AVEZZANO – The European gravel title with Erica Magnaldi and some very interesting signs in the men's race gave Pontoni energy. The start of the races concludes perhaps the most tiring phase of planning and complicated arrangements with the teams.. For this see the national team coach of gravel and cross running like an elf from one point to another of the route made it clear that Finally the best part of the assignment has arrived for DanieleIn three weeks, the World Championships in Maastricht will close the gravel season and launch the cross season, and after that the calendar will leave no room for respite.
The summons for the European gravel athletes of Avezzano they had some defections and some last-minute surprises. Road teams are busy chasing points and some have not given up their athletes, to the point that perhaps it would be worth awarding points even for the simple call-upWhich is a merit, but it distracts the rider from competing with his own team. Is it right that a call-up to the national team should be perceived as a penalty?
The European Championships went well, now we're moving towards a faster and less technical World Championship. At least that's what they say...
Actually, they haven't sent us the program yet and we're here waiting for it. We have repeatedly urged theUCI, but there's no news yetI also need to know this to understand the call-ups to make, for athletes and staff. To know how many feed zones there are, what type of course it is. The only information we got from Elena Cecchini (the two are together in the opening photo, ed.), because Wiebes tried it and told her something…
Has your season started?
No, my season never ends. In fact, now that the races are here, the softer part begins. Everything is more beautiful, easier, simplerBut for example, our minds are also on cross-country skiing. Everything is already planned until December, so then we'll have to manage the last month, but we don't have any major problems. Now we have to understand well how to manage the situation of Agostinacchio, what will he actually do. So if the under 23 category is skipped or not.
Was it easy to get called up for the European Championships?
It was a bit of a slalom, but in the end we had a good national team, both in the men's and women's fields. We had two last-minute withdrawals, because Bertizzolo and Barbieri got injuredBesides, Rachele was also headed to the World Cup, so we'll lose her for that too, because it's unlikely she'll recover. We're still waiting; we have three weeks.
Do you speak to the teams or the athletes?
Partly with the teams, partly with the athletes. Some of them wanted to be there and were good at pushing. garofoli It may have seemed like a surprise, but we agreed with Davide BramatiGianmarco was eager to try, and I was happy to welcome him, especially because he's a top-level athlete.
A manager's goal is usually to create a group to work with, while the feeling is that your squad changes often.
The boys and girls make themselves available and, even if they are new, they integrate immediately. An important task of the coach is to make them feel part of the group., whether it's been twenty times or it's the first time. I've always said that Our gold is the work group, mechanics, masseurs and those who do the dirty workAthletes come and go, but the working group must be a solid core that you trust and to whom you can delegate because you need to be able to trust them blindly. And I trust my boys 100 percent.
Maybe that's the real team?
Exactly. When they offered me the position of coach, I immediately called a staff member and said that if he were there, then I would be there too. So I wanted a deputy like Billo (Louis Bielli, ed.), who already had 16 years of experienceThen we have the rest, from the team manager, to the president, from the secretary to our advisors who put us in the best conditions to do this work.
