Next Friday will be an important moment for Italian gravel, with the test of the UCI World Series set up in Orosei (UCI photo at the beginning). It will be the second Italian race included in the top circuit after the Monsterrato Bike which will take place next August 31st with a new organizing committee. It will be an important experiment also because the Sardinian race is set in a completely different context, that is, enters the Tour of Sardinia for amateurs, which for many years has been a regular event for Granfondo enthusiasts and cycling enthusiasts in general, combining competitive cycling with discovery of the island.
The pillar of the Italian national team will naturally be Daniel Oss, world vice-champion who channeled all his passion into gravel once his long professional career was over and has already formed a specific opinion on the Sardinian race.
«It's a test for specialists – he says – and In some ways I'm happy about it because it means that the discipline is evolvingI also notice that the level is rising very rapidly and there's a move towards longer races. Moreover, the Sardinian race will also be particularly important as it will be a qualifying event for the major events that will take place later in the year."
Compared to when you entered this world, what evolution have you noticed?
First of all, there's a more attractive and varied calendar, which is a testament to the growth of the movement as a whole. There's increased interest, and this is also fostering internal evolution within the movement. I see kids who are oriented towards this new discipline, I see above all groups that are evolving into real teams. And these are the harbingers of a discipline that's gaining ground. In racing, we increasingly see teamwork similar to that of road cycling. It's an increasingly technical world, yet it leaves room for the amateur who wants to explore the area on his bike. I see this through the feedback on my social media channels, and this leads to ever greater investment from companies.
Gravel used to be seen as a cross between road and mountain biking: do you think it's moving in one direction or the other?
Even if we're talking about off-road, it's more oriented towards the road because you don't need great technical skills, you have more metabolic activity. Competitive evolution is a consequence closely linked to the road, but for me gravel continues to have an identity that is even more linked to pure fun.
Do you consider yourself a gravelist?
I am someone who has lived his whole life on the road bike, I've traveled the world and raced with the greatest champions so I'll always be a road racerIt's also difficult to express yourself after 15 years as a pro with teammates who've won everything. Here I'm more in a mood of discovery. I like the racing aspect, but I pay a lot of attention to the background. It's clear, however, that when I wear the number, I take everything very seriously.
What memories do you have of Sardinia?
We used to hold Liquigas training camps here, then there was the Giro di Sardegna which I raced alongside Sagan who won two stages. Who knows, maybe I can bring back some other good memories, even from a competitive point of view...
Scarpitti's intuition
The GiroSardegnaGravel was born from an idea by Tonino Shoes, one of the historical figures who experienced first-hand the evolution of Italian granfondo cycling since the last century, which took everyone by surprise.
"Everyone told me, 'Why would you do that?'" he says. "But I'm absolutely convinced of my choice because I know gravel is about to explode. It's going to be a resounding success, and this area is ideal for showcasing it. I'll say it bluntly, it's the most beautiful track of all the World Series.But where can you find a trail that crosses Berchidda beach right by the water, or that passes through pastures of sheep and cows? That's the beauty of gravel: it can offer something never seen before.
How did you manage to invent a race and immediately insert it into the top circuit?
It wasn't easy to convince the UCI, but The Giro di Sardegna is known as one of the top amateur events, which every year attracts a percentage of foreign riders not seen in other races. The gravel race fits into this context. We made it clear from the start that, For those taking part in the Giro, participation in the gravel race is not mandatory. It's also out of the rankings because not everyone could bring two bikes. But the response from amateurs has been very encouraging.
You're used to speaking to long-distance riders. How did you find yourself in a different context like the World Series?
Well, but I would like to point out an aspect that I didn't expect: many have chosen to come to ride exclusively in the race on April 28th, combining gravel with tourism and this is a choice that should make us think, also because most of them come from abroad.
Let's talk about the route…
The UCI has imposed the rule of laps of at least 40 kilometers, this means that men under 60 will race in the morning on three laps equal to 147,9 kilometers, while women and the older male categories will race on two laps equal to 106,8 km. It's a challenging route, with almost 2.000 metres of altitude difference, I believe it will be very selective but smooth., when we designed it we thought of an average of 39 an hour.
When you thought about this race, did you foresee it as a “one-off”?
Yes and no, in the sense that if everything goes as we hope the experience will be repeated, given the approval of the UCI, but We are thinking of making it a travelling event because Sardinia has many beautiful places that we want to make knownWe plan to move towards Olbia, Alghero, and even Cagliari. I want to be a pioneer of gravel biking in this area; after all, these days, anyone who wants to go cycle touring buys a gravel bike or an e-bike.
