Guido Bontempi had a top-level career between the 80s and the early 90s, in which he won a lot, indeed a great deal. Sixteen stages at the Giro d'Italia, six at the Tour, and four at the Vuelta., two Ghent-Wevelgem, one Paris-Brussels and one E3 Harelbeke, as well as two podiums at the Milan-Sanremo.
After a second part of his career as sporting director which ended in 2012, he combined his two passions, motorbikes and cyclingHe worked first as a regulatory pilot and then as a motorcycle rider serving photographers at some of the world's most important races, the last of which was the recently concluded Giro d'Italia. We asked him about his experience.
Guido, how did this passion for motorcycling begin?
Always been passionate about motorcycles, since I was a boy. I had my first one when I was 16., a beautiful Vespa Primavera ET3, then I moved on to a Cagiva 350 and then a Yamaha. During my years as sporting director I put everything on hold a bit., but as soon as he retired, in 2012, that passion started again.
And he took the big step: from being in a group on a bike to being in a group on a motorbike…
Yes, my brother was already in the loop, he motivated me a bit and so I said to myself: why not? In the following two years I took the motorcycle relay course through the Federation, then that of technical escort I was an official with the Highway Police, who authorized me to participate in all types of races. Then Vito Mulazzani, who at the time was in charge of the motorcycles for all RCS races, he introduced me to RCS where I started working as pilot regulator with Longo BorghiniFrom there, my connections gradually allowed me to move into the world of photographers and television operators, a world that opened up a whole new range of possibilities for me. For example, I now also collaborate with Unipublic races – of the ASO group – such as the Vuelta, the Itzulia and the Volta Catalunya, as well as with the'agency Sprint Cycling by Roberto BettiniLet's say that, being retired, I can freely decide how and where to move, which gives me great freedom.
So now she can decide which races to participate in?
Let's say yes, but of course it also depends a lot on the requests I have. I always try to go to Paris-Nice, the Dauphiné and the TourThe Strade Bianche is also very beautiful, even if I only did it as a regulator because it coincides with the Paris-Nice and, in general, in that period I am in France. Anyway, I like all the races, because they allow me to be in a group, to see the riders up close, their expressions, their emotions too.What you see on television, I'm lucky enough to see live. Last year I ran for about 100 days, which is quite a lot, now After the Giro I have a bit of rest, then in mid-August we leave again for the Vuelta.
For someone who does his job, is it really so important to have been a rider?
Yes, absolutely. It is essential because it is necessary have a good understanding of how the group moves and the dynamics that are createdKnowing when you're nervous and it's best to stay away, and when things are calmer and you can make certain moves. In my opinion, You can clearly see the difference between a rider who has been a racer and one who has never raced on a bikeYou see it not only in the way he drives, but also from the attention to the best spots in which to position oneself to take the right photo.
Speaking of shots, how did this experience at the Giro d'Italia with Bettini go?
I would say it went very well, a Tour always done in the front line together with Luca (Bettini, ed.)First of all, we never received a warning from the judges, not even once, which is already a great thing. Otherwise, it was a quiet Giro, we only had two or three days of bad weather. The beauty of being in a group with a photographer is that you can stay in the middle of the race until the last minute., which means up to about 1 km from the finish on uphill stages and up to 5-6 km from the finish on flat stages. It depends a bit on the winding nature of the route. Then the jury will move you for safety reasons, but until then, you can enjoy it to the fullest.
So what did you think of the race?
On the one hand it is true that Pogacar killed her from the start, but on the other hand he put on a show by attacking repeatedly.He was a champion, that's all. I always saw him calm, always in the right position, and he had a team that supported him very well at every stage. So when he's like that—a strong team and great legs—everything comes much easier. What is certain is that he never seemed to be in trouble to me.Now we wait to see him at the Tour with the other opponents.
How did he see the other general classification riders?
They did what they could, which wasn't much against someone like that. Thomas did his part, but he's at the end of his career. Martinez rode reasonably well, but I don't remember any great moves except the Slovenian's. He impressed me on the GrappaThey rode the first climb uneventfully, but the second was a personal triumph for the Maglia Rosa. A spectacular parade made even more beautiful by all the people who were there.”
Very public?
There were really a lot of people on the Grappa, crowds everywhere. But there were also huge crowds at the other stages. I remember on the Mortirolo, for example, and even on other mountains, much more than in previous years. Same thing for the cities, in the Naples stage or even in Rome, where tourists took the opportunity to see the riders up close. I think it is merit of the Pogacar effect which has attracted a lot of attention, giving a nice touch of freshness to the Giro.
Have you noticed any differences between the way people run now and the way they ran in your day?
I think there is now much less harmony between the bikes and the athletesIn my day, for example, it happened quite often that ten thousand lire were given to motorcyclists to go and get an ice lolly, now these things don't happen anymore. Perhaps because there is TV and the group is always live at any moment, or because there is an excessive competitive spiritI don't know, but it's certainly changed a lot. The riders need to understand that the bikes are there for their safety, but sometimes the peloton won't let them pass, and I can assure you that when the riders decide not to pass, they simply won't pass. But the bikes are there for their safety. Without that work, dangers cannot be reported and that's a problem.Sometimes, all it takes is for them to move 100 meters and 10 motorcycles will pass. And then there's another thing that's different from the past.
Would be?
Now with disc brakes the riders go very fast, especially downhill and It's not easy to get close enough to allow the photographer to take the right shot.You have to get close and then quickly move away so as not to get in the way, and in any case many riders complain. However, when I was racing, it was very useful to have a motorbike in front. In fact, based on the driver's braking, I adjusted the type of curve I was about to tackle.If I saw a slight braking, I knew I could dive in harder. If, however, I saw him brake two or three times, I knew there was a sharp turn and slowed down more. When you are able to read the handling of the bike in front of you, you can go much fasterNowadays, however, most riders don't do it anymore, even though I think it would help them a lot. Now, the bike is mostly just a nuisance.
Last question, Guido. Have you ever had any difficult days in your years as a team rider?
Let's say that when it rains you always have to be very careful, sure. I remember a Strade Bianche where it was pouring with rain and the bike, going downhill on the dirt road, went pretty much wherever it wanted, but in the end we just had to let it flow, catch it at the end and we had no problems. Because the truth is that If you like motorbikes and you like cycling, you will find very few truly difficult moments..
