FILIPPO CONCA. «I STILL HOPE FOR A CALL, I WANT TO SHOW HOW MUCH I'M WORTH. OTHERWISE...»
INTERVIEW | 03/12/2024 | 08:18 di Francesca Cazzaniga Filippo Conca has fulfilled the dream that all riders have, that of racing among professionals. Joining the big leagues in 2021 with Lotto Soudal, the Lecco-born rider from the class of 1998 after two seasons with the Belgian team signed a contract with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In four years as a professional, Conca hasn't secured any victories, but has some good placements like fifth place in the ninth stage of the 2022 Vuelta a España, top 10 at Trofeo Laigueglia in 2020 and this year at Coppa Agostoni. Not enough, at least for now, to find a team to race with next year. Filippo, how are you experiencing this period of uncertainty? "I'm calm, I already have ideas for the future. I'm planning my post-career, though I hope someone might give me another opportunity because I know my worth. I'm not a champion, it's true, but I find it absurd that, despite the work I've done for teams over these years, I'm left without a team. There are several riders who risk quitting this year because they're in limbo and haven't found a team, and I risk being part of this group. I can only continue to hope and see how things develop." Are you training? "I'm continuing to train to maintain my form, alternating road rides with gym sessions. A preparation like all other winters, although not having a specific goal makes everything more complex. It's a difficult situation, many teams have closed their budgets, so I'm starting to think about using my economics degree." What's the balance of your 2024? "In terms of results, I haven't collected much, but it's also true that this year I didn't have a well-defined program and was often called at the last moment. I was always available to the team and my teammates and tried to be ready with my condition each time. I would have liked a bit more space, but that's how it went." Would you accept racing in a Continental team and thus take a step back? "Yes, absolutely. My goal is to continue racing, I know it won't be easy, but I feel I still have something to give to this sport. If I can't find a team, I'll launch into gravel especially to have objectives in terms of preparation and rediscover the right motivation, because training without a defined goal becomes exhausting, just as this last season was, faced without a defined program and therefore without knowing what I was working for." But what do you see in your post-career? "I live on Lake Como and I'm already thinking of starting a business in the tourism sector." Would you leave cycling with a smile? "I would leave with a smile because I know the type of person I am, but also with regret for not having been able to give what I would have wanted. I believe I lacked continuity to demonstrate the fruits of my work. At Lotto they helped me a lot, I had a great experience and for me those were two fundamental seasons, while the last two years should have gone differently. I improved in terms of numbers and performance, but that's not enough, you also need the opportunity to demonstrate your value, why not?, and also have a bit of luck and hit the right performance at the right time. However, I look at the glass half full and these are certainly great experiences." Do you have any regrets? "In my first year as a professional, I had various health problems that didn't allow me the right performance continuity. These are things not under our control, but which can change a career; I don't want to make excuses, indeed I would do everything again exactly as I did." Who are your cycling friends? "Simone Petilli and Marco Tizza, people I know I can count on." The most beautiful moment in these four years as a pro? "There are several: the two breakaways at the 2022 Vuelta, the Italian Championship last year and this year at Agostoni, the home race, where I knew I was without a team for next year and with the awareness that it could be my last race. I raced giving my all, body and soul." You still hope, right? "I'll wait until the last moment and if no call comes, I'll try gravel and there's a team that gives me this opportunity. Hope dies last. I'll leave the door open to road cycling, to then return after a year, or when and if a call arrives."
Si è risolta in favore di Guillermo Silva la battaglia andata in scena tra i big della generale sull’ascesa conclusiva della quarta frazione del Tour of Hainan. Sulle rampe della salita che portava al traguardo di Baoting, come da...
Il Tour of the Alps (20-24 aprile 2026) segnerà il ritorno alle competizioni di Tom Pidcock, che si schiererà con il team Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling dopo il recente infortunio. Pidcock è rimasto fermo da una caduta avvenuta durante la...
Pur non avendone i gradi, l’Amstel non ha nulla da invidiare alle corse monumento: una buona tradizione, un albo d’oro ricco, un percorso che per distanza (257 i chilometri) e difficoltà (33 cotes, il vento e le strette strade olandesi)...
È un’edizione speciale del Tour of the Alps quella in partenza lunedì 20 aprile. La storica corsa organizzata dal GS Alto Garda festeggia infatti quest’anno i 10 anni dalla “svolta” euroregionale, ovvero da quando Alto Adige e Tirolo austriaco si...
L’Amstel Gold Race Women è pronta a spegnere le 11 candeline e anche quest’anno il percorso sarà molto impegnativo. Da Maastricht a Valkenburg si pedalerà per 158 chilometri ed un totale di 21 salite. Dalla sua prima edizione nel 2001...
Si, da ieri, venerdì 17 aprile, grazie alla partecipazione alla Freccia del Brabante, Mattia Agostinacchio si è guadagnato a pieno titolo la definizione di “youngest rider of the World”. Quando per World s’intende World Tour: visto che il valdostano della...
Nel 2026 Demi Vollering farà ufficialmente ritorno al Giro d’Italia Women (30 maggio - 7 giugno). L’atleta olandese della FDJ United-SUEZ è ormai da qualche anno la n°1 del ranking UCI, ha vinto praticamente ovunque e in qualsiasi modo: due...
ROMA: La violenza nello sport. Un tema spinoso e trattato ieri al Centro di Preparazione Olimpica del Coni. Un tema e tante sfaccettature: i tipi di violenza, la paura nel denunciare da parte delle vittime, l'emarginazione dell'ambiente, gli strumenti per...
Il nuovo RECOURSE (C-1808) realizzato da CST Tires rappresenta una delle migliori scelte per chi desidera un prodotto che si comporti in maniera esemplare in ogni circostanza, che si tratti di un comune giorno di allenamento o quello più atteso della...
Se solo avesse perso la sua agenda, che cosa avrebbe fatto, che cosa gli sarebbe successo? F come Fidel (o sotto la C come Castro?), M come Maradona (o sotto la D come Diego Armando?) e come Mennea, P come...
4
4
Ritratti
Oscar
Albi d'Oro
Se sei giá nostro utente esegui il login altrimenti registrati.