Gianmarco garofoli He's back in the saddle! And he's back in the saddle in every sense of the word this time. And Maurizio Mazzoleni must add him back to the list of athletes to follow. The talent from the Marche region ofAstana Qazaqstan Development Team he resumed training after the heart problem he had in spring.
An illness, almost certainly caused by Covid, had knocked him out. We ourselves told you about his long days at home, unable to do anything at all. About the Giro U23 "seen from the couch," but also about his great desire to get back on track during the days when he trained to exhaustion on Dr. Corsetti's orders to make sure everything was okay.
Agreed height
We closed the interview with Garofoli by writing: "If they give me the okay, I'll pack my bags and head up to the mountains right away." He was true to his word!
«When he was given the all-clear after myocarditis – explains Mazzoleni – Gianmarco followed the procedure (the health protocol required for his return, ed.), then he went to high altitude. This choice was agreed with the doctor's medical staff. Corsets and ours, led by Dr. Emilio Magni. And once these steps were completed and the approval was obtained, he was able to resume his actual athletic training. But it must be said that he had already started pedaling again in the previous monthIn short, he didn't go there from scratch, but he had a base. The climate at high altitude was more congenial, especially in this very hot summer."
hands He had previously mentioned the need for the player from the Marche region to restart with extreme calm, and Mazzoleni explains how this extreme calm, so to speak, was implemented. The Lombard coach explains that the work was carried out as gradually as possible.
"AND I can assure you that going gradually with Gianmarco and his enthusiasm is not easy! He always wanted to do better, always something more. But I have to say he was very good at sticking to the program."
Mazzoleni's work this time was more calibrated than ever. And it went hand in hand, as he himself explains, with the timing and needs dictated by Dr. Magni's control.
Blue return
So good that A timeline has been identified for Garofoli's return: he will be in the Giro di Puglia Challenge triptych in mid-September. The technical commissioner, Marino Amadori, has already sent him the routes and Garofoli is studying them.
This return is very important, not so much for this season, but for the next one. It means starting over "on an equal footing" with others. It means having a much more peaceful winter. A bit of what was said di Bernal with LongFirst we need to recover the rider, then the champion.
«Gianmarco – says Mazzoleni – will come down from the hill in a few days and then he will return to racing in the Apulian trio. And he will do it with the U23 national team, which cares a lot about him. I'm happy he's returning to the national team. It'll be an added motivation for him.
«From there, having taken that first step, We will define the calendar with our Development team and if everything goes well we will evaluate whether to include it in some races of the Italian pro calendar, given that there is this great opportunity for interaction between the youth team and the first team. And I think a nice reward for him too after such a troubled year».
Garofoli Determination
In Livigno, Garofoli also trained with some colleagues from the WorldTour. One day, for example, he was cycling with Simone Velasco, who, speaking to us on the phone, told us: "Hey, I'm out of breath. Garofoli's wringing my neck!"
«As we have seen Gianmarco is a very determined boy – says Mazzoleni – and this is a very positive aspect, both for his age and for the desire to achieve the goals he has in mind, which are very clear.
«It's up to us to accompany him on this journey. To me, as a coach, to Martinelli and Maini as sporting directors who have extensive experience with young talent. They will be able to advise him best."
In the name of Scarponi
«For his part – Mazzoleni continues to tell with passion – garofoli He has a lot of faith in us and that's also why he made this choice to come to Astana. But we also knew him from the lower categories and we already had a good relationship.
«Think, a few years ago, talking among ourselves, “Safety shoes"(Michele Scarponi, ed) He told us that he knew a promising young boy in his area. And that when he stopped racing, he would like to work to develop talents… and Gianmarco would be one of them. And so This is also why Maini, “Martino” and I are proud to carry forward this “mission” that Scarpa had set himself».
