Ten years have passed since Fabio Aru won the Vuelta a España. It was 2015 and the Sardinian, who was racing with Astana at the time, won the Spanish stage race ahead of Joaquin Rodriguez and Rafal Majka. There are many memories of that victory, especially since this year's Vuelta starts in Piedmont, a region Aru is very connected to.

This year marks exactly 10 years since your Vuelta a España victory. What memories do you have of that 2015?
"It's still very emotional, and for this anniversary, the Vuelta will start from Italy. I'll be a testimonial for the race and therefore will have the opportunity to be present at both starts and finishes, and it will be nice to see how the race develops and who will win."

In 2015 you finished second in the Giro d'Italia, with some disappointment, but then in Spain you managed to show you had all the capabilities to win a grand tour. What happened in Spain?
"Let's say that when you manage to finish second, you always hope to finish first. After the Giro d'Italia, I had decided to take a break, I didn't even participate in the Italian championships and was already preparing for the Vuelta. We had a good strategy and felt good, but there was Dumoulin fighting until the last day, and when you encounter riders like that, you can never be certain of winning. We tried to attack him all last week and he didn't lose a meter. Then fortunately, with the team I had, the situation turned around and I won. When I won the Vuelta, I probably truly understood what it means to stand on the podium as a winner."

In a few days, the Vuelta will start from Turin. What is your relationship with Piedmont?
"Cycling is a very important image vehicle that should make many people reflect. As we know, Italy has been without a World Tour team for many years, but we must remember that cycling is a sport that gives great visibility and reaches people's homes. Those who invest in cycling also do market and economic return analysis. In recent years, Piedmont has hosted all the major events, and this time it will close the circle with the Vuelta. If you think about what the Finals represented, with the luck of having Sinner playing and this generation of Italians, cycling and tennis are truly bringing Turin to a global dimension. Last year Piedmont hosted the Tour, this year it will host the Vuelta's grand start, and it's also a Giro city. In other words, within a year and a half, it has hosted all three grand tours, which is unique."

Talking about the Piedmont stages, you'll start from Venaria and arrive in Novara on the first day. What route will we see?
"It will be a great celebration for the fast riders on the first day. On the second day, with the finish in Limone Piemonte, I'm curious to see what will happen and I wouldn't rule out a great performance by Ciccone. Honestly, I don't know that area, while the third stage will be in the Alba area, which I know well - these are incredible places. Then there's Susa, which will be like racing at home for me. At Limone Piemonte, I could already expect Ciccone at the front, and if he's good, he might even capture the red jersey."

But what can we expect from Ciccone?
"If I were to give him advice, based on how I know him and what I've seen in recent years, I can only tell him to believe in himself. He's a rider who has shown he can achieve excellent results in one-day races. This year's World Championship is tough, but I'd tell him to give it some thought. For the Vuelta, I'd suggest he focus on some stages rather than chasing the general classification. At the Vuelta, he'll encounter riders like Vingegaard, who won't leave anything on the big climbs."

Among the Italians who can do well, there's also Giulio Pellizzari, who after his sixth-place finish at the Giro, could aim for the general classification in this Vuelta.
"I think he should race to confirm or improve himself. At the Giro, he first had to race for Roglic and only after could he race for himself. In this Vuelta, Roglic won't be there, and I think we'll see him a bit freer, so I believe he can achieve a good overall ranking."

The great favorite for the final victory is Jonas Vingegaard. In your opinion, should he be worried about any opponents, or will it be an easy victory?
"In the last two Tours, he may have been even stronger than when he won, and this year he didn't bring home a single stage. Winning the Vuelta could be a way for him to relieve some of this pressure. Then I think he should also aim for other objectives and try Liège and come to the Giro d'Italia. He should try to win something different to broaden his palmares and break out of this Tour cage. I also believe he needs to distance himself from the Vingegaard-Pogacar dualism because in the end, Tadej puts him in a bit of a bind and the results speak for themselves. He can do well, but we'll have to see in what condition he's coming out of the Tour and how much he's managed to recover."