Not all riders' holidays are the same; some head off to exotic destinations, while others prefer to stay home. Alessandro Romele He belongs to the second group (opening photo by NB Srl). A break in places he knows like the back of his hand and a few day trips are a great way to recharge his batteries.
«This year with the Colpack-Ballan – says Romele – We traveled a lot to go to all the scheduled racesThis was also hard work and since I'm not used to it, I preferred not to leave again and to rest here at my house. I went on some trips to the mountains, some car rides and the days passed quickly anyway."
Europe in the round
His second season as an under-23 saw him make a significant leap in quality, so much so that even the highest levels of cycling took notice. The call also came from Astana Qazaqstan, from the development team to be precise.. Gianluca Valoti, sporting director of Colpack-Ballan, had told us at the beginning of last season that the goal would be to race a lot abroad too.
«And so it was – Romele states – we made some races with a capital "G"This was the goal at the start of the season, and I'm happy it was achieved. After a year of regional and national competitions (2022, ed.), a step forward was needed. All this is necessary for the purposes of maturity, to see what level there is abroad and how it is to run in other contexts. Commitments that also passed with the Amadori national team, with which I raced: Orleans Nation Grand Prix, Future Tower and then world championships and Europeans. We could define it as a year divided in two."
And what did you understand from this 2023?
That I have changed and grown a lot. The more the years pass, the more I understand how much and how I can grow to get there, one day, to win something important.
A long season, perhaps too long?
I wouldn't say so, in fact together with the Colpack staff it was managed well. I got to the Giro Next Gen and after that I took a week breakI needed it, which doesn't mean stopping completely, but rather resting mentally and staying active. So I went for walks in the mountains or bike rides just for the fun of it.
A year in two colors given the many races with the national team, what do you think of the level achieved?
Definitely high, because the international competitions held were of the highest levelBoth those played with Colpack and those with Amadori's national team.
Is there anything you're still missing? Is that why you decided to spend a year in the development team?
In some races, especially abroad, I could have done better and so I decided not to make the jump to a higher category immediatelyThe development team still allows me to do under-23 activity but, at the same time, I can go racing with the professionals and gain experience.
An intermediate step before the big leap?
This choice gives me something extra in terms of growth, also for the people and riders I will have around me, starting with the preparers.
So, you're already taking the measurements. Did you attend the retreat a few weeks ago?
Yes, even though it was reserved for the WorldTour team, they still wanted to involve me. We started taking measurements for the bike and clothes, I hope to get them as soon as possible to start getting familiar with the new accessories.
Did you do anything else?
I met with the team doctor and nutritionist to discuss my physical and nutritional needs. I've already looked at how to take care of your nutrition before, during and after the raceMany of the team development staff are the same as those on the WorldTour team, and this is a great opportunity to have continuity of work.
When does it start?
On December 5th in Calpe, we will be in Spain until December 20th.
