At first glance, Giovanni Carboni and Sergio Meris might seemingly have nothing in common. The first comes from Fano, in the Marche region, and lives in San Marino, the second was born in Bergamo, Lombardy, and lives in Gorle. The first, a professional since 2018, is in his eighth season among the cycling elite, while the second, after five years with Colpack-Ballan, has just landed in the pro ranks. The first admired Alberto Contador as a young rider, the second started his journey among the Under 23s appreciating van der Poel's feats. The first, in his debut pro year, had declared his dream of winning a Tour stage, the second, in his last junior experience, hoped to one day win the Tour of Flanders.

Yet, looking closer, Giovanni and Sergio do share some traits. Their height, first of all, then the fact that they both handle hilly and mountainous routes well, their nationality obviously, and this year, also the same team, the Unibet Tietema Rockets, for which they both signed last autumn, Meris in September, Carboni in November.

Different, Sergio and Giovanni, but at the same time similar in many aspects, a characteristic that is also reflected in their calendars, different in January and February, identical in the first three March races. After Faun-Ardèche Classic and Faun Drome Classic, they both participated in the Trofeo Laigueglia, the opening event of the Italian calendar, where we took the opportunity to hear them out and take stock of their experience so far with their new colors.

How has this first month and a half of racing with the new team gone?

Carboni: "First of all, I'm happy to have returned to racing at a certain level because honestly, I was missing this type of races, and this is also important for the future."

Meris: "Certainly, being my first year, I had a different preparation and arrived at the races more ready than in the past because here you must immediately have a good level. In the team, I found a beautiful atmosphere, always proactive, always seeking improvement, and this is also perceived from the staff that tries to create a group to achieve the best possible result."

What kind of organization have you found? What surprised you most compared to other environments and teams you've raced with in previous years?

Carboni: "There's a different mentality in terms of management and logistical organization. We riders interface with specific staff and people who can be the trainer, the equipment manager, or the reference sports director, each with a well-defined task."

Meris: "Behind the team, there is certainly a great organization with a youthful mentality, composed of many young people and people who can help you grow and have fun when you're racing."

The team's language and communication, very fresh, are two aspects that stand out: what's the experience of being filmed and being so exposed on social media?

Carboni: "They talk about cycling and promote it in a different way. Their goal is to be as communicative as possible, to be significantly present at races and convey to people what it means to race and be a professional cyclist today. This is accompanied, on the other hand, by an equally professional management of results, programming, and equipment, and I find all this very stimulating overall."

Meris: "It's a beautiful sensation. At first, it's a bit strange because you're not used to it, but over time you enjoy seeing photos and videos where you're the protagonist. They make you relive the sensations before and during the race."

What is the presence of Bas Tietema, Devin van der Wiel, and Josse Wester (the three team owners) like?

Carboni: "It's a very fun presence, they convey tranquility and serenity."

Meris: "Super positive. They are very focused on their work, but when they are with us, they try to make us have fun. I had the pleasure of meeting them and going for an aperitif with them in Bergamo when they came to watch the Lombardy and it was amazing."

What goals have you set with the team for the coming months?

Carboni: "My main objective now is to be present at the April races, although we still need to precisely define the calendar as there have been some issues with certain races. However, I have the Tour of Turkey and some Ardennes classics in my sights."

Meris: "We must try to achieve the main objective, which is to win, because that's the team's nature. We must all try to do the best possible work to achieve this result. We are waiting for confirmation for some race invitations, but we have already received invites for some really beautiful races, so we hope to do well."

What is your relationship with each other?

Carboni: "We are building a good relationship. Sergio is a young guy who gives me a lot of serenity, and I hope to pass on my experience in and out of races to him."

Meris: "Wonderful. He's giving me lots of advice given his experience, and we also manage to have fun, like last week. I really find our relationship super positive. The beauty, in general, is that we manage to create a team group, and consequently, what we easily share among ourselves, we can just as easily share with the team."