Last weekend's victory at the Giro della Valdera represents, for Vinnie Manion, not only the icing on the cake for his first part of the season but also a concrete answer to those who saw in him a talent to be discovered. Vinnie, after all, started his competitive year well before his Italian peers, He was already competing at the beginning of the year in the antipodes season and so far he has collected over 30 days of competition, with 2 victories and many placingsBut Sunday's has a special flavor.
But who is Manion? A seventeen-year-old Australian, he has been in Italy since last year, a pillar of the Work Service Coratti that with the tricolour of Vincenzo Carosi and his victory in the stage race it's the club that's on the rise at the momentBut how did Vinnie end up on these shores?
«It was my agent's choice. After the 2024 national championships he had contacted the team thinking that an experience in Europe would do me good and the Work Service managers were kind enough to take me on.The first year was very important, I learned a lot from really good teammates like Leonardo Consolidani e Santiago Ferraro, and also the world champion Stefano Viezzi. It was a really good apprenticeship year."
In your experience in Italy, what do you appreciate and what are the difficulties?
What do I appreciate? I can't help but start with the food, it's fantastic. I really like Italian cuisine.The riding terrain, training-wise, is the best I've ever been on. I love being in Italy. My teammates make me feel at home and welcome, because obviously it's hard being away from family and friends in Australia.I also have to thank sports director Luigi and his wife Silvia, who are like a second family. Thanks to them, I enjoyed every moment of my stay in Italy.
And what did you find difficult to deal with?
Maybe the language barrier is a bit of a problem, but let's not forget being so far from home.But these are small obstacles that are overcome in the process of maturing, as a person even before becoming a rider.
So far, between Australia and Italy, you've run a lot. Do you think you've improved compared to the beginning of the season?
Yes, I think there's been clear progress, even in my interpretation of the races. I also see that my performance is improving in the heat. It's been a pretty consistent season so far and I hope to finish well also because important events are coming up, who knows, maybe he could also be at the World Cup in Rwanda.
Speaking of which, you've competed in four Nations Cup races. How different is the way you race when you're in the national team compared to when you race for Work Service?
There is a certain difference, given that the competitions are obviously very tough and at a high level, you always meet the best in the category. I think it has a big impact on our positioning in the group, the spaces to find, the strategiesThe difficulty of each individual race also plays a big role. But these are occasions where I have a lot to learn, and those foreign experiences have helped me with my Italian races. They also represent a diversion from the normal national season.
What kind of rider are you? What races do you feel most comfortable in?
I consider myself an all-round rider, a little more dependent on the weather, I prefer warm weather to autumnal races. I'd say I like time trials and long climbs. I feel like my main strength is the engine, so I like to keep the power down., taking great care of my growth, even in terms of numbers, for a long time. However, I think I'm more of a climber who prefers the toughest races.
How important was Sunday's success and what do you think was the trigger?
Oh, it was very important, there was a lot of pressure. I wanted to give my all, also taking advantage of the excellent atmosphere in the team after Carosi's Italian victory. Then the race has a great prestige and I wanted to win it to try to get a contract for next year with a I have to team up of the World Tour and also to help me grow in the rating.
Looking at it as an Australian, what is the level of Italian cycling compared to your country?
Obviously it's very different. In a race in Australia you find 30-40 riders, if you come to Italy there will be 150 to 200 opponents, everything really changes.The level is much higher in terms of speed, power, and technique. I admit it's a big shock at first, but I think you get used to it pretty quickly.
Are you thinking of leaving Italy at the end of the season and changing categories?
Yes, I have to evaluate many things, but Italy is a fantastic place and I wouldn't want to leave it, so I wouldn't rule out living here next year.We'll have to wait and see, I think.
Who is your favourite Australian rider?
It's easy. For me Richie porte He's a role model, he's one of my mentors and I'm very close to him, also because we're both Tasmanians. Among those today, he's probably Ben O'Connor, for the similarities we have as a type of rider, I believe.
