«Before coming to Noto – says Manlio Moro – I had done a couple of workouts, just to get the rust offI was inactive for a long time, four whole weeks without a bike or any kind of physical activity. Every now and then I went walking with the dogs, just because I couldn't stand doing nothing all day. I've started working here, I feel good. We're already starting to do some work and As for values, I'm fine for November.».
From one Moor to another. If yesterday we told by Stefano, moved from the endurance group to the speed group, Today we are with Manlio who has ideally taken his place. In reality his arrival, like that of Milan two years ago, he rewrote the balance of the quartetIt was his addition that pushed Milan towards departures, forcing Lamon in overtime to defend the position.
The world dream
Moro obviously measures his words, being the last to arrive. Turning 20 in March is an insurance policy for the future. and the contract with the Movistar for 2024 will allow him to experience a peaceful season in the jersey Zalf Desirée Fior.
"I didn't expect all this," says the Pordenone giant. "Absolutely not. I knew I could do well. At the European Under 23 Championships we managed to win the quartet, while in the individual, which I have always aimed for, I still came third. This year maybe I'll try to climb another step, even if you always start to win. And then at the elite world championship, In my opinion, just going there was a victory…».
The blue bike
We are talking sitting on the podium of the Noto velodrome, while the sun sets behind the roofs of the houses and brings with it the warmth of the day, opening the door to the cold November wind. Moro is pure enthusiasm. He tells with amazement, as if from inside an extraordinary adventure.
«Participating in the World Cup with them – he underlines – that is Running with four Olympic champions was a huge thingIt's actually always been my dream. We'd been training together for a while, but leaving for the race was incredibly exciting. I was quite nervous and they were very good.They always tried to reassure me. I wasn't expecting it, and maybe it was better this way. It all came as a surpriseOf course, I've always worked, I believed in it since I was little. Nothing happens by chance and I've always been committed. I've given everything in training, in retreats.. Was I the only one without the golden bike? At least – he laughs – the public recognized me…».
Between track and road
In his 2022 there wasn't just the track. The scoreboard speaks of three road victories and one time trial, in addition to participation in the Giro di Sicilia and the Adriatica Ionica RaceAnd if the future is at Movistar, it's safe to assume that the track will remain among its objectives, but the road will soon begin to exert its appeal.
«Next year, for sure – he says – I want to organize myself better. The Court It's the one that has given me the most satisfaction, but I want a season without missing anything. Be ready When needed on the road, be ready on the track. There will be periods when I'll do more road riding and others, perhaps before the European Championships or World Championships, when I'll be on the track. I haven't spoken to Movistar yet. I'll be going on retreat in mid-December and that will probably be the time to start.. They are very happy with this double activity of mine, I am already starting to work with them and They are already giving me advice through their trainers».
I dream of Roubaix
Friulian like Milan, two years younger and 4 centimeters shorter (if you can label a 1,90 m tall guy as "short"), Moro might also have a certain type of classics in his DNA. Especially after seeing him win two races by a wide margin (Gp Sportivi Sestesi and Due Giorni per Alessandro Bolis) and one in a sprint (Trofeo Menci).
«My heart races – he admits with a big smile – are The Northern Classics. Those with the routes that appeal to me the most.. Obviously I would like to do well even if I had to participate in a major Giro. But in my opinion the classics are a Paris Roubaix, a Ghent… Those are the races that excite me the most».
Return to Grenchen
Meanwhile we talk about the track, in a heterogeneous and colorful group pedaling towards the next retreat in Spain and the chase for the Europeans in Grenchen which will be run from 8th to 12th February in the velodrome which launched on the eve of the World Championships Ganna in the sky of the HourManlio was there.
«We were in the stands very focused – he recalls – trying to give him energy. The Hour is sprinting for us, certainly a little less for him. And when he crossed the finish line, we hit the track and it was amazing. We are a great groupGanna and Consonni may not come to the track very often, instead I've known Milan for quite a while, while I've done practically all the training camps with Lamon.I feel comfortable with them. They welcomed me, which wasn't a given, because they might not have cared about a young person who had just joined. If they had to correct it, they told me what to do and I learned..
«And then there's Ganna, above all a reference for meWhen I'm with him it's really exciting.I always saw him on TV, he was my idol. Meeting him and racing with him was a great feeling, especially in the quartet, having him behind you wasn't a very simple thingBut now that I've started to get to know him too, I've realized that they are all truly special people."
