Since Luca Paletti, in the interview given on the eve of the Laigueglia Trophy, He told us that his trainer is Michele Bartoli, a warning light went off.When a rider enters the orbit of the former Tuscan professional and trainer, it is never by chance. The boy from Vf Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè he trains under the dictates of Michele Bartoli since he was a sophomore in junior high, the two have now reached their fourth year of working togetherBut what did Bartoli find in the young Emilian?
«Ever since he was a junior – says the winner of a Flanders and two Liege titles – he was an interesting boy, or rather a young boy. Despite his young age, he was very determined and with clear ideas. When speaking to him, it was clear that he had a higher maturity than his peers.I have to admit that working together was easy from the start. pallet he was able to give me feedback, regarding training and work to be done, that I expected to find in a rider with much more experience. For me, the answers and considerations that an athlete is able to give me are very important.».
In some ways a boy who is already ready?
Aware of what he had to do. For example, he was able to understand what feedback he should get from a certain type of training. and he was able to convey his feelings about it to me. A sensitivity you wouldn't expect from a 17-year-old.
What kind of athlete did you find?
He's a real contender, strong on climbs and time trials. But he's also very good at cyclocross, a discipline he's always enjoyed until this winter and one I don't rule out returning to. For the moment we have decided, in agreement with the boy and the team, to put the matter aside for a moment crossIt wasn't an easy choice. I'm in favor of dual-sports, but at his age, it's important to train. In some ways, cross-country training takes away from his road training.
In what sense?
When you are a trained athlete, like Van der Poel or Van Aert, you can compete in multiple disciplines without too many worries. Problems, if we want to call them that, come when you are young.At Paletti's age, 20, you're searching for your own dimension on the road and you're subject to a lot of judgment. In the winter just gone by he had the opportunity to identify himself.
What did you understand?
He's a guy who can grow a lot in stage races. It feels at ease on long climbs and time trials.We've seen him in these first events of 2025, both at the Valenciana and the Gran Camino, where he placed in the top twenty in the time trials. And in the uphill stages, he always stayed close to the leaders.
Has this winter opened new doors to Paletti's qualities?
If we want, we can consider 2025 as his first year as a professional, even though he has been with VF Group for two seasons and has started his third. We started working on its foundations and for this being the first season where he's fully focused on the road, we're on a good path. With young people you shouldn't work on the present, but with a view to the future.
Is one of the steps you've taken to include gym sessions?
It is certainly a very important aspect in training a rider. However, it must be inserted at the right time., in the past years Paletti was not ready in some ways, he still had immature muscles. Even Gym exercises must be included with the right programming, as a junior you can do it core stability.
Are there any aspects you specifically worked on?
On resistance, certainly. However, the maturation of the rider comes from taking care of all the detailsGiven his qualities, he must train on his VO2Max and on the time trial. However, at 20 years old, no aspect can be overlooked., it's a game of percentages in which nothing should be overlooked.
So he has to be ready to face one-day races.
It's the fate of modern athletes. You can't just take care of one aspect, but you have to be versatile.If you look at the big names, which is the right thing to do in the right proportions, you see this. Now even stage race riders like O'Connor are capable of finishing second in the World Championships. Not to mention Pogačar, who is a champion.
Paletti himself said he felt good in these first outings, in which he ran in front…
He has made good progress in terms of mentality and awareness of his own abilities. It's also training to learn to run among the first even if you're not 100 percent.He must be able to approach the race with a winning mentality at all times. He may not be able to win the Gran Camino now, but he must be a key player.
Which comes in handy among the under 23s, given his dual role with VF Group-Bardiani.
Going pro straight away isn't easy, for several reasons. The VF Group under 23s only compete in international races, which are good for growing and gaining experience. This should be the goal in your first and second year, then comes the next step: trying to run. The same thing happens among professionals. Now Paletti has arrived at a time when he can try to excel, especially among the under 23s.
