While Visconti and Fiorelli train in Palermo, the rest of the Bardiani CSF He flew to Spain and is working on the roads around Benidorm. There are practically all of them and Alessandro Donati, from Abruzzo, is also following them on the flagship, who joined the Reverberi team after the merger with Nippo-Vini Fantini. Stefano Garzelli had spoken about him, telling of having entrusted him with Iker Bonilla, a boy from Valencia, Spanish pursuit champion.
The phrase had remained in memory, except that By connecting the dots we realized that Garzelli, Donati and Andriotto ran together with Acqua&Sapone and each in their own way takes care of the young people in their own team. Garzelli in his cycling school. Andriotto with Eolo-Kometa. Donated to Bardiani, even if the riders he will follow are all great and the focus has been placed on the boys of the U23 team Rossato.
«I was very pleased – says Donati, a professional from 2004 to 2012 – that Stefano has this trust in me. Our team will be the structure for Iker to grow peacefullyOur friendship emerged after the races. We were colleagues before, now we also talk about our families. With him and with Andriotto too."
How will you support the younger ones?
Rossato will be fixated on them. Each of us has his own riders to follow, it is impossible for one person to take care of them all., however the team is the same, we keep updated on everyone. We know that cycling has changed and that in January we will start off strong., because champions are always competitive these days. I would have been happy with this kind of cycling, even though I've always been a domestique. Even the youngest ones like it, because it reminds them of the amateurs. While those who have already been professional for 7-8 years suffer a little.
How is cycling doing in Abruzzo?
Not very well, except for Ciccone and Cataldo. We must thank Umbertone and a few others for their work, but unfortunately there is no one who can replace them.Someone who works well is Moreno Di Biase, but I have an idea that's been buzzing around in my head...
A cycling school like our friend Garzelli?
It would be nice, we talked about it togetherStarting from children and reaching amateurs. But to begin with, in addition to someone to help me, you need a protected path, otherwise the parents won't send them to youI promise we'll talk about it again…
All right, let's take note. But let's get back to Bardiani: what kind of team do you think it's become?
A good mix of experienced riders and young people who fortunately listen and trust us 100 percent.Experienced men like Modolo, Visconti, and Battaglin will serve as sports directors during the race. By watching them, the younger ones will learn and grow faster.If you want to work, come out, like Colbrelli, Ciccone, and Modolo himself did.
Any doubts about how you will handle the first few years under?
No, because we will offer them a real under 23 calendar, like the one they would do in a continentalIf they chose to come here it is because they have a clear example of the riders who left this team, but it is clear that the agents are pushing to bring them to the WorldTourWe moved this way to get ahead of the other teams. They are all professionals, unlike those who go to the continentalsI think something good will come out of it.
