At this moment crooked, made of teams that chase child prodigies and leave many riders stranded, among those still looking for a contract there is also Liam BertazzoThe Paduan (opening with Mareczko, after helping him win the Coppi e Bartali), one of the four world champions in the team pursuit, he raced from 2015 to 2021 in Angelo Citracca's teams. And so now, given the less than happy outcome of that team, he finds himself looking for a jersey.
«We are trying to give Liam a hand – Marco Villa told us – As a world champion, I feel obliged to help him find a teamHe earned his Olympic qualification, which is important. No one has ever given him anything for free, and he's had a lot of bad luck, including a slipped disc at the same time Milan was booming. Bertazzo deserves it."
Federation at work
What is surprising is that Bertazzo is the only one of that group of track cyclists who was not part of a military corps, unlike Scartezzini and LamonBut he seems calm, a sign that something is moving under the surface and that la Federation in one way or another, she took his story to heart.
«I'm no longer old enough to enter bodies – he says – and anyway It's not like they could have arranged my entry in a monthBut I'm calm, especially because the rainbow jersey is a certainty that takes away many doubts. The Federation first sorted out the technical staff, then they addressed my situation. I know they are talking and I hope something can come out soon.They've never broken their word, it's just that this is a special year, the teams all have tight budgets, so if anything, things are more complicated. But I'm confident. As I've said before, It happened to me other times to wait until the end of November to find a contract».
Olympic preparation
The Federation has already intervened in the past to help one of its key track athletes, through a support offered to the team of the club that signed him.
«The Federations – explains Renato Di Rocco, president of the FCI in cases where the intervention has been ordered – receive from the CONI funds for Olympic preparation and they are practically obliged to use them for their athletes. I remember that in Bertazzo's case we gave a contribution to the club, equal to half of his salary or thereabouts.It's a fairly well-established practice, which usually supports athletes of Olympic interest. It's done for everyone; scholarships are available to them. In theory, We discussed the admission to the military corps for all the boys on the track. Then it's clear that someone like Ganna has opted out, and so has Liam. Let's say it's not difficult, we're talking about things that have always been done."
And this is probably the front on which the FCI is working to find Bertazzo a place worthy of the results it has finally achieved, after years of chasing, work and bad luck. In this crooked moment, made of teams chasing child prodigies and leaving many riders on foot, To think that Liam could be left without a job after having won a world championship and having achieved Olympic qualification would be truly blasphemy..
