Leonardo Low, 29 years old, in his second year atAstana Qazaqstan TeamWhy do we care about him? Because he is the perfect demonstration of how Even in this cycling that goes at hypersonic speeds, where everything changes from one day to the next, we can work to find our own dimension and who knows, maybe even build a distant future, when the bike will be hung up on the classic nail.
If you ask Leonardo for results, there are none this year, or rather, statistics sites will tell you that there's not even a shadow of a top 10, but numbers don't always tell the whole story. Because Behind the victories and satisfactions of others, there is the dark work of people like the Venetian and there is an example, not too distant in time, that proves it.
«I had prepared the Italian championships very carefully – says Basso – going to Tour de Suisse to further strengthen the leg. I had specific tasks, above all I had to work in the first part of the race to put the forwards in a position to give everything when the race was decided and the victory of Velasco It was a victory for all of us, the reward for the good work we'd done. I pushed for 100 kilometers, until I had every ounce of energy I had, but in the end it was worth it."
And then?
I went straight to the Spanish races, continuing to do my job and seeing that this was paying off, for example with the victory of Lutsenko al Getxo Circuit. In total, up until the end of July I have done 48 days of running and if I go and see, I will have been off the bike for no more than 5 days..
The feeling is that what we are facing is a different Basso than the one he was at Ineos…
It's true, I feel inside me that something has changed. I feel really good at Astana, I found my place in supporting my teammates, in working for others.Often those who enter this world have a preconception about the followers, thinking that they are riders who are worth less and are therefore relegated to secondary rolesWhen you're there, you understand how much more complex the issue is and how important the work done by others is to help the team's leaders win. Cycling is truly a team effort.
It's true, but now it's common opinion that when a WT team takes on a young Italian, he'll go off to be a wallflower, to learn the trade but without having the opportunity to emerge...
Cycling isn't like that. Joining a team is always a motivation and you have to put your all into it., it's up to you to slowly understand your possibilities, what you can really give. If the athlete is there, he'll show up: it's in the team's interest for this to happen. But it's also in our personal interest to understand what can realistically be done and pursue that path. As I said, I have found my dimension and I'm working on it.
To complete the discussion, you ride for a Kazakh team that still has a strong Italian soul, but in today's WorldTour does a rider's nationality really matter, favoring the "home" one?
I really don't think so, All the teams are multinationals, who simply want to emerge and win. If the champion is national, good, if he comes from abroad, good too. There is no doubt that there is no Italian team in the top division, it would be anyway a privileged channel for bringing out Italian talents, but if they have the quality, they'll shine even in a foreign team. But there's more...
What?
We don't always focus on the cycling aspect alone. Joining a team of this caliber, especially at a young age (I joined Trek at 21), is also a journey of personal growth. You learn new languages, set goals and priorities, in short, you become a man. and in this maturation there is also finding one's own role and performing it ever better.
And what are your goals? From your words, but also from your racing style, a future in the team car seems to be on the cards...
I admit that I would really like it and I feel inclined towards it.I don't know if it's at the highest level or taking care of young players, but you can achieve a lot by having a broad approach to the profession. However, I'm focused on the present. I like staying with this team. I want to continue working and contributing to its successes.
What awaits you now?
I'm getting ready for the long trip overseas, with the Tour of Maryland and the two Canadian WorldTour classicsThere won't be any major Tours for me this year, but as you can see, there's no shortage of races to do...
You already have many more days left than last year…
2022 was really difficult, and since it was my first year at Astana, I can't deny that it weighed on me. I contracted COVID twice, and each time the recovery was more complicated. I paid the price physically. This year is a whole different story, I feel more solid, from every point of view and I hope that this progression does not stop.
