Italian Shorts
POZZATTO – NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
Filippo Pozzato is a young guy, 21 years old, who started running pro races without run the under23 races. At 18 years old he joined the biggest
Italian team, Mapei-Quick Step and after this team left cycling, he’s joined Fassa Bortolo. Last year he won 14 races, and the most important has been the Tour de l’Avenir.
“By the tests that we did on him, we know that he has big potential and big determination. He is able to stay on bike, and he sees the race. We will introduce him into important races step by step”, said his new team manager Alberto Volpi. “Here I found a nice group, I will run the program that I wanted. And even though I won very much last year, I know that I still didn’t run at the true races. I’m relaxed because I trained more than last years in this time. I’m a rider for the one day races, and I hope to take part also at one race of the World Cup: I hope to do well at Sanremo but also Liegi is good for me. About last year I’m sad for the 2nd place at the National time trial championship: I arrived 2nd just for 15″. But now I’ve Frigo in my time, and I already advised him that it’s better for him if he won’t take part at it!”.
source: Gazzetta
MARTINELLO TO RETIRE
After a very long career, Silvio Martinello will leave cycling after the end of the 6 days of Berlin. AT 40 years old, it will be his 97th 6 days. “I already thought about when I will leave and I know that it won’t be easy.
Anyway, I knew that this time was arriving for me too”.
He won 28 6 days, 2 world championship in the American and the Olympic medal.
source: Gazzetta
HEAVY WORDS FOR ITALIAN CYCLING
Konyshev left Italy this year to go into a 2nd division team, Marlux. The 37 years old Russian didn’t have nice words for his ex team, Fassa Bortolo and especially about his ex team manager, Giancarlo Ferretti: “At my age, I was treated as a new pro, and I never liked it. Hid talking were ever in the same way. So, if you ask me if I’m sad because I’m in a 2nd division team, I will say no, without problems. Because big team means big problems”.
source: Datasport
Autograph Note: I once had the chance to ask ol’ Dimitri for a autograph – at his team hotel after a stage of the ’94 Giro. I stumbled my request in broken Italian, but he seemed to understand as I handed him my pen and a team poster. He signed it without saying a word, and handed back the poster and pen without so much as a smile, nod, or anything… maybe he had a bad day,or just didn’t like signing autographs…? – RP
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