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."
Ieri l’avevamo vista sciogliersi in un pianto liberatorio, oggi Elisa Balsamo ha lasciato il segno di nuovo, il terzo in un Giro che regala molti colpi di scena. Tra tante sorprese lei è l’unica certezza, fortissima nello sprint, ma anche...
ELISA BALSAMO 10 E LODE. Se esistesse un voto superiore si prenderebbe pure quello e forse nemmeno sarebbe abbastanza. Oggi Elisa Balsamo è stata perfetta, monumentale. La maglia rosa sapeva che la salita di Montenars avrebbe potuto metterla fuori dai...
Il Tour de Wallonie si è aperto nel segno di Jordi Meeus. Il 27enne corridore belga della Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe ha vinto la tappa scattata da Manage e conclusasi poco fa a Lobbes regolando in volata Anders...
Visto come si stava mettendo la tappa sembrava impossibile tenere la maglia rosa, addirittura un miraggio poter vincere, ma Elisa Balsamo è riuscita in qualcosa di incredibie calando il tris sul traguardo di Buja . Sulla salita di Montenars la piemontese...
Jonas Vingegaard è il 72° vincitore del Giro d’Italia, il 30° corridore straniero a scrivere il proprio nome nell’albo d’oro e il primo danese a conquistare la Corsa Rosa. È soprattutto l'8° ciclista della storia ad aggiudicarsi almeno una volta...
È il giorno delle grandi salite, della fatica vera e dei verdetti che segnano la storia del 24° Giro del Friuli Venezia Giulia Juniores. Nella frazione regina di 101, 1 km con partenza da Cordenons e lo storico arrivo in...
Dalla Coppa Adriana alla carbonara di mare, dalla maglia azzurra alla maglia azzurra. Tiziano Brichese, classe ’62, è oggi uno chef in piena corsa per la stella che fa da mangiare alle stelle: del ciclismo. Da Filippo Ganna ad Antonio...
Italia in primo piano al Trofeo Centre Morbihan, prova di Coppa delle Nazioni juniores, che si è chiusa con il successo finale del francese Lancelot Gayant.La selezione azzurra ha offerto una prestazione di alto livello, sfiorando il colpo grosso con...
ll campione olimpico e General Manager di XDS Astana Team, Alexandr Vinokurov, ha consegnato al capo dello Stato della Città del Vaticano, Papa Leone XIV, la maglia della squadra kazaka. In risposta, Papa Leone XIV si è congratulato con il...
La Unbound Gravel rappresenta per molti la gara gravel per antonomasia ed anche un benchmark per le aziende, sempre pronte ad innovare per dare ai propri atleti importanti marginalità per andare più forte e impiegarci di meno. In Kansas le condizioni di questa...
1
1
Ritratti
Oscar
Albi d'Oro
Se sei giá nostro utente esegui il login altrimenti registrati.