We often complain about the state of youth cycling in the South and the difficulties young people have in emerging. But are we sure that things are so different in the North? The issue has returned to the forefront thanks to the victory of Domenico Cirlincione at the San Giuseppe Grand Prix. The standard bearer of General Store He comes from Cuneo and knows the Piedmontese reality well, which is certainly not as simple as one might think. considering that, for the characters he has been able to give to the history of two wheels, one would expect much more.
Cirlincione is a cyclist by family tradition: «I have been racing bikes since I can remember – he says the day after his success – My father, however, reflects exactly that profile of a rider from the south who moved to the north to run, he comes from Sicily. Then he found work in Cuneo and stayed when he put his bike aside. He took me to the Sc Vigor Piasco where he was sports director among the very young, then he passed me on to Fabio Rinaldi e Mattia Pozzo among the juniors. From this point of view I was lucky..."
Why?
Because I found myself in a team where tranquility reigned, there were no particular expectations. This helped me to grow, then from U23 I continued to evolve, two years with the Ecotek Hen and since last year at the General Store.
Why did you change halfway through your tenure in the category?
I didn't feel bad in Turchetti's team, the first two years were useful, but At a certain point it was decided that the club would leave the Continental and I instead wanted that dimension to maintain an adequate calendarWe parted on good terms; with General Store, I found exactly what I was looking for. The first year, however, was difficult because I fell several times in the first races and lost a lot of time getting into top form. My self-esteem had dropped, and by the end, when I recovered, it was a bit late.
2025 has started with a much different attitude…
This year I started more calmly, looking at the international spring classics, but perhaps It is precisely this disenchantment that made me feel lighter and therefore more efficient for the first races of the season up to the victory in Civitanova Marche. Comparing the two teams, both are dedicated to supporting their riders, the fact is that the schedule is more packed.
Let's talk about your geographic background: what's it like running and trying to stand out coming from Cuneo? Is there anything going on in your area?
It's an interesting topic. There are companies here, you see. Mattio and then in my area some riders have emerged even in the last few seasons, for example Oils e Cocoon. Maybe the problem is that around here there are no big teams in the junior field and I think this comes a lot from the cultural setting that we give to the activityHere, the focus is primarily on having fun, on leaving the kids (and I include the students) free to get the most out of the activity, to stay in this world, without weighing too much on the results. It's clear, however, that the fun is best when you go fast and the results come as a consequence.
What does this mean?
That we grow up with the desire to train, always taking the activity as a gameI say that from this point of view the system works, clearly then we get to the point of finding space beyond our regional borders to continue growing and making this game something more.
However, this also means that there is a different specific weight compared to other regions in the north...
In fact, many teams, especially from Lombardy, come to these parts to do the transfer market. The kids are encouraged to accept because they're given everything, including the bike. In the clubs here, however, there's a different mentality. For example, I had and used my own bike until I turned under 23. Let's not forget that the tradition in these areas is closely tied to off-road riding.
What awaits you now?
I'm at Coppi and Bartali but I know I'll find a very high level, I'm not going to get results but to prepare for the classics of the category, among which I can't wait to race the Recioto with which I have a love/hate relationshipBecause I think it's the race best suited to me, but for one reason or another, I never manage to get there in the right shape. Let's hope this is the right year; I really want to have fun there...
