A pleasant "unexpected" moment in the middle of the day dedicated to training courses for neoprofessional riders in Milan, with a direct connection from the Six Days of Gand, featuring the track coach (currently men's road team coach) Marco Villa and legend Elia Viviani, who wanted to convey their message to the 22 participants (21 male athletes and one female athlete).

Villa spoke first: "Congratulations and good luck to all the young riders participating in this fundamental meeting about positioning and regulations in a profession with increasing specialization. Teams are now equipped with many trainers, mental coaches, highly prepared managers, to whom you can entrust yourself completely. Try to make yourself understood and be helped by these professional people, try to understand why they give you certain training to do, and in turn, clearly communicate your needs and goals. Learn to live this profession and, speaking of objectives, to be true professionals. Like this man with me, who knew how to plan and achieve many great goals..."

Here Viviani took over: "As I'm here in Ghent working for three more days, first of all I want to congratulate you on turning professional. After 16 years of career, I can tell you that you must above all understand your characteristics and whether you can be more of a leader or a team player. Try to identify your place in professional cycling, only this way can you stay in it for many years. Dream big and pursue your goals with all your strength. I'm still doing three more days on the track and then I'll see the bike in a completely different way, but know that when you need me, you'll always find me available. Good career to everyone!"

PHOTO ©ACCPI - TaskFoto/Sprint Cycling Agency