Our Federico Guido interviewed Samuele Privitera last April. A long conversation that touched on many topics, which we would like to share now, as a tribute to a young man who left us far too soon.

It is truly surprising, especially considering his young age, to perceive the awareness, determination, and desire to succeed with which Samuele Privitera is living his days as a cyclist. In his second year with Hagens Berman Jayco (Axel Merckx's team that now serves as the development team for Jayco-AlUla), the 2005 rider from Soldano already speaks with remarkable maturity, a result of the meticulous and professional mindset skillfully transmitted by the people around him, with whom he has embarked on his cycling journey.

This path could lead him to sign his first professional contract by the end of 2025, a milestone that will depend on how his attention to detail, dedication, passion, and clarity in understanding races and rivals will translate into results during a season where he will not lack opportunities to showcase himself and gain significant experience.

We discussed precisely this, his approach to the profession, and the key figures accompanying him during a recent meeting.

Samuele, this is the first year Hagens serves as the Development Team for Jayco-AlUla: what has been implemented? What differences are there compared to last year?

"Certainly, the collaboration between the two environments has increased. We have the same materials, share much more staff, and this allows me to participate in races like Coppi e Bartali without having to resort to stagiaire contracts or similar solutions. Generally, we are now a Development Team in every respect, and this translates into a certain type of experience."

With what mentality and willingness are you experiencing this year?

"I want to demonstrate that I have the capabilities to make the leap to the professional level, but at the same time show that I can be available to this environment in high-level races. Even sacrificing oneself for the team is one of the things needed to move up to the pros."

Besides helping the team when required, have you set your sights on any particular races?

"For me, the most important thing is to gain as much experience as possible with the World Tour team. That said, in the Development Team's race calendar, there will be the Ardennes races coming up soon and the Giro, a red-circled event where I would like to confirm the stage result from 2024 (3rd in Zocca, ed.) and try to achieve others. We'll see later if I'll focus on stages or the general classification: honestly, I'd be happy with either objective. Subsequently, we'll also evaluate with coach Marino Amadori if I might have the opportunity to have some experiences with the National Team: in that perspective, Avenir and Nations Cup can be important appointments."

With Mattia Gaffuri and Marco Pinotti, what path have you decided to take this year? On what aspects have you focused to improve?

"Mattia has been an incredibly important figure for me in the last two years because he has helped me understand my body and my capabilities: with him, I'm in good hands and feel I'm on the right track. Marco, on the other hand, looks at what we do from the World Tour perspective and checks if everything continues to go well, if my values are constantly improving, and if there are any issues. He gives us quite a bit of freedom, but being an engineer and knowing his stuff, having an eye like his on the charts always gives me security. Compared to last year, what has changed a bit in terms of preparation is that we polarize much less and train in a more pyramidal way, always trying to do long efforts with intensity in Threshold, Sweet Spot, FTP zones. It's a solution that is showing results because, despite doing a lot of volume at those intensities, my VO2 and LT2 are constantly rising, and my explosiveness is improving. This was the most 'radical' change compared to last year."

Axel Merckx and Luca Vergallito are two other key figures in your journey: what have they given you in these years?

"Axel Merckx is the best team manager at the Under 23 level, and I've experienced this firsthand. He's an incredibly important figure who knows how to manage a team of young riders, how to seek budgets, how to behave mentally with the guys... he's a team manager with a capital T who is always able to motivate you and make you understand that, even though we are young, this is now our job and therefore we must put our head, heart, and everything we have into doing it as best we can. He's someone who makes it clear that not everyone will reach the World Tour, but in any case, even if you don't and move on to do something else, you must always do it with the awareness of having given your all.

Luca Vergallito is someone who knows how to make me laugh but, at the same time, how to spur me on and keep me on the right path. Moreover, he's a rider with a real engine, a rider who, despite everyone saying 'but he comes from rollers', I can guarantee has a good eye in the peloton, knows how to move, and we hope he manages to collect good results this year. In a short time, he has managed to gain a lot of experience in the World Tour, and having more experienced people by my side is something I always need. He's truly a fantastic person, and so is Chiara Doni: both are helping me a lot, they're like two siblings to me. This winter we spent many days together in the Ligurian Riviera... I truly wish them the best."

Some time ago, you stated that cycling is an obsession for you. At the same time, however, this is also your passion. Where is the line, if there is one, between passion and obsession?

"The line is very, very thin and simply stems from the fact that, in my view, when a passion also becomes your job and leads you to go out in the rain, snow, three degrees or forty, the correct way to live it to the fullest is to make it an obsession. In the end, we are paid (and well) to do this job, so, just as my father wakes up every morning at 6 to go to work and support my family, it's right that every time I get out of bed, I only think about cycling. It's the thing that allows me to eat, what I'm paid for, so by 'obsession' I don't mean something negative or that makes me feel bad, but simply thinking, from the moment I wake up until I go to bed, about how I can do my profession to the best of my ability. It's a matter of respect for what I do and for those who manage to pay me a salary."