Eighteen victories, an Italian time trial championship, a Gold Cup in his collection, and a winning streak that strikes fear into any opponent. Calm down…He's only 16 years old, his name is Alessio Magagnotti and lives in Avio (Trento)He was the first in the family to get on a bike to compete, followed by his siblings Eric and Asia, who shared his passion. Since G2 he has raced in the CC Forti e Veloci of Trento, next year he has chosen the Autozai Petrucci ContriA personal decision that is surprising given its age. The prosecutors have already contacted him, but now he's only interested in winning and enjoying every pedal stroke without pressure.
Alessio, let's start from the beginning. How did your passion for cycling begin?
I started from G2 at 8 years old in the CC Forti e Veloci. In my family, my grandfather Angelo and my uncle Andrea passed on their passion to me.It all started by chance; no one in our house had ever run before. Now my brother is a sophomore and my sister is a junior.
You'll be a junior in 2024. Where will you race?
I will run in the Autozai Petrucci Contri.
How were these two years as a student? Have you always had a winning streak?
Oh yeah, come on. My freshman year I won 6, and this year I've won 18.
And as a rookie?
In my first year, which was the Covid year, I won 5 out of the 8 we played. In my second year, I won 14.
Physically, were you a little more developed than the others? When you win in those categories, the first thought is always that…
From the first year I was one of those furthest behind. In my sophomore year, I stood up and caught up with my peers.
Let's go back to the decision to move to Autozai Petrucci Contri. How did it come about?
Autozai had never signed anyone from CC Forti e Veloci, but after I had a good season, they called me. They came to talk to me already in my first year as a student, at the end of 2022. Then they came back in March. Many other teams came, but I decided on AutozaiIt's also quite convenient because it's not far from my house (the team is based in Illasi, in the province of Verona, ed.), but above all because They made a good impression on me right away.
Do you know anyone who's been there?
Not directly. I know they ran there. Affini, Zana and Mozzato.
Did your parents help you make this decision?
No, I wanted to choose on my own because I didn't want to be influenced by anyone.
Have any attorneys ever contacted you?
Yes, even before the Gold Cup. Then after that victory, enough people came asking.
Are you being followed by an attorney now?
No, I've always said that if I go fast, agents are still not needed, because teams come naturally. I'll know their importance later, but for now I'd rather do without them.
There's been a steady stream of news these days about Italians going abroad to compete in the Junior Championship. Auto Eder has just opened its doors to this category. If you'd had the chance, would you have gone?
As a junior I prefer to stay close to home, also because with school and everything it would be difficult to manage and I don't want to rush things.
What school do you go to? Do you like it?
I'm a computer technician in Rovereto. I like it and I want to finish it, then I'll decide.
Yours was a record-breaking season. The Coppa d'Oro was a bit of a highlight. How did it feel to win it?
It was a great emotion. I thought I would do well, but not win it., because there was a lot of climbing anyway. I was coming back from vacation and had recently started cycling again. I had also gained a bit of weight, so I didn't expect to win it.
You're a student and you still need to define your characteristics. How do you like to describe yourself?
Il my dream was to become a climber, but my physique isn't like that and I see myself as more of a versatile person. I always feel comfortable and can handle climbs.
Who is your role model rider?
My idol has always been Peter Sagan. Today I'd say Van der Poel. I like the way he races and the way he wins.
With all these victories, you're getting a lot of attention. How do you handle them? Do they put you under pressure?
Good. For now, I'm trying to do my best, not listening to others, even if you know they're watching. I try not to pressure myself. I go to races to win, not to get in the top 10, but I don't stress myself too much anyway.
How will you spend this winter? What hobbies do you have?
I've been off the bike for a month since the last race. Now I'm doing running, gymnastics and a bit of roller skating to stay in shape. I really like going skiing, it's fun.
