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«I became passionate about cycling thanks to Gabriele, my older brother, who will turn twenty-three the day after tomorrow“, tells Vincenzo Carosi. «I started mountain biking as a child, then among the beginners I decided to try my hand at cyclocross. It was then that I had to choose between cycling and tennis, the other sport I played. The passion was passed on to me by my mother, a tennis player herself. I got along quite well, my trademark was the drops and I always supported Berrettini, a tennis player who was not at all cold and conveyed a lot of emotions. And then we are both from Lazio, he from Rome and I from Vetralla, in the province of Viterbo. I chose cycling because I felt it inside me more than tennis, which I still enjoy following anyway. On the road, however, I started competing only among the students, and the activity wasn’t that intense. All things considered, I can say that my first real season as a road racer was last year».
On your debut among the juniors, at seventeen, you surprisingly won the Italian championship. Surprise?
«I certainly wasn’t the favorite. We all knew that Baruzzi and Maganotti had an edge, and that the most dangerous unknown was called Agostinacchio. However, I had just returned from some good placings: third in San Leolino, fifth in the general classification of the Giro d’Abruzzo and best young person. Since I felt good and was suited to the path of the Italian championship, with those who follow me we said that we had to prepare it properly, athletically and tactically.».
You won by overcoming your breakaway companions in the sprint, after attacking right from the start of the race.
«I didn’t give up until I got into the breakaway, if I wanted to have a chance I had to build up a certain margin over the big favourites. At the start of the last lap I realized that they wouldn’t catch us and I started thinking about the sprint, which I then won ahead of Pezzo Rosola and Pascarella. Among the students I had achieved some regional races, but it can be said that the Italian junior championship was the first real affirmation of my career. Everything went right. At first I didn’t believe it, it seemed surreal, like I was underwater. Then, once the adrenaline wore off, I realized I had done it».
Now comes the difficult part: reconfirming yourself and accepting the condition of special observation.
«I’ve already noticed it. I wear a more than recognizable shirt and it is understandable that my opponents look at me with a different eye. But I have to accept it, it’s part of the game. In fact, I have to say that I don’t mind it, because it encourages me to always give my best and to recognize the value of the symbol I carry. For the immediate future I have set myself two objectives: to win more than last year and to win the tricolor jersey of Italian champion again».
What are the chances of seeing you in mountain bike and cyclocross action again?
«In mountain biking none, I’m afraid, because the racing season coincides with the road season, which I now want and must give priority to. In cyclocross there are greater possibilities, in 2025 I had to give up racing due to mononucleosis which also compromised the last tests of my season on the road. I won’t deny that I miss off-roading, but I’ll put my soul at rest. I will forever be grateful to that world for what it gave me: a smooth ride and an explosiveness that always comes in handy.».
So should we consider you a classics rider?
«I really think so. I have two dreams: Paris-Roubaix and Milan-Sanremo. Among other things, the 2018 Sanremo, the one won by Nibali, was the first great victory that I enjoyed as a television spectator, so to speak. For a long time, in fact, I followed road cycling on the sly. I knew what it was, of course, but my idols were Schurter for mountain biking and Van der Poel for cyclocross. Going back to your question: yes, I am a rider suited to the classics, explosive on the climbs and fast in narrow ranks».
Bearing in mind that you are only seventeen and have a lifetime ahead of you, where do you feel you need to improve?
«On long climbs, otherwise I don’t care about being fast in the sprints of twenty or thirty runners. I’m 1.74 meters tall and during the last season I never dropped below sixty-four kilos, but if I want to improve in the mountains I need to dry out. Now I’ve reached the point of weighing sixty-three kilos, but I wouldn’t mind weighing around sixty-two».
Do you have any regrets to avenge?
«I have not one, but three. At the Liberazione I was left without teammates and when the two Australians who were playing for the victory escaped I couldn’t do anything to follow them and catch them; We didn’t find an agreement in the group and they beat us to it by a few seconds. At Dorigo, a week before the Italian championship, I felt good, it’s a shame that the broken chain prevented me from playing as I would have liked. Finally, I want to return to the Giro della Lunigiana without mononucleosis, because it’s not enough for me to participate in certain races just to finish them».
After that, it will be time to move on to the Under 23s.
«We will think about it in due course. Joining a foreign nursery would honor me, but I have to understand if I’m up to it. Without forgetting the teams we have in Italy: from Bardiani to Mbh Bank, passing through the most prestigious continental ones. The priority is given to the second season among the juniors with my team, Coratti Work Service, and the fourth season of high school. I attend scientific high school, I don’t mind studying but I haven’t decided yet whether I will attend university or not. It also depends on what I gain from cycling, a world in which I want to try to make my way anyway».
