«We have probed Ganna – explains Luca Guercilena – to to understand if he was interested in an absolute leadership role, not just for time trials. We talked to him about classics and grand tours, where you can hunt for stages without having to pull for a captain. But in the end he chose to extend the contract with Ineos. Maximum respect for your choice and for those who put him in a position to do it."
The team manager of Trek-Segafredo He answers from Menton. In this torrid phase of summer, his days are made up of a bit of sea and a phone always on, because as he says smiling, the new generation is always workingThe rumor that Ganna would end up in the American team with a strong Italian influence had started to circulate and had piqued our curiosity. Previously, Trek had tried the Nibali card without much mutual success and the name Ganna could have been a good way to make the team's Italianness greater.
With the Ganna opportunity gone, can we say that the 2023 team is complete?
More or less, yes. July used to be the month of handshakes, and August was the month of closing deals. Now we work all year round, because no one wants to risk signing a contract after the Tour., when perhaps a victory can increase the athlete's value. Better to close early. And then this is spreading habit of signing very long contracts.
What does it mean?
First of all that there is stability and that's a good thingBut this will certainly open the market doors, because it's not a given that a rider will necessarily be happy with the same team for 5-6 years. And at that point, all being contracts with pre-established penalties, you might try to poach some of them. This opportunity usually arises in teams with many leaders.
Alex Carera explained that the ranking system could void contracts.
It is true. The contract states that it is valid as long as you remain in the WorldTour. This means that teams that are relegated could risk disappearing and that the possible relegation will put many riders on the market who may not want to follow the team into the lower category.
Apart from Ganna, you haven't spent a fortune chasing a big name, especially for the Grand Tours.
Two or three years ago we did the choice to focus on U25 riders, which we would have further selected over time. Pedersen and Stuyven are the first fruits of this policy, as Simmons and Ciccone, who is not very young, but is still part of a training process. That said, the strongest leaders are already secured and it is not worth overpaying one who perhaps reaches the top five. Especially if you want to keep control of your budget.
There was Carapaz on the market and it will go to EF-Easy Post…
Carapaz is a strong athlete, but he falls into the previous category. Therefore, having embraced youth politics, it didn't make sense to bet on a 30 year old athlete which would have involved a large portion of resources.
In the meantime, there are some very interesting interns.
Our Customers Vacek e Thibau Nys, but there are also other names coming from professional teams that I can't talk about yet.
Did 2022 teach us anything more about Ciccone?
Giulio has shown that he can win stages in the grand Tours, but I'm convinced he still has to give it a try for the rankings. You need to be healthy, and he hasn't had much of it. I want to give it another try, taking his characteristics into account. So without limiting it, because its weapon could be unpredictability.
Meanwhile, Bennati has called up Baroncini for the European Championships.
From my point of view, “Baro” is the Italian who can earn a position of absolute prominenceHe's got the physique and the brains. He can become a great leader; it's up to him to make it happen.
Can we say that Covid has also damaged 2022?
Absolutely! And it will be the same in 2023. Although there are no serious health effects, many riders have immune systems that are not yet in order. Furthermore, we'll be going back to 30 riders, and that will put them under even more pressure. But I'm no longer in favor of super restrictions. We need to get back to pushing like in 2019 and those who are sick stay at home.
Let's go back to Ganna for a moment. Would you have returned as a coach for him? It would have been inspiring after Cancellara...
I had thought about it, he would have been perfect in our teama. I'm ambitious, we all are, and I think it wouldn't have been bad. But I understand it, Ineos is a squadronHe will leave at 31, his career now has those colors.
