Talking to Samuele Manfredi It really seems difficult to think of being in front of a "millennial", such is his maturity. Life has already put him through terrible trials, yet the Ligurian from Loano has never lost hope and energy in facing each day.He's been reborn like a phoenix, and he faces a great challenge, the one he dreamed of as a child, albeit in a different way. But we'll get there...
Samuele was until December 10, 2018 one of the most promising talents of Italian cycling. Winner of the Ghent-Wevelgem for juniors in the same year, European champion in the individual pursuit and silver in the team pursuit, had been signed by Team Development of Groupama-Fdj. Samuele was training in the winter to be ready for the start of the French adventure, but on December 10th everything stopped..
A cycling accident in Toirano, one of those that unfortunately fill the news every day. The damage reported is very heavyManfredi remained in a coma for days, over a month before he was awakened. From there, he began a long rehabilitation journey that continues to this day, each day regaining a small but crucial piece of his functionality.
An example for many
The world of cycling has always remained close to him, There is no race that Samuele attends that doesn't see many protagonists approaching and greeting him, taking a photo with him, joking together (in the opening photo Samuele with the French MP Christine Cloarec-Le Nabour, were guests of honor at the Route Adélie de Vitré, test of the Coupe de France won by Alex Zingle) because Samuele has not lost an ounce of his sympathy and never speaks of his condition in self-pitying tones. In the time that rehabilitation leaves him, he dedicates himself to other cyclists, amateurs and kids and above all he teaches them how to experience cycling., which also means being a master of life, transmitting what for him is a dogma: «I had proof that life is beautiful in any case».
But now a dream is taking shape. A five-ring dream, the same one he had before that cursed December morning: "Rino De Candido For me he was always much more than the national team coach, he always remained close to me. Now that he has taken over as head of Paralympic cycling, he asked me if I felt like trying handbiking.Until now I hadn't been able to because my condition didn't allow it yet, but now I've had the medical clearance. It's a long road ahead of me, but I want to try.I know that Rino will be by my side, with Vittorio Podesta who is a god in the field and has already welcomed me into his company."
The arrival of Alessio Acco (1st) and Samuele Manfredi (2nd) as a pair at the 2017 junior Italian Championships Pursuit triumph at the 2018 Aigle Junior European Championships
The arrival of Alessio Acco (1st) and Samuele Manfredi (2nd) as a pair at the 2017 junior Italian Championships Pursuit triumph at the 2018 Aigle Junior European Championships
What does it mean to you to be able to talk about the Olympics again?
It's an important step in my story, it means another step towards returning to normalityIt allows me to remain even more connected to my world, which I have never left.
In the environment, we never stopped thinking about you and staying close to you, it doesn't always happen...
Perhaps in the short time I spent there as a rider I had transmitted something and this gives me a lot of courage: I have always been one of the people, I was even good but this was not the primary aspectI was certainly not one to stand on my own, I was part of a group and that remained.
Being a team is a concept that has been somewhat lost in cycling today: many now say that in a team, once the race is over, everyone stays on their own, smartphone in hand...
I've always been against it: when we were on retreat I always told everyone that when we were together we had to do something together. I've always been convinced that a team exists outside of competitions, even before the race itself, precisely because communicating requires effort and mental commitment. Even small things done together in the evening give you those automatic communication skills that will be crucial as you race.
Do you also teach this to the younger ones?
Of course, but in this regard I have to say that I could not have been a technician without all that I have learned from the accident to today. I hadn't done any specific studies, but the experience has given me enormous scientific knowledge, I notice it on myself and I apply what I learn on others., making the necessary transposition.
In the industry, who remained closest to you?
First of all De Candido who is much more than a relative, but also Marco Villa and my old team. They've never let me down. I met Podestà, who is an absolute leader in the paracycling movement. Who I would like to meet is Alex Zanardi who for me is a legendI know he's slowly recovering, and I hope that this will be possible soon.
How much of your day does rehabilitation take up?
A lot, it's real work, I have to train muscularly and neurologically because I haven't fully recovered my functionality yet, but every day I always take a small step forward. Now that I have a dream in front of me, I have even more desire to sweat and work hard, to resume that conversation interrupted years ago.
