Massimo Podenzana, the one with the two tricolour jerseys and the unforgettable support to Pantani's attacks, has been the sporting director of the Team Novo NordiskIn 2011, the team introduced itself as Team Type 1-Sanofi and took on its current name in 2013, becoming the flagship of elite cycling for athletes with type 1 diabetes.
Wild Sanremo
In the midst of the bittersweet post-wild card reactions, Novo Nordisk has uncorked the bottle for the call to Milan-Sanremo. Not that they don't aspire to do more, but certainly participation in the Classicissima it is the most sought-after international showcase and will be prepared as such.
«We know that participating in the Sanremo – says the Ligurian – is an important goal for us and having succeeded put us in a good moodThe year we've just had was tough, but we managed to race. It seemed like 2021 would be different, but instead everything seems the same. Going to the races remains a problem, you have to accept what comes and start again».
Until 2023
There is a cycling that is satisfied and certainly not because it is worth less, but because it prefers running within its limits rather than chasing improbable chimeras.
"We'll still be following our schedule," Podenzana explains, "which includes Laigueglia, Larciano, and Sanremo. We wanted to go to Turkey and Rwanda, but they were canceled. What the organizers are doing is already good, although the risk is that they'll start postponing dates, creating a backlog that will then become difficult to manage. It's not so much a problem for us, but for the smaller teams.We won't be doing the Giro, but we've extended our sponsorship for another two years, and even during the Covid period, we had ours without any problems. What do they ask us? Image, they care a lot about it.And spend it on public relations. Before Covid, children would come to the races to ask for autographs., now it's really sad…».
Everyone on the run
Speaking of project, this is beyond… selling riders and creating champions, but it wants to offer perspective to those who think that diabetes is a disabling diseaseSeeing that jersey in the breakaway or fighting for victory is the best advert.
"Back when Sanofi was around," he recalls, "we even had athletes without diabetes, but not anymore. Running as a star is the best showcase. In certain races you have to be seen, Sanremo is one of these. Maybe not by putting 4 of them on the run like last time. Otherwise one might think that the sporting director is senileWhile in the second tier races you can try to get a result. We also have a development team in the United States, which organizes a camp every year for 17-18 year olds to recruit the strongest. Their sporting director is Lagutin, who won the U23 World Championship in 2003. He is as thin as when he ran."
Tricolour flashes
In the Novo Nordisk team there is so much ItalyTeam manager Vassili Davidenko is Italian in his own way. He rose to prominence here as a rider alongside his "twin" Shefer in the early 1990s, later turning professional with Reverberi. The sports director is obviously Italian, as is the nutritionist. Laura Martinelli, whom we've already introduced to you. Alice Podenzana, Massimo's daughter, is Italian and works in communications. And then there are the riders, Andrea Peron and Umberto Poli.
«For them Sanremo is like a World Cup Podenzana continues, "Of course they want to be there. But I told them they have to be ready, otherwise the fact that they're Italian doesn't matter." Sanremo is not a right and since we only do this at a certain level, it would be good to be up to itI think they've figured it out. Sanremo is the only major event of the season. For the rest, we'll be in Spain, we'll do the Tour of Austria, Hungary, the Tour of Belgium, and Paris-Tours. Let's just say... we try to race in the countries where cycling is most importantAs for Martinelli, who had just arrived… I was a little skeptical at first; I'd never had a nutritionist when I was running. I realized at the retreat how important and good she is.. And in the end I thanked her."
Which path?
After Larciano the boys will go home, not racing Strade Bianche or the Tirreno, but a training camp will be organized in view of the Sanremo.
"We're doing something from March 13th to 18th," Podenzana confirmed, "and it wasn't easy to organize. We only learned about the invitation this week, so It wasn't difficult to find a hotel in MilanWe'll be doing the retreat here in my area, in the La Spezia area. And we're also waiting for the program. If the route changes again, it makes sense to go and see itOtherwise, we'll train nearby. Colle di Nava in March is actually quite a risk, so let's wait and see what they say. In any case, Our goal will be to take away the breakaway at the startThe champions must let her go, otherwise they'll have to control an increasingly nervous race. The flat kilometers after the start from Milan will be our hunting ground."
