The story of Umberto Orsini, forced to retire at just 26 years old Not having found a team that still believed in him, it touched him deeply and it couldn't have been otherwise: Andrea Tafi is his uncle And he knows well that his exploits have instilled in the boy a strong desire to emulate him, to invest every ounce of energy in the bike. During our chat, Uncle Andrea, however, doesn't want to talk about retirement: "I told Umberto that he must always believe in it, that he must never stop training, because as long as there's life, there's hope. I told him that in my day there were more opportunities," Tafi continues, "more teams, but that doesn't mean he can't find an open door; he just has to always believe in it."
Certainly, the physical problems with his knee, in such a complicated and unique season as 2020, didn't help him...
It's a difficult time, the teams are few and have not been able to carry out full activity, especially throughout the non-WorldTour calendar. Teams are struggling with this pandemic, money is scarce, and if you add to this the physical problems Umberto has had since the 2019 Giro, you get the current situation. I say that 2020 is no example, it was a season too different from the others, no one could express themselves better.
Did Umberto suffer more than others from the change in category?
Probably yes, it's a completely different world, that of professionalsHe had shown a lot before moving up a category, but among professionals you have to grit your teeth, everyone has had hard timesI myself was almost left on foot in '91, I knew I had to do something and with work, perseverance and determination I got back on my feet, I worked to stand out and won the Giro del Lazio, from which I started out for the most important part of my career. Umberto's character, which is a bit reserved, probably also had a big influence. He's used to keeping everything inside himself, but I saw his bitterness and his disappointment.
In his story, Orsini told us that what's missing in the professional world is protection for young people, who feel a bit alone...
I don't agree with this. We're not talking about kids, they are adults, they must be able to walk alone, Ask questions, question yourself, and look for concrete things. The teams pay close attention to the riders because they are the ones who drive the movement, it is clear that everything depends on the results, if they don't arrive you lose your shine, but it's a world that gives nothing away and you must always find the strength within yourself to move forward.
According to Tafi, should the Federation be more active in supporting young players who are forced to end their careers prematurely?
I don't believe it, FCI There's already a lot being asked of you, and I don't think this should be part of your duties. When a career ends, it's always traumatic; you enter another world, you have to rethink yourself, but this applies to everyone. You have to hold on and look for opportunities, both within and outside of cycling. The Federation is working to revitalize Italian cycling, and I'm confident we'll soon return to our peak performance.
Is Umberto's story definitively over?
I hope not, My advice is to keep believing.Don't stop, keep training and keep knocking on doors. Maybe someone will open up during the year; I'm firmly convinced that will happen. Umberto still has a lot to give on his bike...
