Jakub Sunday Mareczko, competing in the Tour of Hungary since yesterday (third in the first stage), is back to winning. He did it at the Circuito del Porto-Trofeo Arvedi, one of the international classics of the rich Under 23 calendar also open to the Elite (opening photo Sessa). His and Corratec’s participation sparked a hornet’s nest of controversy to which we will return laterbut few highlighted another aspect of his victory: the fact that it was repeated 10 years later.
It doesn’t often happen that a cyclist (but a sportsman in general would be better) wins at such a distance of time, for many the space between two careers. For Jakub this thought takes away some of the bitterness that covered his victory.
«It’s actually nice to repeat yourself after such a long time. It has always been a race suited to my characteristics, completely flatwhere you have to work as a team to build the final sprint.”
What differences are there between the Mareczko of the first victory and the one of today?
There are 10 years as a professional, made up of more or less elevated moments, more or less happy, but all full of experience. When I won I was 19 years old, I was in my second year among the under 23s and my heart was full of hope. Let’s say that that victory also contributed to launching me into the professional ranks. Today I am another runner, another man.
An important race?
A lot, it always has been. At the time it was one of the key events of the season for an Under 23, today it is still an important event in the UCI calendar, with many foreign presences. The French national military team was also there on Sunday.
With this victory it is as if a circle has been closed. Despite your still young age, how do you judge this decade of intermission?
It was beautiful, important, full of satisfaction. I won races in big teams, I experienced WorldTour cycling. I have always done my part and I am proud of this. My only regret is not being able to win a stage in the Giro d’Italia, I came very close three times, that’s what I regret most, but maybe there’s still time and opportunity to do it…
It’s true, however, that more than a few people have turned their mouths a little when they saw your victory, precisely in relation to your almost 30 years, not naturally taking it out on you but on the presence of your team in general…
Yes, it was a victory marked by controversy and I’m sorry about that. Why were we there? It’s simple: a question of UCI points. The rules have changed this year and to maintain professional status, a team must reach a certain score it is imperative to go to every race where you can score points. Cremona was an excellent opportunity to win and collect some nice loot, we all worked together for this.
Furthermore, Corratec also pays for not participating in the Giro d’Italia…
Exactly, then we are forced to look for random races to score points. It is no coincidence that on Monday I was on a plane to come and race in Hungary and as soon as the Hungarian test is over I will go to Greece. Then I will have a period to recharge the batteries and we will start again, also going to Asia.
Why then did all this fuss arise?
The speech was not addressed to us as such. The regulations allow the participation of teams like ours, period. There are no similar problems abroad, category 1.2 races like the one in Cremona are full of professional teams, Bardiani itself was also present at the Porto Circuit in recent years. For example, I remember how Alpecin also participated in the Tour of Great Britain and it was a race in that category. Here then pandemonium would break out… You have to look for the points where they are, clearly it is right to do so if you can in the closest races.
What condition are you in, given that you are in the middle of your season?
I would say very good. I left the Tour of Turkey in good shape, modeled precisely in that long race, eight days straight without interruption were needed for fine-tuning. Now there are races that have stages that are suitable for me, with altitudes that are not excessive. The goal is to get results in both.
In Cremona, in that victory, how much was there of you and how much of the team?
I think there was a good mix, first throwing a valuable runner on the attack like Tsarenko, then building the sprint with my teammates who were very good at putting me in the best conditions, finally with my sprint. But the team’s help is always needed. Despite what you might think, the fact that there were much younger runners, a sprint never has a predictable outcome…
