He concluded his fifteenth season as a professional with a high-level autumn: several placements and a gem with his third career victory at Paris-Tours. We catch up with Matteo Trentin at the Tudor retreat in Moraira and exchange a few words about his career and a dream for 2026

After a very high-level autumn, you closed your season on October 15th at the Giro del Veneto. Did you treat yourself to a nice vacation before resuming training?
"This year, vacations were a bit disrupted as I was involved with the charity criterium my wife organizes in Monaco. We still allowed ourselves some relaxation in Trentino and on Lake Garda, and I started pedaling again on November 10th."

Your career boasts several prestigious victories, 32 in total. We ask you to identify the top 3. Let's start with the third place.
"In third place, I put Paris-Tours 2025, because winning it again as an 'old-timer' was a great satisfaction. Compared to 10 years ago, the new Paris-Tours route has changed a lot, with gravel, final climbs that make it even more uncertain and selective, and managing to win it at 36 is a nice sign of longevity."

In second place?
"In second place, I put my victory at the Tour in 2019. The solo finish with the European champion jersey was a beautiful moment."

And who wins the ranking of your most beautiful victories?
"The European Championship is undoubtedly first. In that season, I was coming back from a crash at Paris-Roubaix where I had broken my back. I practically returned for the European Championship where Cassani gave me the trust to race as captain, and winning was fantastic."

This year, Stefan Kung is also among the new arrivals in the Tudor team. Your name alongside his reminds us of the finale of the 2019 World Championship in Harrogate, where the third man, Mads Pedersen, won. Given the development of the Danish rider's career, who subsequently demonstrated his full potential, has the disappointment of that second place somewhat diminished?
"Clearly, there was disappointment after that second place, but I had nothing to complain about. That World Championship was an incredibly tough race, and Pedersen won the sprint decisively. And yes, in the following seasons, he confirmed he is a great rider and deserved that World Championship, just look at recent years where he's consistently in the top 10 of the UCI ranking."

You've been a professional since 2011 and in 15 years you've raced against and alongside great cyclists. We ask you to list the best ones based on different specialties. Let's start with the time trial.
"In time trials, the strongest of all was Tony Martin."

Climbing?
"I'd say Pogačar."

Descending?
"The best descender? Me, with tubulars. With tubeless, I had some difficulty adapting. The best descenders, anyway, aren't found among the first at the top of climbs, but in the small group."

Sprinting?
"Cavendish."

The most skilled on cobblestones?
"Van der Poel."

Your most trusted domestique?
"Here I'll give you two names: Marc Renshaw and Rafal Maika for what he did with Pogačar."

Besides racing with great champions, you've witnessed the evolution of the bicycle, which in the last fifteen years has seen countless innovations. Comparing the bike from your professional debut with current bicycles, what was the real "game changer" in terms of technological evolution?
"Comparing the bike I turned professional with to current bikes, they're not even cousins. The study of tire rolling resistance to reduce friction was the real step that changed the bike. Then many innovations are a consequence of one another."

And nearly ten years after the introduction of disc brakes in road racing, what are your thoughts?
"Disc brakes give you more safety when braking, but at the same time can be a cause of falls. With rim brakes, you braked much less and consequently were much more careful. Now with more performant brakes, you go faster, brake later, and less technical and skilled descenders risk falling."

Now let's play a bit with imagination. At a market stall, you bought an old oil lamp. You take it home, start polishing it, and a Genie appears saying: "Matteo, this year I can make you win a big race, choose one and tell me how you want to win it."
"Well, I choose the Tour of Flanders."

Who do you want to leave behind?
"I won't make it difficult, I just want to win. But if you ask me, then I say: Van der Poel and Tadej. They've dominated the last 5 years, and if I can choose, then I want to beat the best."

Do you drop them on the Paterberg or beat them in a sprint?
"Oh no, I win in a sprint. The photo is more beautiful with the two of them beaten in a sprint."