We reach you by phone Marco Garzelli at 9am, just before the daily training begins. Born in Valencia in 2005, it's no coincidence that his surname might remind you of something. In fact, Marco is Stefano's eldest son, winner of the 2000 Giro d'Italia, now sports director and sports commentator for Rai.
"Today I'm going to the gym and then I'm going to roller skate for an hour and a half," he tells us immediately, "because it's been raining here in Spain for a few days now." But If we contacted him, it's not because he's an artist's son, but for his personal sporting career. Obsolete and therefore interesting. In fact Marco Garzelli has I started cycling again a year ago, after having completely abandoned cycling for four years.
Marco, it was almost inevitable that you would go cycling… or wasn't it?
Let's say that having the father that I have, the passion for cycling has always been at homeI've experienced it since I was little. Then in 2014 he and my mother founded the Stefano Garzelli Academy and I ran there until I stopped. The most my name is a tribute to Pantani, who was a great friend of my dad. Obviously I never met him due to anagraphic reasons, but I've seen a lot of videos, my dad told me a lot about it, so his influence is there always been anyway.
Was coming from this family just an incentive or sometimes also a bit of a burden?
People sometimes ask me this, but for me there's no downside. It depends on how you approach it. You don't have to compare yourself to him, think you have to do the sameYou have to think that yes, he has done great things in cycling, but it is an incentive. Having a champion at home is a support, something very rare that few kids are lucky enough to have. So for me there was no pressure, but the opposite.
Marco, why did you decide to quit?
I've never been a phenomenon, but At 13, I won a few races and was very motivated. Then in 2020, I switched to apprenticeship, and that's when I started to struggle a lot. I trained well, but in the race something didn't workThe beginning of 2021 was also tough, I wasn't feeling well, I wasn't happy, so I couldn't even train properly, until I left between April and May of that year. From that moment on, in 4 years I got on a bike twice, I completely disappeared from the cycling worldI didn't even go to watch my younger brother's races.
And then what changed?
During the whole period in which I wasn't cycling I started going to the gym. Last year but when the flood came here in Valencia we couldn't go anywhere and all the gyms were closed. So one day, to do some sport, I made the rollsFrom there I started going out on my bike again and, little by little, I started pedaling again.
And has the passion returned?
I've been riding my bike all my life, since I was 5 or 6 years old. My dream since I was a child has always been to become a professional. Except for those 4 years of break of course, but then once back in the saddle I got back the desire and the idea of that dream, and now I'm working hard to bridge the gap.
So was that break helpful to you?
The team I was racing with before I stopped was the best and my teammates were the best in Spain, they won almost every race. However Now almost everyone has stopped. So maybe if I had continued I would have stopped too, but definitely. Instead I quit at 15, before I could squeeze myself completely, and in the meantime I saw and did other things, I gave myself time to understand what I really wanted. And in this way Now that I'm back on my bike I do it with the same passion a child would.But now I have much more experience. Sure, 4 years without touching the bike is a long time, but from what we're seeing the dream of becoming a professional is achievable. So that break was a great opportunity for me.
In the meantime, have you started competing again?
The first ones were already in February of this year, but they were races open to everyone, almost amateur, and I ran alone, without a team, to regain confidence. Then in May I found a team, the ESSAX Svico Foundation, one of the 3-4 teams here in Valencia. They gave me this great opportunity and I have to thank them very much because it is not at all a given to take back a 19 year old boy which has been stopped for so long.
And how did you find yourself cycling among the U23s?
Better than expected. I was surprised that I was able to fit in well in a group., because before I was a little scared. Actually it was one of the reasons that made me quit. Instead, this year I saw that I was easily in the top positions, I'm comfortable, even my parents pointed it out to me. Then maybe I would drop on the climbs, but that fear was goneI also thought there was more tactics among the U23s, but in the medium level races it's still like in the youth categories, you run a bit against everyone.
Will you be with them next year?
No, I'm going for a run at Natural Greatness Rali Alè together with my brother, who will be in his first year as an U23. The goal is to continue learning, because you never stop. And to continue growing. Last year I started from a level of -100, so this is the first year I've had a normal season, let's say. I want to prove my level, even to myself, I also have to see where they can goFor now, I see improvements every week, even after the races, but that's normal considering I had a lot of ground to make up for.
Have you already set your sights on any particular races?
No specific race, also because I still have to really understand what kind of rider I am. For now I know I have a good quick idea and to be able to compete in a limited sprint, but even here everything remains to be seen. The preparation is going well and I aim to do well in the first part of the season. to prove that I can be a good rider to all those who are believing in me, but above all to myself. And then we'll see.
