Davide Piganzoli, from Valtellina and born in 2002, is not a pure climber but the prototype of the modern runner who goes fast uphill and defends himself well in the time trial, very regular and with excellent recovery skills. For the Polti Kometa rider, the recent Giro d’Italia was his first career Grand Tour and he has already demonstrated that he has the right stuff and great room for improvement: he finished 13th in the general classification, fourth in the best youngster ranking .
In your first Giro d’Italia you came 13th: was getting into the 15th your goal or did you expect even better?
“The initial goal was to aim for a stage and race well also because I didn’t know how I would hold up over the three weeks as it was my first Grand Tour, but the final result gave a lot of morale to both me and the team”.
Some insiders think it would have been better to drop out of the rankings and try to play for a stage victory that would have been within your reach: how do you respond?
“I found myself in a position to be able to make the rankings and therefore I decided to try to take advantage of the opportunity. A stage victory would certainly have been exciting, but for being the first year I am very satisfied.”
You have demonstrated important qualities as a regularist. Both uphill and in the time trial, however, did you lack something compared to the best: have you already identified the gaps and do you know how to work on them?
“I lose a bit in the time trial, but I’ll work on that this year and then I lack a bit of pace on the climbs, but I know that these are all things that I can make up for with the right training and experience”.
What has changed in the team with the arrival of the historic sponsor Polti?
“It was a great pleasure and it was a breath of fresh air in the team, it certainly gave us great motivation and stimulation.”
Do you already have clear ideas for 2025? Will you stay at Polti or will you make the leap to the World Tour?
“I think that another year at Polti could be good for me and will allow me to gain further experience, then at the end of next year my contract will expire and so for 2026 I will evaluate what to do”.
At the Giro d’Italia did you understand that you could become a stage racer or is it still too early for this verdict?
“At the moment it’s very early, but I think that this year’s Giro as a first response could be more than positive, then next year we’ll see how it goes”.
There are many interesting young people for the future of Italy: you, Tiberi, Pellizzari…Does this rivalry with your compatriots stimulate you?
“It’s nice because we know each other and everyone is happy with the other’s results. Clearly there is also a bit of healthy rivalry but it is normal and nice that it exists.”
What will your calendar be for the second part of the season?
“I will go to Bormio for a meeting with the team at the beginning of July and then I will work for the end of the season and therefore with the Italian races”.
To date, what do you think is your strength as a runner? And the weak one?
“I think I’m mentally strong enough and this could be a point in my favor in the future, however I suffer slightly from running attacks and I know that it’s a point on which I must and can improve”.
How did you experience Pogacar’s superiority in the group at the Giro d’Italia?
“When the group breakaway went away there was a bit more brawl, but otherwise it’s just a pleasure and an honor to race alongside a champion like him”.
