In his history as a rider, Rafal Majka has run for many captains, but three above allContador, Sagan, and Pogacar. Nothing in common, laughs the Pole who will retire from cycling at the end of the year, except their determination to win. For them, at a certain point, he put aside his desire to be a leader and his became the journey of the strongest gregarious of the group. The one that turns the race around and forces rivals to overrev. The one to whom one day Pogacar said to lower it a bit, that even less would be enoughMajka has also raced for three teams since 2011. Bjarne Riis' Saxo Bank. Ralf Denk's Bora Hansgrohe. UAE Team Emirates by Mauro Gianetti.
From now, Majka is busy with the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg, after escorting Isaac Del Toro to the flurry of victories in Tuscany, from Larciano to Peccioli, passing through the Giro della Toscana dedicated to Alfredo Martini. We catch up with him before dinner on the eve of the race, curious to know why he's withdrawing, having demonstrated his level as an absolute number one again this year.
Rafal, why?
I had a good season (smiles, ed.). Even in Poland, Austria, and the subsequent races, I was always ahead. But, I'll tell you the truth, I had already decided in January and I communicated it to the teamI even had an offer for next year, because the great Mauro (Gianetti, ed.) told me that my place is always there. The motivation to ride my bike and train is there, but the decision came from my family, from the desire to be with the children.I've been out for 24 years and it's not easy.
Have you been separated for a long time?
Not really. Apart from the first three years I spent in Italy, I then moved to Poland. But always traveling the world, more than eight months a year away from homeA rider's normal routine. I'm not tired yet, but I want to spend some time with the kids. They go to school, they are five and nine years old, time flies.
Are you getting used to the idea that these are the last races?
I'm really good. After the Giro, we won again with Del ToroI made the podium at the Tour of Austria. In Poland everyone knew I was going to quit and every day was a celebration.Then we won in Tuscany and Isaac was flying. Now I'm in Luxembourg, with a really strong team. I'm happy to leave with a team that is still first in the world and that wins everything.
La UAE Emirates It's only the third team in a very long career: why have you changed so little?
I spent six years at Saxo Bank, which later became Tinkoff, because I was happy and always had confidence. After four years I became captain and I could also help ContadorWith the Bora I was a little more stressed, because I was the only captain for the stage races and after four years I felt the need for a change. Finally a team arrived, the UAE Emirates, in which I knew there were a young man named PogacarI thought he was a good rider who would win a race or two, but instead I found myself racing with someone who wins everything and will become a legend. For me it's fun to race with the best in the world and the best in historyIt's truly like family, and I know I'll miss it. Because Gianetti trusted me, and so did Matxin. These have been truly five special years.
Three teams and three great captains. Is there anything in common between Contador, Sagan, and Pogacar?
All three are strong in the head. Their ability to aim at a target is impressive.Technically, Sagan is different from the other two, but when he was in good shape, he could win everything. Three world championships in a row is not a normal thing. Alberto was a great champion capable of declaring that he would win the Giro, the Tour or the Vuelta and then actually winning them.And then there's Tadej, who says nothing, but wins everything. Pogacar speaks less, but he wins a lot.
It was the 2020 Giro, on the rest day in Robert Spinazzè's cellar, when you told us that the following year you would go to the UAE to be a team player. What made you choose this path?
I knew that some very strong young people were coming. I was already thirty years old and I understood that it would be better to become a good domestique than to win only one or two races a year. So I decided to sign for a team like UAE, even though he didn't know how strong Pogacar would become.
Is the stress of a leader comparable to that of a follower?
There is stress anyway, because To help someone like that, you have to be ready when needed. But let's say you tolerate it better if the captain can really win everything. It's a different kind of stress, it's better for me and it's easier to run like this. That's why I still have the motivation to continue, because I'm not an exploited athlete yet.
At this year's Giro the mechanism UAE it got stuck and Del Toro He lost the pink jersey. What do you think happened?
Everyone thinks it might have been his legs or his head. I think of a 21-year-old rider who wore the pink jersey until the penultimate day. I have great respect for Del Toro, as is clear that it can be a little bit of experience missingBut he's a strong guy, he'll be very strong in the World Championships and I'm sure that in the next few years he'll also win a Grand Tour.
And speaking of young players: what advice would you give to Ayuso who is leaving the team?
To go fast, just go fast. Train 100 percent and go hard. Because also Ayuso has a talent which he can really use well wherever he goes to run.
Will you miss all this?
I'll miss everything. If you've been doing the same thing since you were young, you're bound to miss it when you stop. But ultimately, I also want to enjoy cycling in peace. Don't look at the watts and look at nature instead, covering kilometers with a different spirit.
Is it out of place to expect Majka as sporting director?
Do you really want to know? I'll answer you in four months (laughs, ed.), because now I want to recover well after the season. Leave everything behind for four months and then we'll definitely talk about the future in this sport, because I don't want to completely abandon a world that I love so much.
