A new addition to the Bahrain Victorious family, as regards the 2024 season, Antonio Tiberi will be present from the winter retreatAfter having said goodbye to Lidl-Trek early, the athlete from Frosinone has landed in Bahrain VictoriousIt has been seen that it has a great engine and a lot of potential, But what more will he be able to do after this team change?
In just a few months, Lidl-Trek has lost two young riders with great prospects: first Tiberi and then Barons, directed to UAE Emirates. How will the Bahrain team work and what have they seen in these first months together with the young driver? Tiberi? To understand more, we went knocking on two doors: that of the tuner Andrea Fusaz and that of sports director Franco Pellizotti.
Fusaz's vision
From an athletic standpoint, Tiberi has shown good performances in these three years as a professional. A rider capable of doing well in time trials and on climbs, so much so that he achieved his first victory in cycling that counts on the ramps of Gyongyos-Kékesteto at the Tour of Hungary.
«Antonio Tiberi – says the trainer Fusaz – he is the prototype of a good rider for stage racesHe's very strong in the time trial and holds his own well on climbs. In these first few months with us, I've seen him very motivated and available. Clearly having stopped in the middle of the season and having lost days of training it didn't help himHe immersed himself well in our environment and immediately understood how we work. In the first race, he immediately made himself available, breaking away and doing a lot for his teammates."
Work method
But how will Tiberi and Fusaz work to help the Ciociaro's talent grow and blossom? Getting there midway through the year doesn't help. but it could be a useful step to lay the first foundations for the following season.
«He's a gifted boy – Fusaz explains – after all, you don't win a junior time trial world championship for nothing. On a physical level, there is a good basis for buildingThe main goal could be to understand how he grows in the coming months and see if he can ride a major Giro with a top-notch physical and mental approach. It's difficult to understand what can improve because the tests we have are influenced by the fact that he has been out for a month.However, there's still room for improvement in endurance, a key factor for a stage racer. On climbs, consistency is key; training year-round for certain conditions can bring huge benefits. Tiberi is certainly not a mature boy, he is 22 years old and he still has to grow and improve..As we go along, we'll understand if he can handle greater training loads and psychological pressure."
A word from Pellizotti
Franco Pellizotti, sporting director of the Bahrain Victorious team, can provide an overview. In these months he has seen him running and has had the opportunity to get a first idea of how to manage Tiberi, starting from the weak points.
«I'm convinced – Pellizotti tells us – that we've managed to snag one of the finest talents in Italian cycling. He still has room for improvement, especially from a tactical point of view.One of the most important is the way he moves during the race, often riding at the back of the group. This was evident at the Lombardia when he was caught off guard by Pogačar's attack. Shortly afterward, we saw him again on Roglič's wheel, but he certainly made a huge effort to get back. Had he placed better he could have competed for a top 10 finish. To help him improve this aspect, At the Vuelta we put him in the room with Caruso, someone who knows how to teach young peopleEven in Spain we often reprimanded him because he got lost within the group.
«It is not an incurable defect – he continues – Just the fact that he's running with us from the start of next season gives us the opportunity to correct itThis is something that could also be useful for his future in the Grand Tours: running at the front helps him save energy, which is essential during three weeks of racing."
Possible leader
Pellizotti's words make it clear that everyone believes in him: the team, the staff and his teammates. 2024 will therefore become an important year, where the first conclusions will also have to be drawn.Tiberi has shown some good results in the short stage races, now it's time to take a step further.
«I wouldn't be surprised – explains the sports director – if he were to get some satisfaction in the races of a weekAnd I wouldn't be even if we were to take him to the Giro d'Italia, the route includes many kilometers of time trials. Even though he is not really a climber, but a mountain climberHe takes his pace uphill and you will hardly see him change pace.
«A first watershed – concludes Pellizotti – It could be the month of April with races like the Tirreno-Adriatico or the Paris-NiceDepending on the routes, we'll see where his presence might be most effective. It's clear, however, that if a rider wants to do well in the Giro d'Italia, he must be ready for these events. We are already working with him for 2024Physically, he's had some back problems and needs to do some postural exercises to resolve them. It's good to do them before the start of the season because once he's on the bike, everything needs to be fine. He's doing that by going to the pool a few times. I see that he is a helpful and willing boy».
