The appointment with Bertazzo is after work. Once the switch is turned on, The Paduan's life has changed dramatically and now takes place in the family business. La Veneto Classic It was the last race of an athlete who has had to retire in recent times suffering from a back injury that was never fully resolved and who nevertheless won the world championship in the team pursuit in Marco Villa's fantastic national team.
«I'm here at my parents' company – he explains – they own a company that makes pressure switches for water pumps. Now I'm in the production department, in the lathe area. I work on the assembly line. I've always been a cyclist, so I don't have a technical background, so it's only right that I start from scratch. My father's goal is to make me understand the product first and then the various stages of production.When I was twenty, I sometimes came here to work because my father didn't like me going on vacation. Instead When I decided to quit in the spring, I started working right awayI worked part-time: I trained in the morning and came to the company in the afternoon."
How did this decision come about? You're just 31 years old...
Let's say that the latest results have not been what I would have wanted. In addition, the young people within the national team were pushing hard, my back was driving me crazy and my parents needed a handA few situations that, taken together, gave me the final push. It was nice, but at a certain point you have to be objectiveSo I told myself it was time to start working. If it wasn't this year, it would be next year: not much changed.
You left right on the eve of the Olympic year: do you think you wouldn't have found your place?
It wouldn't have been easy. And then the back problem, which from the outside might seem like a small thing, actually changed me a lot (Bertazzo underwent microdiscectomy surgery after the fall at the 2019 Tour Colombia, ed.). If I hadn't had that problem, maybe everything would be different now., but I don't regret anything.
You made the decision in March, but at the Veneto Classic the emotion seemed strong.
That Sunday was a very hard day for meIt's one thing to decide in March, but it wasn't easy seeing all the messages of affection, the people who came to say goodbye. I started cycling at 12 and now I'm 31, a big part of my life has ended. Furthermore, my characteristic has always been that of sharing every moment with the people around me and realizing that certain moments will never come back was not painless.
You were one of the pioneers of the Italian slopes, when almost nothing was known about them anymore…
What I experienced with the national team was a long and unique journey. When I started in 2012, nobody knew the track existed, people didn't even know how long it was.There was Elia (Viviani, ed.) who was at the helm and Marco Villa who believed in us. If we went to the Rio Olympics it was only thanks to himHe always sent us to the World Cups, even if we were the last ones. But in the meantime we reached ninth place in the ranking and when Russia was removed, the door opened for us. And from that starting point, Italy has become the spearhead. All nations are looking at us, whereas before the point of reference was Australia, and that makes me smile. I'm already feeling nostalgic, but I know I've done my part.
What's it like to go from the saddle of a bike to the lathe?
From a certain point of view it's another world. But Cycling, especially in stage races, teaches you that if you have no legs, you have to get to the top of the climbAnd this gives you an edge in your working life. When you're tired, you can manage yourself physically and mentally. On the other hand, the world of work is different, because there's physical stress, but also mental stress. I'm still at the beginning, but sport is helping me here too.I always say that cycling is a school of life, because it teaches you about effort and that one way or another, you have to get to the top of the climb.
Will you continue to use the bike?
I thought my last races were in September in Bulgaria, so I must have been out 5-6 times in the last month and a half. Until I fit in well with the company, I prefer to dedicate myself to workBut I want to keep the bike. I like using it to see places more calmly. I used to hate mountains, now I like to go there to relax and enjoy the scenery..
Was the Track World Championships in Roubaix the best moment of your career?
Good question. I've thought about it a lot, but luckily I have a lot of good memories.. Obvious, the world cup was the pinnacle, but I have many related to even simple trips. As I was saying, my goal has always been to share every little moment. The early days were an adventure, always looking for a result and we had fun.So if I had to identify the best memory, I would struggle. After having participated in the Rio Olympics, then those of Tokyo and having raced the Giro d'Italia, I tried to live every day to the fullest. Especially in this frenetic cycling world, it should be understood that Some days will never come back, so you have to live every moment, every person, and every situation to the fullest.
We have read very touching messages of good wishes on social media.
Again, there isn't one in particular, but the national team players were wonderful. That of Marco Villa, who always believed in me and helped me turn professionalMarco has always been a cornerstone of my career. When we started out, even Ganna had trouble getting into the quartet at first, and now he's become… Ganna. Their messages made me understand that, beyond the sporting sphere, they were close to me. and we can always meet and be together. Same thing with Frassi, which helped me a lot at corratec, because After the injury I wasn't feeling very well, but he saw my potential and helped me come back.
Would you still see yourself doing something in cycling?
Next year I would like to go up in the team car with Frassi sometimes or maybe follow the guys from Maloja Pushbikers (his last team, ed.) which has grown a lot in these two years. If they actually build the velodrome in Spresiano, then I'll be even closer. But everything has its time and I certainly have no shortage of work here.
