Sometime last week, a press release announced that among the sporting directors of the Team Corratec Fabiana Luperini would have arrived, five Giros won and three Tours. An unexpected novelty under the Italian sky, which coincidentally marries with Ro De Jonckheere's arrival at the American Power Health.
The Tuscan team is regenerating after the continental season, with the arrival of riders to be rebuilt as Valerio Conti, some young people and the inspiration behind the scenes of Angelo Citracca. Serge Parsani is the team manager, Francesco Frassi and Marco Zamparella the two sports directors. And it is precisely to Frassi that we owe the arrival of the Pisan from Buti.
«It was born a bit by chance – says Luperini – because I have known Frassi since she was littleWe met on one occasion and he told me that next year they would have become professional and they also needed another person with an international card. And so he asked me if I was interested in doing it. I thought that I don't go among strangers so I said yes».
What is your mentality when approaching new things?
With the fact that I already know the people who are there, the jump doesn't scare meIf I don't know something, I'll ask. And then, whatever happens, cycling is cycling, both for men and womenThe men's race is definitely a bit more demanding in terms of mileage and races. But I don't think I'll have any major problems.
Has the riders' getting-to-know-you phase already begun, or will there be a first training camp to do so?
It's still early. The team is currently finalizing the last signings, so we'll meet up here soon and then we'll meet the guys too.
In your opinion, what added value could Fabiana Luperini bring to a team like this?
Now I don't know, why this is the first timeBut I think that a woman is always different from a man, so maybe I think I will have a different sensitivity, a different perspective compared to male sporting directors. And maybe in some cases it can even do some good.
We know you always follow women's cycling, what is your relationship with men's cycling?
I still follow him. The only thing, unlike women, we don't have a strong athlete in Italy who makes you want to watch one race rather than another.. While in women there are some girls worth turning on the TV forLet's be clear, It's also nice to see Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar win, for goodness sake. Sometimes, however, I would also like to see an Italian like there were in the past. A Pantani, Bugno, Bartoli…
How does it feel to be Italy's first female sports director among the pros?
The two worlds begin to communicateThere are also many female masseuses who look after the men. Maybe they were the first to come in, but I see there are also some female managers. In short, now there will also be sporting directors. Little by little, everything is being done. Logically, professionalism always remains a predominantly male environment., but the fact that someone enters is already a half-signal.
At this point in your career, did you expect a call like this?
Let's say that I wasn't looking for a team among women or even among menThis experience happened and I told myself to give it a try. As for expectations, It's obvious that I could expect more from a women's team, let's see what happens in this new adventure. Maybe I learn other new things that can be useful to me in the coming years.
You've already been a sports director, after all...
I already did it Cipollini women. In the junior women's category, Ciclismo Insieme will be the team.I was already doing it this year at youth level, because it involved female beginners and students. Here locally, I've always done it since I stopped.
It won't be a leap into the dark, in short...
I do not believe, knowing Frassi well will be a great supportWe are from the same areas, then My dad and his dad are friends. They ran together at an amateur level., so I often happened to see him at races or at dinners our parents had together. So now all that's left for me to do is get started...
