SIENA – The last stage of the Eroica Juniores Nations Cup begins allows us to make a point with Dino #Salvoldi, the blue city leading the boys in this race. # The national team bus stops in the square of the Giardini la Lizza, behind which you can admire the Medici fortress. # The sun, pointing high in the sky, invites the city to wear its glasses with dark lenses.
A #new cycling
Salvoldi talks to the boys, develops the tactic that almost reverses the race #and goes down. There is always a nice crowd of people around him: diesses of junior teams such as Pavanello #and Scinto, but also many other characters.
«We have seen – says the city – that potentially among the best riders in the category we lack nothing to be competitive. # We proved it (even more so a few hours later at the finish line in Chiusdino, ed.). The kids are excited by this type of competition, it’s #new to #cycling #and the category, with a calendar that allows you to always compete at this level. # We as #Italy have a different history #and structure. # Those countries that do not have these historical characteristics have joined forces to face a calendar of this size.”
What teams are we talking about?
Nations like Norway, Denmark #and Great Britain, for example, which do not have a national calendar as rich as ours, have organized themselves to let kids run in this type of competition, always. If we then add i I have to team of the WorldTour we have a similar situation to that of professionalism. # We as the Italian national team must organize ourselves so that our best players can become attractive.
Letting these guys race with the national team means taking them away from club teams.
I must say that the perception that my collaborators #and I have, without any presumption, is that of having established a good dialogue with the various teams. What we try to put into practice is linear programming. # Clearly there are unforeseen events, it happens that one or two places fill up at the last minute.
You work with which kids?
As we had the opportunity to do last year #and as we will have the opportunity to do this year, half of the team participating in the international events will be made up of the kids who represent the core group of the working group.
Speaking of programming, is it possible to work continuously?
It’s becoming difficult to hold preparatory rallies, also because school is in this category. # In the first part of the season we managed to hold mini monthly meetings, where we worked with the kids. We do well at planning training sessions #and the calendar according to the events shared with the teams.
What would it take to do better?
Everything can be improved, if there were greater availability we would do more. With the budget we had we were forced to make some sacrifices #and invest it in another direction. # In anticipation of the most important events, such as the track #and road #world championships, we will hold extended rallies.
What did you invest in?
Participation in stage races, with the motivation we explained before. And with the fact of wanting to keep the ranking high to bring the greatest number of kids to international events. # Then there is the track, there was immediately the desire to do a good job in Montichiari, on an ongoing basis. #
This Eroica brought the #new Viezzi to its second international road race, the first with the national team.
He #and Proietti, who is a first year. I didn’t find it difficult to fit into the group with them. # Road #cycling is much more of a team sport than cyclocross, for example. I didn’t find this type of difficulty #and there wasn’t even a coordination or technical one. # The kids are worthy #and capable of moving from one discipline to another, in the past there had been greater difficulties. # Instead, with Viezzi #and Proietti there were none.
