It's news these days the passage of Andrea Cobalchini from Gotthard Caneva Games at the General StoreIvan Ravaioli had told us about him, telling us his team's journey to Philippe Gilbert JuniorsAt that moment it seemed that the young Venetian born in 2007 should land directly at MBH BallanBut things at this stage of the year change like clouds when there's wind. Buratti and Zoccarato have joined Valoti and Bevilacqua's team, and the UCI has changed the regulations for the U23 pros and so landing in continental Verona seemed like the right step (first of all, the victory in the Palù di Giovo time trial at the end of September / photors.it).
Reading his name sparked a memory of many years ago, of when another Cobalchini – his father Carlo – was one of the most prominent amateursA podium finish in the team time trial at the World Military Championships, and twenty or so victories. He crossed paths with talented youngsters like Simoni, with whom he was a teammate and is still a friend, Pantani, and those who were competing for the top spots in the early 1990s. Then he bravely decided to get off that train that was going too fast. He stopped about ten years before his son was born and all the memorabilia – the bikes, the helmets, the photo albums and the VHS tapes – he left in the family homeIt was while visiting his grandfather that Andrea began to become curious about the material in the garage.
Testaa head with Rosato
After an excellent 2025 with three victories and six podiums, the boy has recently started training again, but still in a mild way. This year, in addition to his first season as an U23, he is also looking forward to maturity. She studies business economics and three languages: Spanish, German, and English at a technical and economics institute with an international focus. She smiles and says that she struggles with some subjects more than others, and that she prefers cycling. Sometimes he does it with his father too, who still allows himself a couple of outings a weekHe recalls that the first time he managed to beat him was when he was very young, when he sprinted ahead of him. Then he stops, thinks about it, smiles, and concludes that Carlo probably let him win.
«I'm very happy with the season I had – he says – especially with my growth. Year after year I managed to improve and reach a very high level.I'm almost happier with the performances than the results. I also achieved many second places after setting the pace on the climbs. Then unfortunately, not being fast enough, I was beaten. I often played with Rosato, a very uncomfortable customerIn the past years, I just couldn't keep up with him, but this year I even managed to beat him. I'm happy to have reached his level. Now, to make a difference. I have to try to climb a little moreWe're friends, it's a great rivalry, but I think it'll be difficult to beat him in a sprint, because I'm still quite stuck."
Commitment, discipline and little pressure
Just one look is enough to realize that his physique still has a lot to develop and consequently the margins could be considerable. Sixty kilos for 178 centimetres, the victories and best results came in the most challenging uphill finishesOn Monte Grappa, as well as in Sestriere and Monte Campione. That day his chain fell off at the start of the climb and he lost a lot of time putting it back on. The comeback was very powerful, but in the end only Rosato and Proietti, who won.
«Seeing how many of my peers train and how they are followed – he reasons – I think I still have room for improvementI started in G1 and since the rookies I was a bit behind in terms of physical maturation. My parents wanted me to play sports because as a kid I was a bit overweight and needed to be active. Even now I still lack the physique of a grown man, for this reason with my old trainer Dario Giovine we have always worked with a view to the future, even if you now have to prove your worth as a junior, otherwise you'll struggle to find a team to continue racing. I've always tried to live it with passion, with commitment, with consistency and discipline, but giving myself the right spacesBecause maybe you give your best as a junior and you get lost later on."
The Caneva family
He arrived in Caneva in 2025, after spending his first year with Team Tiepolo in Udine. And probably the meeting with Ivan Ravaioli it was decisive for the leap in quality.
"Ivan was a role model," she says, "because he knew how to keep everything under control. If there were any problems, any insecurities, or even points on which we might have different ideas, even just regarding upcoming races, he always tried to motivate me. But he also listened to what I told him and in the end he always tried to meet me halfway.He always gave me a great hand, even with trivial things, like what to wear for the race, what to eat. He was always ready to help me, he was truly a great sports directorWe created a beautiful family, there were never any moments of conflict among all the teammates, it was a great year."
Dad Carlo's advice
What does it mean to have a father who's a cyclist, even if he's from a distant and, above all, very different era? What do they talk about when they talk about cycling? And what advice did Carlo Cobalchini give to this promising son?
«In our mutual discovery of how cycling is evolving – he says – My father tries to keep up to date, but he often talks about how things worked in his time.. First and second division amateurs, military service. And then he tells me that back then you had to do at least 3-4 years as an amateur before turning pro, whereas here if you don't turn pro right away, you're already out of luck. Every now and then he points out to me how cycling has changed, from every point of viewHe often talks to me about races or even just about bikes, about how they were ridden: another thing that has changed a lot now. He tried to make me live cycling as if it wasn't the only solution, even though he has always supported me because he knows that this is the path I want to try to take. He was close to me with actions rather than words, giving me all the means possible to succeed in emerging.. He has always been a supporter of mine."
La General Store He liked it at first sight. So far, he's worked with team manager Beghini, sporting director Calosso, and the new trainer who's given him the foundation to get back on track. He noticed the great organization and took note of the upcoming eventsThis weekend he will be on a team-building retreat with the team, where he will have the opportunity to meet all the rest of the staff. In December they will go on retreat in BenidormIt's another step towards the big group, with the feeling that we will hear more about him in the future.
