What is there beyond UC Foligno? What is the Umbrian reality in youth cycling? Questions that came to mind as we broached the topic of runners like Proietti Gagliardoni And Serangeli, tips of a regional iceberg that has a double facet, as Eros explains Capecchi who has been following the regional movement as a regional technician for three years.
Difficult management
Capecchi has a long history in professional cycling, which ended recently. As soon as I hung up my bike (so to speak because my love for cycling has never waned), the cyclist from Castiglione del Lago immediately made himself available to the Umbrian Regional Committee, however, finding themselves in a difficult situation to say the least.
«I accepted the role without any compensation – he states – so much so that I often lost out out of my own pocket, but luckily I have a well-established company and I don’t do it for the money. However, things are different when it comes to budget and services to be made available for children. I had accepted the role with many ideas and above all with the aim of constant progress, but instead I found myself taking steps backwards every year. Even today we have fewer means than in 2023, so it is really difficult to move forward. I have made a commitment to the regional president and I will carry it forward, but when the mandate expires I will do my accounts carefully.”
What did you miss?
When the budget is cut, the plans you put on paper go out the window. I can do my work for free, but not everyone can do the same. So for example we started with the idea of having a couple of mechanics available, Not being able to pay them, we found 3 pensioners who carried out this task, but they also backed out. The same goes for a masseur. They are important figures if you want to plan a trip, this affects the work of the boys.
What is the situation of the Umbrian youth movement?
Of great suffering, especially numerical. There are fewer and fewer kids doing activities and this is clearly a problem which becomes worse with the larger categories, because many get lost along the way. The thing that saddens me the most is that despite low numbers, Umbrian cycling always offers good riders. We talked about the talents of UC Foligno, but there are others too. Laudi in their same association or Tommaso Brunori, Vittorio Friggi, Tommaso Alunni or even Tommaso Francescangeli from whom I expect a lot as from Laudi himself. We know about Serangeli’s injury, but I know that he is forging ahead and I believe that he will be able to be present and competitive for the Italian championship.
How important is it for kids to have a guide who has reached the top of the cycling world?
I believe that it is important to establish a frank relationship with them – says Capecchi – often the technician becomes even more than a friend, almost a confessor. I try to be one of them, even if when I need to pull the reins I do it without being asked. I ask for seriousness and cheerfulness in the right proportions and I’ll do it myself, I’m certainly not a curmudgeon… The real problem is being able to prepare a real calendar of commitments, from rookies to juniors. I’ll give you an example…
Please…
The first year of my stay we had organized a retreat before the Italian championships, last year we had to cancel it, this year we don’t know. But if on the first trip you hear the manager say: “There’s no money…”, then I too wonder what I’m doing here. Yet many useful things could be done. We had even set up a couple of retreats in the mountains in Livigno, with the kids and the clubs that had contributed, we as a committee only paid for the trip, then everyone paid for themselves and they were great experiences, which made us a group.
Now what’s left, what opportunities will you have?
However, we will be present at all the tests scheduled for regional representatives and I will bring 1-2 elements per team with me. We want to make them do activities, take them running and show what they are worth. Also to give prestige to the activities of the companies. The guys from Foligno are certainly in evidence, but there are also other groups that are working well, see Team Fortebraccio from which Samuele comes Scappini now at Beltrami, or Uc Città di Castello or even Gc Mocaiana. We would like to give them support, I know that the federal president Massimo Alunni himself He’s looking for sponsors, but it’s not easy.
There is a lot of talk about Proietti Gagliardoni and Serangeli because they have “tasted” the showcase of the national team. In your opinion, are there other guys who can reach those levels?
Certainly, for example Edoardo Rulli – replies Capecchi – who is racing in the Onec Team for the second year, was unlucky in 2023 after having started very well, then those I have already mentioned. I’m honest with guys: cycling has no mercy, those who go fast move forward, those who go slow disappear in the end and there is no time to wait. In my day you went through all the steps to grow, today you have to emerge as a junior otherwise you won’t find a team and you’ll stop. However, facing my world now with another point of view, I believe that a breath of rejuvenation of the environment is needed, especially on a technical level.
This is a theme that recurs often, other sports are growing precisely because the basic coaches are progressing and updating their beliefs based on what comes from abroad. Does this happen in cycling?
With difficulty, because many technicians remain anchored to old patterns, to tradition that is now outdated. Young people are certainly more open-minded, but they must be given the opportunity to grow. I did the training courses and honestly I didn’t learn anything new: knowing how the bicycle is made tells me little… I don’t think this is just a problem in my region, all of Italian cycling needs to wake up. It’s no coincidence that after my boys ran the Eroica and competed against foreigners, they flew in the following weeks. We need general progress, otherwise comparing ourselves with other nations will be like going to war with water pistols.
