quicklyIt's a contradiction, because today's old riders were those who were asked to wait to mature calmly. If you're twenty and you're going strong, they even let you try to win the TourLet's look at what happened with Pogacar: once there was a fear of burning him.
Is there a contraindication?
We don't know if the young champions will remain less on the crest of the wave, but I think there will be no more riders like Valverde or Nibali who wins for so many seasonsIf at 20 years old you do 6,5 watts per kilo, you live the life of a super-athlete, It's inevitable that you won't be able to do it for more than a decade.
Do you have any regrets about your career?
When I was young, everything came easy to me. It shocks me to think that I got the power meter after 3 or 4 years of being a pro., when I was 23 they told me it was too early for everything, while maybe I felt I was right. You never know, certainly if I had had less bad luck, with toxoplasmosis at 27, which made me lose a year and a half at the time when cycling was changing the mostI found myself leaving with the feeling of having missed the train, and then the pandemic arrived. Then, if I look at the numbers, I'm going faster than in 2016, but the way I run has changed and also my prospects, so I chose to try to become a team player and a hard worker rather than trying to be a champion, because After 30 you no longer have a second chance. Although the job of a gregarious is difficult to judge.
Why?
You can go fast too, but If the captains you work for don't work, your job is pretty useless.This year, I got great feedback from the Giro, and if Vincenzo (Nibali, ed.) was going strong and I was with him, having all eyes on him, it really stood out. In 2021, however, Vlasov wasn't as high on the media, but I still felt like I was going strong. Regardless of your abilities, the work of a gregarious person is valued based on how much the captain stands out.
Your dream?
I've come so close to it so many times that, I don't want to say a classic that seems like a possible dream, but I mean winning a stage in a major GiroI think it's doable.
