Colleoni and your back: is everything resolved with the ophthalmologist?

RIEMST (Belgium) – From the meeting to talk about his helmet to remembering the last bit of last year, when Kevin Colleoni announced that he would move from Jayco-AlUla to Intermarché-Wanty. The season hadn’t gone great and that was the basis of everything a mysterious back problem that emerged after the fall at the Agostoni Cup. Usually, in these cases, you do the necessary therapies, they straighten you out and you come back as good as new. Instead for the Bergamo area a half hell has been set in motion, made up of pain, exams, inconveniences and the frustration of not getting to the bottom of it.

So we extended our stay in your hotel for take stock of your health and career, the current season and what’s to come. Seeing him reach the top of the Redoute on Thursday together with Francesco Busatto, he didn’t seem particularly sore, but it’s better to let him tell you about it (at the beginning, in the photo Instagram/cyclingmedia_agency).

What is it like racing in Belgium in a Belgian team?

Racing here, you can feel the difference, otherwise it’s an international team. Very familiar, yes: I feel good. I found a calm, professional environment, I had no doubts. I am also at ease with my teammates and the staff. The thing I like so much is the program. There were some small changes, but already in December I knew where I would race. I more or less have a calendar for the whole year, excluding what may happen. And this is excellent, because you can plan the work well.

Is it useful to plan for such a long term?

I’m coming from a difficult yearI had my problems and I arrived here without having them completely resolved yet. This is why I live a lot from day to day. I found a very trained medical staff, osteopaths and physiotherapists and I improved a lot. I don’t want to say I’m 100 percent gone, but I’m a lot better.

Has it been discovered what happened in that fall?

I didn’t actually break anything, at least from what we could see. Just that This started back pain and I carried it for the rest of the season. I started improving this winter after the racing ended, doing everything and more. Osteopaths, physiotherapists… I don’t even count them anymore! Then I found an osteopath in Bergamo who started following me doing the same treatments as those of the team. And by doing this, plus lots of exercises, it started to cause less problems. The cause hasn’t been found yet, we don’t know what it is. But by doing certain treatments, it works.

No more pain?

In recent months it seems to have disappeared. I have some discomfort off the bike that I didn’t have before, but all in all it’s not bad on the bike. Before I couldn’t stay there, last year in August I couldn’t even do an hour. The pain affected the lower and right part, leg and buttock. At first they assumed it was sciatica, but in reality it wasn’t that. It’s more of a general inflammation, caused by an imbalance.

Did the tests reveal nothing?

I had MRIs, bone composition tests, CT scans. Nevertheless there is not a visible problem, but rather many small problems which however cannot lead to that pain. Before the fall I never had anything, so it must have started there. One thing I noticed and that osteopaths have also noticed is that since then I was no longer balanced, both on and off the bike. One thing that made me better was going to an eye doctor.

To do what?

We found that I am missing 0.4 from my right eye, while my left is fine. So we did some tests and by putting on a corrective lens, I practically straighten myself up on the bike. My back is not only loaded on one side, but it is balanced and so is the support on my feet when I walk. Now it’s 50-50, whereas before I was leaning towards one side. So I ride my bike with contact lenses. That’s something I didn’t believe either. I went because the osteopath told me to. We also went to the dentist, but the palate is straight and doesn’t affect the position, whereas the eyes do a lot. I’ve been wearing lenses since this winter, since December: 24 hours a day, I only take them off to sleep. And the disposable ones aren’t good, because I don’t have much left and they don’t make any, so I have to get them made to measure.

So now you ride like the old days?

I began to no longer have any discomfort and to cycle more satisfactorily. Let’s say that at the beginning of winter I had a bit of ailments, so I started late. I started training at the December retreat, before nothing. I started doing the work in January and month after month it got better and better. In the race I had some discomfort at the start of the first races, but for example the Tour of the Basque Country was the first race after a year in which I had no pain. I know they can come back, I’m very objective about it because a problem like this cannot disappear overnight. I know it and I work on it.

How?

I do treatments and do a lot of stretching. When I’m at the races, I have the masseur and the osteopath who checks that I’m straight with the pelvis and everything. When I’m at home, I can’t go every day, but I try to see them as often as possible. Maybe once a week, ten days. In the meantime I have my exercises and once a week I go to the gym, which has helped me a lot in strengthening my entire back. Weights and free body. It was the only thing that didn’t bother me when I was in pain. The only way I had to boost and still maintain the tone.

By changing team, did you also change your position on the bike?

We did a lot of work on this, but in the end it didn’t change much, except for some details. I did it through my osteopath in Bergamo and a biomechanist who came to his office. With each change that was made, the body’s response was tested. If I twisted or stood straight, if my leg got stuck or not. It’s something that takes a long time, the first few days you don’t notice the difference, but in the long run you notice it. Just think that since I raced at Biesse-Carrera, I have always maintained the same position.

But now?

Since I had this problem, knowing that every change could improve or worsen, I have been so meticulous. I always carry my training saddle with me to check that the racing one is the same. Not because I don’t trust it, but I’ve learned that the body is affected by even a single millimeter and can lose efficiency.

So now we start again with intact motivations?

The first goal for this year was to get myself back on track. I haven’t had any results yet, but race after race I’m improving and my confidence is returning. I should do the Giro d’Italia, my first Grand Tour: the preparation is focused on this. I’ve only done WorldTour races, it’s the only way to improve. The only one that was a little smaller, in quotes, was Milan-Turin. Obviously it is more difficult to achieve results, but now the interest is to grow. I won’t have a main objective, other than helping the team and trying to get some satisfaction.

You talked about trust.

That does a lot. Last year I went to the races already knowing I had no chance. Not my fault, but a physical problem. You leave already defeated, it’s not easy. This year I still don’t have the confidence I had before, but I see that I’m gradually improving. Missing making the next leap, maybe a result or something that can make me regain my confidence. If I also remove this burden mentally, I know I can return to performing well.

Where do you think you are in your career?

Everyone has their own physical maturation. I’m still 24 years old and I see that in cycling today, everyone expects too much from the younger ones. On the one hand it is normal, because many pass and win. But I come from a cycling background where until juniors I trained with my mom (Imelda Chiappa, silver on the road in Atlanta 1996, ed.). I went out three times a week, when I was under the maximum I did was 5 hours. Now I see juniors who train 5-6 hours like professionals, it’s normal for them to pass and go strong. But I also see others starting to emerge at 26-27, so in my opinion everyone has their own times. And I am certain of one thing: right now what matters is going fast. If you’re strong, you’re captain. Otherwise it takes them very little time to replace you.