Il FANTAmtb it is now a reality, the application has been made official and the communication of the prize money has begun, a rich haul (13.000 euros) which will reward the winner of the category and stages.
How do you win? Well, staying updated on the world of cycling, studying the athletes, watching the races and looking for as much information as possible the web has to offer, but if this weren't enough, the Fanta Mtb is also Live. We exchanged a few words with the Italian Champion, trying to get some names that could surprise us in 2, space for the interview.
Let's start with the market cycle, we know you spent two years with Lapierre, but where are you this year?
"You put me in a bit of trouble because I can't say it yet. The news should come out soon, next weekend, but I can anticipate that it will be an Italian team".
Will you be well supported? Will you be able to play all the Word Series or will it be a more national calendar?
"I will play all championship including Tasmania and will be well supported. Only in Tasmania, for logistical and economic reasons, will I have less support from the team, but compared to last year I now have more support".
Do planes get to Tasmania? I've always had the impression that if you leave on a Monday you arrive at your destination 4 days later.
"They get there, they get there. The other time I was just looking into this thing and I saw that there are a lot of well-cut lawns that are considered airports, I think they use them for freight transport”.
Do you like the news of the globalization of the EWS world championship, the arrival of Eurosport and the annexation to the UCI?
"In my opinion, from the growth point of view for this sport it can be very interesting. I can't say if I like it or not, the fact of live coverage and going on TV is very cool, this would help the image of our sport and encourage the entry of other sponsors. The shared weekends are also very interesting, those who go to watch enduro could also become passionate about Cross Country or DH".
For those who don't know you, I already know your story and you've probably also told it on numerous other websites, so I'm asking you a question that might seem trivial but the goal is to use the question to go later, a little more deep inside. The question is: can you tell us a little about your beginnings?
"I started with the cross country, but the real beginning was with the Bmx on a path behind the house. I saw people going there with the mountain bike and when I came back from school I pushed my Bmx with my backpack up to the top and went downhill and then went back home. A few years later I started with Cross Country, even if I would have liked to start right away in Downhill, but in my area they said that I was still too light for DH and that I should start with XC, honestly I still don't understand what they meant. So initially I was forced to do Cross Country, the second year as a rookie I started to do some enduro races with the XC bike, and then I started with the Downhill up to the second year elite and while I practiced Dh I also did the Italian of Enduro. After these two years in Dh cat. elite I decided to switch to enduro”.
How many thousands of euros did you quantify your damages as a youngster on the components, I imagine they were nice "ignorant" outings.
“Thousands of euros, no, because the first bikes they bought me didn't even cost a thousand euros, but, if I'm not mistaken, I broke three Cross Country bikes before I started with Enduro. I broke the swingarm on two bikes and I split the frame in two on one. Oh, I also broke the BMX... yes, I broke a few bikes”.
I see you ride very hard in Pump to train, have you always practiced the Pump track?
“Yes, I have always gone there since I was a child. We had built a pump track with a company and so I've always shot in this type of environment. Initially I used a Bmx without brakes, then I bought a Dirt”.
In your opinion, although we have some very good and smart athletes, why do we struggle so much to emerge in the international comparison? Is this just a supportive speech or is there something else as well?
“What we lack is not only support, but perhaps also a different mentality and the desire to get involved. I have often heard young people express their preferences towards the EWS 100 because being easier to make the podium it helped in terms of image, and consequently it helped with the sponsors. For me, this mentality is already a somewhat wrong starting point. There's little desire to get involved, it might seem bad to throw money away to race abroad and get 100th, but in the early years you have to believe in it and grow. We had to stop focusing on who has what, we should stop getting too complex and think about having fun, trying to make the most of what we have by giving our best".
Substantial differences in the approach to a descent in enduro and in downhill, what changes in your opinion?
“In recent years, mainly last year, I have noticed an increase in the level in the World Series. You can no longer afford to make mistakes, once in the enduro I thought it was necessary to manage the descent, now it looks a lot like the Downhill.
The races of Downhill having only one heat you have no way to recover if you make a mistake and in my opinion, for this reason, they are more stressful, in enduro you can afford something more, but not too much. My approach to the different disciplines is the same, maybe I'm annoyed by the appearance in the Dh races”.
You brought the Italian home, could you give us an account of the season? Are you generally satisfied or could you have done better?
“You can always do better, I'm happy to have found a good feeling with the bike, even if at the end of the season, to have arrived in good shape. It makes no sense to dwell on why he only found form at the end of the season, I'm happy with how I finished 2022 ".
The best moments and greatest joys of this season, apart from the Italian?
“I really liked the enduro of nations despite the disqualification caused by a thousand misadventures. I liked it: how I felt, racing in Finale, seeing all that support; it was very emotional, very beautiful”.
Overtaking is also very nice! You were very energized, toned, motivated, it seemed that you had a different approach from other races.
“Yes, at a certain point I was no longer able to keep up with all the messages that arrived, I received so many.
Certainly after the Italian it was a little easier, immediately after winning it I had a brief down moment, but I arrived at the Nations trophy wanting to go fast, I wanted to show that we could do it, then it went as we all know but I still happy".
That Italian enduro in Tavernerio, what year was it? You gave them a truly wonderful performance which, if I'm not mistaken, you threw away in the last stage making a few mistakes, but up until then you were fighting for the title, am I right?
“It was my first year of Enduro, about 5 years ago. Up until the last ps I was first, but in the last stage my head skipped, I wanted to compensate for the time I would have lost in a pedaled section, but I never got there in the pedaled section. I planted a huge facade first and then I left a little crushed, it was the strongest facade of my life”.
How do you evaluate the fact that you managed to put in such a wonderful performance the first year of enduro, 5 years ago, and then only find the same feeling again in 2022, last year. What clicked in your head that allowed you to get those performances?
“It's all in the head, that year in Tavernerio I trained a bit as I wanted, I didn't even ride a lot, I took it more as a game. I no longer had a team in Downhill, I couldn't afford to race at my own expense, they had offered me to go racing in Enduro and I accepted; I had a lot of fun but I didn't expect anything. When I saw that I was first in Italian I had a sort of crisis, I was very critical and I didn't believe in myself. Last year, with the help of a psychologist, I managed to catch up with myself”.
Now are you followed by some mental trainer or is it all done at home?
“Until a few months ago yes, now I'll have to find another one”.
Hobbies other than the bike?
“Climbing and trail building”.
If I'm not mistaken you also have an association, you run courses.
“Yes, yes, with my partner we created a small company. We started 6-7 years ago for fun, to set up the paths and lend a hand to the company that used to be here, 3-4 years ago we decided to open a shuttle service and school for the kids”.
Who are the sponsors who will be supporting you this year other than those who still have to remain top secret?
"Surely Vibram he will continue to support and put up with me, now it will be the 5th year. For me now it is a family, they are always available for anything, they don't put pressure on the contrary it is a nice positive environment. I like developing their products. I reconfirmed with Vittoria Tires, with them a couple of years ago I had started a project where I tested tires and I started racing on them last year. I confirmed with Northwave, Switch Components and Ochain, I can't say the others yet".
How about if we talk a little about athletes and the Enduro world, given the difficulty of finding athletes who always remain at the top. Are you aware of the future of Jack Moir and Jesse Melamed?
"Yes, but I don't think I can say it."
A name came to my mind, Martin Maes, What do you think?
“In my opinion last year he had some difficulties with the new bike, since he hadn't changed bike for a long time. I saw that at the beginning of last season he had a bit of uncertainty about the 29″-27.5″ or 29″-29″ wheel combo, but despite everything at the end of the season he came up with some good races. In my opinion, this year he can speak for himself, he can be a rider who will achieve good results”.
About 27-5" or 29″ will your setup this year be 29″-29″ or mullet?
“Mullet, I'm fine on the small wheels. Last year I used 29″-29″, the wheels came out like this, the bike arrived like this and I used it like that, I would have liked to try the mullet solution but I didn't have the 27.5″ wheel and I raced like this”.
Let's try playing a game, I know you've downloaded the app, I'd be curious to know which pilots you've chosen and why. Did you choose yourself? I rated you 22 Fantamilioni, I was a little high because I feel you can do something, I see you with the gaze of the tiger.
“I chose myself, you never know I'll have a good race. I bought Isabeau Courdurier so I'm on the safe side, he's a classic by now. Despite a foot injury the weekend after he had made a podium, and the time after that he returned to win, a bit as if in that post-injury weekend, with that podium she rested. For the first stage in Tasmania I take Jack Moir, new team, new bike, practically a home race, I think he will be super motivated. I also got Alex Rudeaux and Youn Deniaud. Gloria Scarsi could have a good season this year and I took it. Harriet Harnden in the long and physical specials is very strong. Cole Lucas is home for the first leg. I close the team with Adrien Dailly, he is an absurd talent, unfortunately his talent wins his head and sometimes he fails to perform as well as he could, but last year if I'm not mistaken he won the stage in Tasmania, who knows maybe he could repeat the performance".
But you have to reduce the budget, you haven't completed the team, you have to take a total of 9 men and 6 women to close it. Come on, we won't put you in crisis, we'll leave you with your unfinished dream team.
“I'll start studying and try to put the team back together”.
Don't worry. All right, thank you very much, especially for your availability, bye Tommy.
“I will send you the team, bye bye”.
