Sometimes things happen when you least expect them, and out of a year that couldn't have been worse, an opportunity arises that must be seized. This is why Matteo Malucelli went from despair to disbelief in a flash. and now it has the energy of better times. Around it, the night of Calpe makes the Christmas decorations even more sparkling.
Challenge accepted
In the big hotel there is a coming and going of riders in tracksuits Team DSM and Gazprom Rusvelo. The Romagnola rider still wears the Androni jersey with which he raced in 2021.Coming here after training with Savio's team which we told you about at the beginning of the day, we exchanged a few words with Alessandro Spezialetti, one of the technicians of the Piedmontese team.
«Malucelli was a rider of mine – he smiled – when you talk to him, tell him that next year with Grosu we'll do it in slices... ".
Matteo listens and smiles in turn, the two were and are on excellent terms: «He would like it – he replies – but I wouldn’t count on it.”
The challenge is acceptedWhen cycling is also provocation and fun, enthusiasts find interesting things to look forward to from every angle.
Double Covid
Malucelli's move to Gazprom comes after a really dark periodThe story flows as it's almost dinner time.
«It was a sudden change – he says – after having done Covid twiceThe first one in October 2020, I stopped and let him pass. The second one in February 2021 and I was in a hurryAs soon as I tested negative, I went into retreat, then to Tirreno and then… two months of hard work fell upon meResuming immediately was a mistake, and Covid took its toll on me. I couldn't recover. In the morning I woke up more tired than the night before. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me or how long it would last. Richeze, who had had it twice, explained to me that it would be incredibly difficult to get over.
«I started to see the light again in May with a couple of placings between Hungary and France and at that point My agent, Moreno Nicoletti, told me about Gazprom's interestIn June I decided to change. We told Savio that, as a respectable person as he has always been, he told me to go, as had already happened when I went to Caja Rural. And basically in the lamest year, I found the new team in June».
Mr. Engineer
It's nice to think that all fine life gives back what it demands and so a new door opened for Matteo in the name of a finally precise identity.
«I spoke with Sedun (Gazprom team manager, ed.) – he says – and told me that the first concern had to be to get well. And so Now I'm at the point where I understand what I have to do when I grow upI was a pure sprinter. Then I made up my mind to keep going uphill and in the end I was nothing anymoreHere they asked me to do the sprints and At 28 I finally understood what I needYou never know yourself enough, but the most important thing is to stay calm. I know how to go fast, and I know that by doing certain races, your condition improves. I'm no longer at the point I was in the early years where being without a team seemed like a nightmare.I'm trying my best, but If they tell me or I hear that this is no longer my place, I studied Mechanical Engineering and I know that there is a place for me somewhere out there. This gives me peace of mind and will allow me to work in the right way."
The Law of the Jungle
You could call it a mindful attitude, the ability to give things their due weight and put priorities in order. And now his is to work, push hard, win.
«Becoming a pure sprinter again – he says – means I worked hard in the gym in November to regain the mass I had lost recently.Being a sprinter might seem easy, in the sense that you have to get to the end and sprint: there's only that way to win. But at the same time it is a great responsibility, because the budget and the tranquility of the team depend on my results.. That's why it'll be important to get going right away, like a striker who scores straight away and then doesn't stop. Your mind plays a big role. I'm thinking about Viviani in 2021. You're used to winning, Every race that doesn't go well takes away a little bit of your confidence and at the same time increases that of others who understand that they can beat you and perhaps think they can respect you less. The sprint is like in the jungle, the survivor wins."
A train to build
Clear ideas. And meanwhile, as we say goodbye, he talks about the serenity in the new team and the I was surprised to meet such friendly and fun staff and classmates. He had never worked in a Russian team, but his initial hesitations were swept away. In the meantime he spoke with Canola, the team's captain on the field, and together they identified a couple of teammates who could help him in the sprints.The construction site is open.
«If you win – he smiles – the team is trying harder and they are starting to believe in itThat's why I want to start off strong right away and get to the finals without anxiety and with the right energy."
