The voice of Pietro Rubbers it's as loud as if it were behind the house, instead it comes from Tampa, one of the most important cities in Florida made famous above all by the exploits of Buccaneers, two-time Super Bowl winners in American football.
Forty-six years old, lhis history as a professional rider with two victories in over 10 years (two stages at the Tour of Italy) but with a particular propensity for the Grand Tours, see the third place at the 2002 Giro and two other top 10s as well as an 11th place at the 2004 Tour, had ended suddenly and unhappily, with a two-year ban for doping.
That event, which left an indelible mark on his soul, both as he recognized the mistakes he had made and as he realized that it was a world that forgave nothing and that, on the contrary, preyed on easy victims without seriously addressing the problem, perhaps also influenced his subsequent choices.
Truly courageous choices: «After finishing my career, I started working for Federico's group Zecchetto to the Alé, I travelled the world, especially in the Arabian Peninsula well before it became the hub of world cycling as it is now. One day Federico told me that there was an opportunity to work in America, to take care of the distribution of the brand across the Atlantic.I could have commuted to Italy, but it would have been more difficult to manage all the work.
A life choice
«I talked to my wife about it – says Caucchioli – it was an important decision. I told her that life is a book that at that moment was offering us a different chapter, completely different, a new adventure to live together.She showed me a huge amount of trust, because it was about completely changing our lives, so we decided to live this adventure 100 percent, moving all together."
Moving to America is not easy, especially if you're doing it with your whole family: "It's one thing when you're young, you make an investment in yourself, but when you have the responsibility and weight of a family unit, it's another thing entirely. It's hard, just because you have residency and work you don't get a visa, there are many steps to go through, many checks».
The first 18 months were really tough, but then we slowly got used to it. I travel all over America, so we don't have much time to spend with my family: when we moved in 2014, our children were 9 and 7. Now my daughter is about to go to college, my son is passionate about tennis, and I've already told him that if he really wants to follow this path, he'll have to return to Europe soon, because that's where he can emerge.
In American cycling…
Caucchioli certainly hasn't forgotten his passion for cycling. His work still involves him in that field, and the reality he lives in is very different from what we see on the other side of the pond.
«Here – says Pietro – the cycling concept is very different. Cycling in the USA is more alive than ever, only it has different connotations, more disenchanted and in line with the American way of thinking, in the name of freedom, so competitiveness is often seen as a fenceMany people ride bicycles for passion and cycle tourism, many fewer for competition.
«But there is another aspect that I noticed: here there are no age limits, if you want to try to become a professional cyclist you can do it at any age, a case like that of evenepoel It almost fell from the sky in cycling and would be seen as normal here. Here, if you have no experience in the youth categories, they don't even look at you..."
«What is the real state of health of American cycling? Much better than you think. Have you noticed that the main aides of vingegaard e pogacar were they Americans at the Tour? kiss e McNulty they had a significant weight in their challenge. There are some capable riders out there, and they're quite a few, but the fact remains that top-level cycling is something purely European and is seen from afar here, at least for now...».
Armstrong and the USA
Yes, because Caucchioli experienced firsthand the entire journey of Lance Armstrong, after whom cycling in America was never the same. Beyond the moral judgments on his actions, moving to the US gave Pietro a deeper understanding of what Armstrong meant to the American collective imagination.
«From Italy – explains Caucchioli – one could not understand what he represented: Armstrong was someone who spoke directly to the American president, who moved the crowds. I've never seen a Granfondo created from scratch with proceeds going to cancer research and immediately reach over 10 participants.
«With him the Trek "It went from 100 million in revenue to a billion," Caucchioli continues. "Current riders don't even budge a fraction of those economic interests. Armstrong was a total figure, superior even to the stars of basketball and American football. He was so popular that he had no choice but to expose himself, tell the truth, confess, pay for everything he had done. And free himself from a burden too heavy for any man."
Cheering from afar
Cycling remains a great love for the Venetians, seen from afar: «I try to follow, compatibly with work thanks also to the smartphone, many times I connect and listen to the newsIt's a different kind of cycling than it was in my day, much more universal: back then, Great Britain didn't have the impact it has now, countries like Slovenia, Australia, Canada were on the margins, let alone the Africans...
«It's much more difficult to emerge nowI see the difficulties of Italian cycling, I say that the young people are there but it must also be said that cycling no longer has the appeal it had in my day, when outside the national team there were people who won classics and stage races...".
The time for chatting is over, and Caucchioli sets off again to cross another part of that immense country, made up of vast spaces, overpopulated yet often a source of loneliness. Perhaps, now that Covid no longer confines people to their homes, he might even return to Italy, to his hometown of Bovolone: "Who knows, maybe at Christmas, because home is always home..."
