With thirty years of professional career behind him, Davide rebellin It is a witness to a cycling of the past, it has crossed the century facing great joys and profound disappointments. He knew the absolute top of the international movement but also the rejection of that same environmentHe's become a benchmark for young athletes, but also a bit of an outsider in elite races. At 51, the San Bonifacio native has decided to retire from road racing, but he'll stay in the sport because his desire to compete doesn't wane with age.
To retrace his entire history, we chose to focus on a few moments, a sort of crossroads through which his career developed. Each race is like a chapter in a novel, told in the first person and still waiting to be revealed...
The amateur years
"I'd already made a name for myself as a junior, even winning a world gold medal in my category, in the 100-kilometer team race in Moscow. When I moved up a category, I immediately realized how much things had changed; it was serious, the competition was fierce. I had many falls and only won one race, but I didn't lose heart. In 1991, however, the situation changed dramatically: Over 10 race wins, success at the Giro delle Regioni, gold at the Mediterranean Games, silver at the road world championships.
«That was an extraordinary generation, with Bartoli, Pantani, Belli, but I blossomed before everyone else. In 1992 everyone was talking about me as the favorite for the Olympic Games, but the Barcelona course wasn't suited to my characteristics, even though we had worked with Zenos throughout the year thinking about that event, even going to high altitude. The route was not selective, when Casartelli he left with two other riders, I stayed there to cover and all things considered it was the right choice. I felt Fabio's victory was also a bit mine."
The first classics
«I turned professional soon after, but it took me a while to emerge. In 1997, I moved to Française des Jeux, which was interested in me for the Tour. The year before, I had been 6th in the Giro and 7th in the Vuelta, and they had signed me thinking I was a Grand Tour rider. But that summer, I wasn't doing well at all; I always ended up in the sprinters' group in the mountain stages.. But as the days went by, things started to get going and I left the Tour with great form. In San Sebastian I was flying and won the race in a sprint, seven days later I repeated the feat at the Swiss GP in Zurich, mocking ullrich that came from the yellow jersey at the Tour. Those victories unlocked me and transformed me: I was no longer a stage race rider, but a classics hunter."
A week from God…
People still often talk to me about what happened in 2004, about how I managed to win three major classics in one week. I call it my "holy week." I'd often come close to winning in Liège, finishing second in 2001 and third the year before. That week, I was in unprecedented form, but I was coming off a pretty lackluster period, so I was also hungry for victories. I started with the Amstel beating Boogerd in the two-man sprint, then at the Freccia which I was running with Liège in mind, I made the difference on the Mure de Huy with Di Luca 3” behind. I could say I was satisfied. I certainly left for Liège with a clear mind; I'd done my part. That way, things come even easier, you take more risks without having anything to lose. I ended up beating Boogerd again, which wasn't a happy week for him…».
The Arrow of 2007
"La Freccia was becoming "my" race. Over the years, I had memorized every section of that decisive wall, I knew where to launch, because in that moment it's crucial not to make mistakes. They say it's a race for climbers, but that's not really the case; it's for explosive people; you need a lot of power to tame those slopes. You have to take the climb in the right position, don't start too early, and tackle the curves in the right way. If you have the right form you can play it. I didn't make any mistakes that day, it ended up behind Valverde at 6” and it seems strange to me that 15 years later we close together…».
The Pain of Beijing 2008
«Many years have passed and the suffering has faded a bit, but a lot of that event remains with me: the great joy of the race and that silver medal, just a hair's breadth away from the Spaniard. SanchezThe suspension came six months later, and the legal fees drained my bank accounts. I lost two years and wanted to come back as a winner, but I noticed that many in the industry were turning a blind eye, not even wanting to listen to my arguments, and that didn't change even when I was acquitted. I could get that medal back, but I would have to appeal to the CAS in Switzerland and it would cost too much…».
Victory at 44 years old
"The Agostoni Cup 2015 has a special flavour: at 44 years old I showed that I still had a lot to give. It was a beautiful victory because it was achieved by force, in a breakaway with Nibali e boots with Michele who was the one who worked the hardest and then gave up. I found myself playing for the victory with Vincenzo Nibali who was coming from the triumph of the Tour, but the group was coming back, in fact Looking at the photo it seems like I'm winning a bunch sprint, but it wasn't like that...».
The last seasons
I've seen it all: some called me ridiculous because I was still around riders less than half my age, while others approached me out of curiosity and asked me why. Lots of kids asked me for advice, telling me they'd seen videos of my victories. Many children and their parents have approached me, almost encouraged by my example. Even on social media, where, like everyone else, I've received both good and bad messages.
«And now? First of all, I will continue to collaborate with the Dynatek, a company of which I am part for the development of their bikes, I want to help the company grow and at the same time I want to discover more and more of this new world of gravel. I'm excited about the opportunity to explore different places by pedaling. Maybe I'll still do some races, with these new bikes, so I can keep fit...".
