The team relay gold medal at European championships It is closely linked to two personal stories, those of Gaia Masetti and Mirco Maestri. Both come from the same region: Emilia Romagna and for both of them this was the first medal with the national teamIndeed, for the Polti-Kometa rider, the European Championship marked her first appearance for the Italian national team. On the other hand, Gaia Masetti had come close to winning a medal in 2023 in the Netherlands with a fourth-place finish in the under-23 road race.
Two roads that cross and rewrite the careers of both, because a medal contains dreams and ambitions but also revenge and a will to never give up, not even a meter.
An extra push
Gaia Masetti She had just enough time for a quick trip home, just to drop off her suitcase and pick it up again a few days later. Today, in fact, she's busy with her AG Insurance – Soudal Team at the Grand Prix de Wallonie. We intercepted her in the few hours she remained in Italy, letting ourselves be overwhelmed by her enthusiasmThe Belgian gold earned her a call-up to the World Championships in Zurich, the first of her young career.
«After the road race, the time trial coach (Velo, ed.) – says Masetti – told me that I would go to the world championships. It's nice because a year ago I didn't even want to get on the time trial bikeI was doing well as a junior, then when I moved up to the under-23s I had some problems and decided to put it aside. The coach of the women's national team, Sangalli, he didn't give up and last year he told me that I would run the European time trial in HollandI didn't want to, but he prevailed, and I showed up at the start. I finished tenth, a normal result for anyone, but for me it was a spark that rekindled my passion for this discipline. From that moment on (it was September 22, 2023, ed.) I started training again with the time trial bike even at home.Now I'm the one who insists with the trainer to include it in the work programs."
The strength of the group
The team relay is run by six: three men and three women who share the effort. A test where the synergy between teammates counts, trust in everyone's abilities is needed, both of the one who starts first and of the one who takes over the baton halfway through the test.
«It's a very tiring test – explains Masetti – because with three of you it's like doing an individual time trial but with the mechanisms of a team eventThe recovery time between one change and the next is 40 seconds, then you take a breather and go back to shooting. I'm fortunate and skilled enough to be an athlete who can sustain high efforts for a long time.
«We found our strength above all in the group – he continues – I didn't think I would bond so much with all five of my classmates.We often ended up being late for a workout because we'd stay at the table talking after breakfast, not realizing the time was passing. Even on the podium, we'd joke around, acting silly, commenting on the crowd and the awards ceremony.
«I didn't know anyone well, except Cattaneo, whom I had met on some training camps with the team. Affini was the one that scared me the most, because of his size, but he is very nice and extremely calm.I often run into the girls, Guazzini and Cecchini, as opponents, but I'd never talked to them much. Elena (Cecchini, ed.) was like a “mother” to me during this European Championship.During our outings together, he explained to me how the team relay worked, how to behave after the curves and everything else. The team relay fascinated me, even if it's incredibly tiring and this medal is just an incentive to continue in this direction».
“Donald Duck” king of Europe
The career of Mirco Maestri She is ahead of her teammate in the team relay. At 32 years old “Donald Duck” Masters, as he nicknamed himself for his tenacity, earned his first call-up to the national team.
"I told the team and staff," he begins with a smile, "if they want to bring me as a talisman to the next trials. Jokes aside, I wasn't expecting this gold medal. In an instant, everything changes, and a series of good performances have opened the doors to the national team for me. In July I heard Bennati tell me that I would be in the European Championship squad and everything changed in my head.I said to myself, "I can do it." I'm convinced that if a rider doesn't have goals and dreams, he slowly "dies," and I, as stubborn as Donald Duck, have never given up. I have built a career brick by brick and at 32, almost 33, I can say that I still feel I have a lot to give.I owe a lot to Basso and Polti; without them, I wouldn't be where I am. I don't set limits for myself; I never have, and I won't start now."
Two medals later
The men's trio of the relay team was composed of Maestri, Affini and Cattaneo, the latter two coming from the individual time trial which was worth two medals: gold and bronze. Knowing that you are running alongside two champions of the discipline can give you peace of mind, but also pressure.Maestri himself tells us the right mix to find.
«In general – he says – we knew we had a big responsibility. As Italy we were the favourites and we were good at managing the pressure, everyone. I knew it would be difficult to run alongside Affini and Cattaneo, but I wanted to be ready, and I succeeded. I handled the effort well, even though I didn't know what it would be like; it was my first team relay.
«It's impactful - he concludes - it's 28 kilometers in totalIn individual time trials you control your effort, but there you just pace yourself. After a corner I found myself closing in and my legs started to hurt incredibly. But I was so focused that I looked at the clock after a while and 16 minutes had already passed., I was heartened. Once our relay was over, we went on the bus to wash up and then sat in front of the television to watch the girls. My heart rate was medium, even when sitting, I was too tenseTime was running out, and when the box showing Germany's lead turned red, we broke into a scream. We went to meet the girls and the party beganI repeat: it was the victory of Donald Duck and of those who believed in him, starting from Basso and Zanatta».
