Among the many who have closed their business this year there is also Kristian Sbaragli who hung up his bike at 35. His is a "soft" farewell, which he had been thinking about for some time, aware of having given this sport a large part of his life.The Empoli rider finishes without regrets, satisfied with what he has achieved in over 10 years of his professional career, a long period of time, which perhaps with the passing of the years will become a pipe dream for many.
The choice didn't come out of the blue: «During this year I had decided that at the end of the season I would retire. And so I took it well, even if There's always a bit of disappointment because I've been riding a bike since I was 7 years old. But it was my choice and I'm proud to have had the privilege of being able to decide when to stop and understand that it was time to move on."
You've been a professional since 2013, and you've seen a lot in all these years. Is this cycling still reflective of your values?
I think that ultimately cycling always maintains its values. It's always a question of victories, of all the teams fighting to get the best possible result.. 13 years ago today. The sport itself has changed so much, I've experienced a truly profound cultural shift firsthand.
Two victories as a professional, both in the QhubekaWas that the team you felt most comfortable with?
It was definitely the team I have to thank most of all because it was the one that gave me the opportunity to turn professional and gave me the confidence to start a career. I spent my first 5 years there, they believed in me a lot and made me grow., so I had the support to try to do my best, even in terms of personal results. It was the team where I was able to express myself best and where I often started out as the leader and achieved many results, even if I only won two races.
Two victories, but one of them was a huge one, a stage at the Vuelta. What do you remember from that day?
It was objectively the most important of my career, because I was coming from a period where I had achieved so many results, that victory there was a bit like the icing on the cake and the consecration of a season that was otherwise very positive. Then there was a slightly different projection on a personal level, for the following years, for what I could do.I was 25 years old, considered young for an age that today is already that of a mature rider, with perhaps already five years of experience among the professionals.
From there, you began a long journey that has always kept you, either in the WorldTour or in the professional ranks, on the verge of moving up to the top division. To do so, did you have to specialize, perhaps even put your personal ambitions aside and focus on the team?
Yes, from the victory at the Vuelta onwards, there were expectations, I achieved excellent results. Objectively though, I wasn't a champion, I wasn't a super winner because I was fast, but I placed well, I didn't have the drive to win.. So I specialized in being a support in certain situations, no longer doing group sprints and especially when I then went to the Alpecin, There, my job was to get to the end of the race and help the leaders. I contributed to the victory in many races, and I felt those victories were a little bit mine.
How much did wearing the blue jersey mean to you?
I'm not one to keep a lot of things, but at home, at the gym, I attached a shirt, the one of the national team with which I played in the World Cup in 2023. Where Bennati He gave me confidence, in a supporting role for the team. For me Representing the national team at the World Cup was certainly the crowning achievement of a career. I was a reserve world champion three other times, but without competing. It gave me enormous personal satisfaction, almost the crowning achievement of a career.
You achieved all your major placings and victories before 2020, but then came fourth place at the 2024 Coppa Sabatini. It was proof that certain qualities were still there…
Yes, definitely the last two years I tried to do my race many more times than when I was at Alpecin where there were people like Van der Poel, Philipsen e merlier. 2024 was a year where, objectively, on a personal level, I think I was always very competitive. That day in Peccioli, which among other things is also a “home” race because it is 30 kilometers from my house, if I had finished on the podium it would have been even better. But it was a good demonstration that I was still capable of achieving results.
Which captain did you get along with best?
Van der Poel, in the end we did two Tours de France in the room together and besides being a great champion he is also a very humble person and who deserves great credit for being able to get 110 percent out of the team, and knows how to motivate them like no other. He shows you that even when he's not having a great day, he's still capable of giving his all.
Now where will we find you?
At the professional cycling level I would like to take a break for a bit. Instead, I would like to lend a hand to cycling and relaunch the cycling club in Castelfiorentino dedicated to young people, the team of my town.Starting next year, I'll take care of it personally and try to get as many children as possible back on bikes, because the lack of the little ones, in my opinion, is a major problem, at the root of the crisis in our movement.
