In recent years, he has pedaled with the goal of reaching the highest category of professional cycling and, after a long journey, Mattia Gaffuri can proudly say he has realized his great dream. At twenty-six years old, the athlete from Erba, Italian Gravel Champion 2025 with Swatt Club, is ready to start his season with Team Picnic PostNL. Tuttobiciweb reached Gaffuri by phone in Calpe, where the Dutch team has gathered athletes and staff for the usual early-year training camp.

Mattia, how are you experiencing the first weeks of this new adventure?

"With a lot of emotion. Being with Picnic PostNL and especially these days in training camp with my teammates is wonderful, almost unbelievable. I feel a bit like I'm in school: there are many things to learn and 'process'. Then, I must be honest, these days my thoughts run ahead to the season's commitments and upcoming races. These are intense and beautiful days".

How has the reception been from teammates and staff?

"Very good. In the first training camp in December, I had the opportunity to meet everyone. I'm the only Italian on the team and everything is new to me, I need to adapt and integrate, but everything is going very well and I'm sure that over time a good bond will be created with everyone. I perceived great cohesion from the first days, which I really appreciated".

We've come to know you as a rider, but you're also known for your training activities. Joining a team like Picnic PostNL, what have you noticed and what has changed in terms of training?

"The team is extremely organized. In every 'sector' there are experts: from preparation to nutrition, nothing is left to chance and the professionalism is very high. Unlike the past, I don't have to think about daily schedules, other people do that. I just have to let myself be guided and simply 'execute'. Honestly, at the beginning, it's not so simple to change this approach because I spent years 'relying' on myself. But trusting others is part of the growth process and removes a lot of pressure".

Are there other things in the daily routine that have struck you about your new team?

"Small things that I appreciate very much. Let me give you some examples: here at the training camp, the team has us bring water bottles to our rooms and we athletes wash them to reuse them the next day, or they have us clean our bikes. I believe this shows how the team wants to make us responsible. We are not 'numbers' but an integral part of a system, and for the team to perform at its best, we riders must also help the staff work in the best possible way".

You said you're thinking about the upcoming races, so your program is defined.

"Yes, at least for the first part of the season. I'll start with UAE Tour, Strade Bianche and Tirreno/Adriatico: three high-profile races. Then after Tirreno, the team will evaluate where I'm at and then decide how to continue".

You're on the eve of an important season, what are you bringing with you from what you've learned and experienced in recent years?

"Certainly, my experience with Swatt Club made me understand how important a serene environment is and how doing things with passion also helps sports performance. It's impossible to condense in a few words the experiences and emotions of the past season, there were so many: both on and off the bike. I carry everything I've experienced in my heart. Personally, I always try to learn from anyone I meet. Especially in cycling, which I've 'discovered' only five years ago. Any advice I've received, I carry with me in my baggage".

In the introduction, we wrote about goals and dreams. Having become a professional, what's the next one?

"The dream is that of all Italian riders: to participate in the Giro d'Italia. But more generally, the goal is to gain experience, get noticed, demonstrate my value in important races. And I think the Picnic PostNL Team is exactly the right place to do all this".