At a certain point, on a downhill stretch of the Italian championship, Cosma Gabriele Rausa heard a fan cheering him on. "Go Pippo! Go Pippo!"». His teammates at D'Amico-UM Tools, but also the few fans back home, call him that, because he's almost 1,90 m tall and resembles Ganna if only for his measurements. But that fan was too nervous, thought the eighteen-year-old from Puglia, so he turned around and behind him, level on his bike like a fighter jet, he recognized the real Goofy. And he had a stroke.
"It was a stretch where he was pushing quite hard," she smiles, "and I felt a little shaky. He was really close. And I thought that if I had been the cause of a fall, I would not have been able to forgive myself.So I was super careful. And then, when the rush calmed down a bit, I went to introduce myself. We exchanged a greeting, he didn't make a fuss, then he started talking to Affini again and I went back.. I didn't want to disturb him."
Having had him alongside you for a few kilometers, did you understand the secret of such strength?
The posture of the back on the bike was almost horizontal, parallel to the frame, so it was very aerodynamicOn his bike he cut through the wind in an impressive way, despite his size. And then I also noticed the cadence was quite high when going uphill, but at the same time the pedalling was very smoothEven on the plains, he could easily stand out from the others precisely because of his pedaling cadence.
Maturity in progress
Cosma Gabriele Rausa will turn 19 on July 16th, while on the 4th (next Tuesday) he will have the oral exam for his final examHe's studying to be an accountant, but this year his dream has become a rider. Not before, at least not that much. He even quit.
The Apulian from Casarano, a town of 20 thousand inhabitants in the heart of Salento, found himself racing the professional tricolor. His team manager Ivan De Paolis He chose this way, in the midst of a season that also included the Giro di Sicilia and the Appennino. Cosma had come to Abruzzo to accompany a friend and found himself wearing a jersey.
So why the tricolor with the pros at 18 years old?
We decided this with the team. Because in the end Racing with professionals is a thrill and also an experience that makes more sense to do now than when you're older.When I found myself on the starting line, I had the guys from Mg.KVis next to me and also Davide Ballerini, who had taken a seat in the shade and was fiddling with a bag full of ice..
What spirit do you have when you embark on an Italian pro championship, knowing you have such a short cycling history behind you?
We start with great determination. You have to be sure of yourself, do your best, even knowing that you will never get results.But if you set out with the strength to break away or make some moves, doing everything you can to show off, then it's a worthwhile experience.
And how did it go?
It was a bit of a difficult race, because I arrived not in the best shape. Last week I didn't do much training, I had some problems, so I arrived in Trentino not feeling 100 percent. I tried to do something at the beginning, but the pace was quite high. I stayed in the group as much as possible to try to increase my race pace. Suffer as much as possible to improve my performance ability.
How long have you been cycling and why did you choose cycling?
I was 12, so that's about 6 years. I don't have any cyclists in my family and especially in Puglia there is very little. I remember some friends who used to compete in my town, I saw them and eventually I started too. At first it was always a game, last year I also started working as a lifeguard. Now it's really got to me. I thought becoming a professional was an impossible goal to achieve, but now I'm believing in it more.I'm working much better.
Who do you train with when you're at home?
Unfortunately I always go alone, there are very few people hereSometimes I meet a friend from Puglia, and every now and then we meet up with him and the trainer and we go out together, but only on Sundays if there aren't any races.
Did playing in the Italian championship during your final exams convince you?
If you have the ability to spread out your study days, there is no problem. It's the same for everyday training. I'm used to it, it's not a big commitment.But for example, I missed the two days when I had the written tests and this may have taken something away from my preparation for the Italian championship. Those 2-3 training sessions could have been important before the race..
How was the trip from Casarano to Trento?
It took forever, I spent 13 hours. When I arrived in Trentino, I had the feeling of being at the end of the worldI left by train, then I got off in Bologna where the team picked me up. And On the way back I took the train on Saturday evening and arrived in Lecce on Sunday morning at 10, travelling all night.It was a bit tough, but at least I didn't lose a day of studying. I'm not rushing between now and the exams. I was supposed to take a rest period, which is coming along very well now.
What do you like about cycling?
The fact of push yourself further when you're really at your limit on the climb, overcoming the threshold of fatigue. This makes it a beautiful sport.
