BUJA – “Now I’m going to tell you something I don’t think you’re expecting,” says De Marchi when asked what the most unforgettable moment of his career is, “because we’d all go back to the images we saw a moment ago. Actually one of the moments that I remember the most is my birthdayMy birthday is May 19th, and May means the Giro d'Italia. For my 2018 birthday, my Red Passion fans (that's how they called themselves) were waiting for me on the Zoncolan. And during the Giro d'Italia stage, I reached them, stopped, had them all sing me happy birthday, drank a glass of beer and then went to the finish line. That is one of the moments that will remain indelible in my memory."
It's Alessandro De Marchi's farewell party, and it couldn't have been held anywhere else but in the Buja that gave him his birthplace and nickname. The Red never thought of going abroad, even if he could have. He built his house not far from the village, because between him and his mountains there is a bond that can only be fully understood by seeing him here among his people. It all started in the early afternoon with the gymkhana for the children, wanted to recreate the magic that made him a rider many years ago.
Then the big group moved to this party space on the Mone di Buja, in the flow of images and memories. When someone who has been a professional for 15 seasons stops, the legacy of emotions and lessons is necessarily enormousThe feeling that not everything will go to waste is confirmed in the announcement that next year De Marchi will get on the flagship of the Jayco-AlUla and his work alongside young people will continue, albeit with a different register.
The crisp air of autumn
The air outside is starting to get chilly, Autumn brought colors and suitable temperaturesThe children continue to play with their bikes, but one by one they are sent home by their parents, because on Monday they have to go to school and there's really no need to get sick. Alessandro stays outside, observes and in the meantime tellsThe feeling that he still doesn't realize is strong and he recognizes it first.
“The time has come to say enough,” he whispers. “It has arrived with a smile and the right serenity. It wasn't a bolt from the blue, I communicated it before and for me it was importantMaybe it wasn't a choice everyone understood, but I needed to be clear first with myself and then with those who followed me. So it was right to say it, so as not to go back. It was a slow process that culminated last winter. Then, little by little, I shared it with those closest to me, then with the team and the rest of the cycling world."
The mountains of Friuli
His wife Anna looks like a spinning top, caught between the sons Andrea and Giovanni, the things to do for the party and many greetingsLuckily, there are her grandparents and friends who relieve her of some of the burdens. But then again, just look around to understand that the children are safe, looked after by everyone, like in a large village family.
"The idea of doing something for the children," Alessandro continues, "came a little later in the summer, when we were thinking about how to celebrate. And in the end... remembering how I started, we asked ourselves why not recreate a similar situation and somehow close the circle. I don't know if my children will become cyclists, but I'm happy that they love cycling. The important thing is that they find a way to express themselves., whatever it is, even playing an instrument. I was a child too, the journey was long and at a certain point it pushed me to leave.
«You know that I have always distanced myself from these mountains, but in a certain sense never completelyNow I look at them with a different eye and they will continue to be the place I cannot and do not want to do withoutI want to stay here, even if my life will continue in the world of cycling, even if it's on the other side of the fence. The first effect of quitting? Being able to drink a few more beers and be less harsh on myself..."
The honor of the wheels
The moment of farewell to the Veneto Classic moved him. The honor of the wheels. The bikes were all standing and he, like others before him, was passing through them. along the corridor that in a few hours would take him out of the group.
«It was nice – he says – because now it has become a sort of tradition and it was something I looked forward toYou step out of your running world and hope you've left something behind. The desire to follow one's instincts, keep doing the things you likeObviously, in this job you're always forced to respond to different needs, those of the team, and the world around you. Instead, perhaps, to continue to enjoy and be happy with this type of work, you have to be able to stay true to the momentum that led you to choose the bikeIt won't be easy, we know how cycling goes, but I would like to have managed to get this message across to those closest to me."
The committed interviews
And here the discussion becomes more intimate, in a sort of confession that we feel like making to him especially observing the latest world events and often the silence of the peloton and its most authoritative voices. While the Vuelta was being dragged and stopped by pro-Palestinian protests, almost none of those who were inside said a single word on the subject, as if they were inhabitants of different worlds. Instead, after the Tour, De Marchi had admitted in an interview with The Observer who would have had difficulty racing today in the Israel Premier Tech jersey he wore for two seasons. It's inevitable now. ask him if exposing himself so much and our request to do so was a burden to him and if so many “committed” interviews prevented him from seeking lightness in what he did.
«Maybe sometimes – he admits – I could have been more light-hearted, something we have often talked about among ourselves, especially with my wife Anna and with those closest to usBut in the end one finds a way to express oneself with a certain style and in reality those who know me well, know that I too have moments when I seek lightness».
The sense of community
We didn't expect a different answer and Perhaps this is the reason why Rosso di Buja has become a sort of flag for people who recognize themselves in its transparency., at the risk of sounding harsh. And now that everyone is here for him, the sense of belonging feels really strong.
“I hoped and knew that Buja would respond like this,” he says. “It’s the nature of this area and these people. When called, she is ready to become a community, to be available, to help, to participate. For this reason we have combined the desire to stay close to the group with the celebration. Let's Cut the Thirst, a group of volunteers who have been following me for many years and whom I support by doing things together. They work incredibly hard, you can trust them. They were the first ones I contacted and the first ones to respond positively.We know that what we collect this evening goes in a good direction, to dig wells where water is lacking and that makes everything more beautiful, right?
They call him from inside. The proceeds from the entrance fee and the sale of wine will have a noble destinationSo it's time to fill the glasses that have kindly been hung around our necks, as is the custom in Friuli, and begin the second part of the celebration. When, at the end of the evening, the cutting of the cake will mark the end of Alessandro De Marchi's career, We too will have the feeling for one evening of having been part of a very large family.
