He signed: Jakub Mareczko he is a new rider of the Alpecin-Fenix. “Kuba” can thus turn the page after the chapter with the Vini Zabu.
Mareczko had come to the Tuscan team to relaunch himself and all in all things were going well. The motivations were good, the team had been invited to Tour of Italy, at the beginning of the season he had also won a couple of races and at his side he had two or three men good for sprints like Riccardo Stacchioti e Liam Bertazzo. Then came the terrible event (Matteo De Bonis testing positive), the suspension of the team, the farewell to the Giro d'Italia... And everything fell apart.
Instead, this morning the good news. The official news arrived while Kuba was on his bike. He stopped at the bar for a break, looked at his phone and saw an email he had been waiting for, one that would turn verbal agreements into reality: the email with the contract.
Jakub, it's done!
Well yes, I signed the contract this morning with my digital signature… Actually, Friday had already arrived, but some details were missing, and it didn't end there. Then they have office hours, they don't work on Saturdays and Sundays, and everything was postponed until today.
And now, is a new winter beginning?
Tomorrow I'm already leaving for the training camp in Spain with Alpecin. We're going to Benicassim. Ten days to get to know each other and train. Then we'll be back in January. But I'll tell you right away; don't ask me about the plans because I don't know them yet!
How do we start again?
I think this is the real opportunity. One of those that never come around again. I've found a really well-equipped team that fits my characteristics well. And Seeing how they approached certain races I can say I was in the right team at the right time.
Have you got a weight off your chest?
I can take it off later if I win. For now there are few words to describe it all. For me it's like going to the Deceuninck-Quick Step, a team for sprinters. Look Cavendish last year. It's the same here. And I'll do everything I can to do well.
You told us a while ago that Alpecin is planning to have a sprinter for every major Tour. That's Merlier, Philipsen, and you...
The theory is this. The goal is to win the classics and the stages of the Grand Tours, and to win the sprints in the stage races. To do this, you need sprinters and their replacements in case someone gets injured. And you also need riders to help them sprint. That's why I say it's the team for me.
Philipsen and Merlier: do you know them?
Not too much. They're both very good sprinters. Philipsen he is very young and merlier I think he's a couple of years older than me. It'll be a great adventure, starting with this retreat. When you have teammates who are sprinters like you, it creates a sense of motivation. Training and racing with people like that raises the level. It was like with Van Avermaet to the CCC: if he's constantly going 40 miles an hour, you have to go too.
Will you also try the retired trains?
I think so, but I'm not sure yet what the program will be.
How will you do your training? We also need to continue working on improving our climbing skills to improve our sprint performance…
I relied on the team, their coaches, for everything. About what needed to be done and what not to do. Certainly, if you have to do a great Giro you have to be competitive even on the climbs and keep up the pace.
How did the deal with Vini Zabù end?
Since his license was revoked, his contract expired.
So, free. You'll certainly have a more peaceful winter...
One more reason to be happy. When this proposal arrived around early November, I didn't think twice.
What if Alpecin hadn't arrived?
There were some offers, but they automatically lapsed as soon as this offer arrived. For me, it was essential to have a team that wanted to sprint, that made it a priority, and I found it.
