With the arrival of Andrea Raccagni Noviero the Italian junior duo who will move to the Soudal-Quick Step Devo TeamThe topic of young people carrying suitcases is a hot and burning one, because it weighs on the future of the Italian movement.
"My aspiration," Raccagni says on the train, "since the beginning of the year, and since last season too, was to race outside Italy. I saw the local movement as a bit monotonous, I consider moving up to the under 23s as a continuation of the junior categoryThe goal of the season was to show off: I hadn't won much on the road and until the track world championships I hadn't had any contact with foreign teams. Shortly before retiring, I met Moreno Nicoletti, my agent, and we thought about the possibility of leavingThere was nothing concrete until the World Championships, he had contact with Soudal-Quick Step and in a short time everything came together."
How did you feel when the deal was concluded?
I felt like I had realized a dream of mine.
Where does your earlier comment about under-23s come from?
This year, thanks to the movement with the national team, we ran a lot abroad. We tested ourselves on different roads and routesI noticed that running international races was different than running under-23 races in Italy.
But you didn't run among the under 23s.
True, but we're talking about riders, especially us who at the Work we have the under teamPlus, I watch the races.
Let's get back to the juniors. What difference have you noticed between racing abroad and here?
First of all, they already have different training methods. In Italy, people focus on doing long hours at medium speed, whereas there, they focus a lot on intensity. Even the mentality is different, they are more bold, they remind us of the way Van Der Poel or Van Aert race., always “full throttle”. They are very strong guys, physically and mentally.
It's the teams that teach you to run like that…
True, the training methods are certainly different, plus doing international races and especially in stages helps you grow a lot. They are used to a higher level, inevitably when we clash with them we suffer.
Let us understand.
Let me give you an example: if a rider here is fighting for victory every Sunday, he has to be careful not to get stuck in the fans or on the little roads. There is no question that the race is played in sprint or on the last climb, there is always a high pace, it is a continuous warIn Italy this year things were a little different because many of the guys raced abroad and brought that mentality here.
Is there more intensity?
Absolutely. We were racing in Holland, the guy who won, Max van der Meulen made an action in a section of curves before a windy area that cut the legs off half the groupThose are well-rehearsed, studied tactics, things you don't see in Italy. They know when to stay ahead, when to attack, when to push...
You who ran against these guys, do you think you've already learned something?
I learned a lot about the position, At the Gent-Wevelgem juniors, to take the cobbled sections in front you had to pass on the sidewalks… Crazy stuff! The real competition and effort comes before the breakaway; that's a consequence of tactics and movements studied beforehand.
In those countries they do a lot of cyclocross activity, here in Italy we only do track, is there a bit of differentiation missing?
I do track myself and it has given me a lot. It is known that many young winners, like Herzog, do MTB or cyclocross. Doing that kind of dual activity allows him to give something extra.
Maybe it's not about the immediate but about what they can learn?
These are disciplines that leave a lasting impression on you even afterward, it's a different mentality. If you think about it, an Italian rider is used to getting to the end of the season and quitting.They attack the number and get into the mud. It can be a double-edged sword, but if you learn to manage it, you can do it for most of your career. There are many pros who enjoy this dual activity, you just need to find the right balance with the team.
It's about having connections between all facets of cycling: teams, disciplines, and categories...
The connection between under-23s and professionals is crucial. To advance, an Italian rider must win and always be at the front, and even then, it can be difficult. What I think is the added value of a Devo is that even if you are not a winner but you are going strong, you are already inThey evaluate other characteristics, they allow you to have more opportunities. That's what he says. Bragato in your interview.
Have you read it? What do you think?
I completely agree with you. In Soudal-Quick Step we've already talked about periodization of the training plan, It means planning times for when you're ready and going strong.I also think that if the Italian under 23 teams had the opportunity to go they would go to run in Europe. However, not all sponsors are in favour, costs are rising and victories are decreasing.. In Work it was different.
In what sense?
They allowed us to race a lot abroad, they preferred to take us there to gain experience rather than let us win a race in a sprint here. It was a good book to study from, and it gave me the right mindset and drive to look, try it all the way and throw myself into this experience.
What do you expect from this new adventure?
In the first year I will learn a lot and take a lot of beatings. I will have to be ready to lend a hand to my teammates between February and April, months of my first periodization phase. Then we'll see what I can do in the second year.
And the track?
I don't want to abandon her. We only have one velodrome, the one in Montichiari, and if you're there, you can't train on the road. But if and when the manager calls, I'll answer. The blue jersey must be honored, always.
