the_hoyle - cheers! First season only the beginning, I hope
Selwink - Early season will be very, very difficult to match. (San Remo again and Strade? ) It'll be interesting (and difficult) for Antonio to find his real specialty. But the mountains of Lombardia were definitely a bit too high. This season he has really excelled in San Remo type races. Some rolling hills, enough room to power through.
The cycling season has come to an end. Even though modern cycling never truly finishes, with races in Africa, Asia and all around the world, the European season finished with Paris - Tours and Chrono Des Nations. I'd like to say I raced there, but after my crash the doctors found it safest if I ended my season after Lombardia. After all, I didn't have much more to gain in these races for my debut season and much more to lose after such a fall.
I've spend two weeks off the bike and now I'm back in action, ready to tackle the off-season for the first time (coming from the track, I didn't have an off-season in the winter) so I'm curious to see how that'll improve my riding.
One more picture from the 2015 season I didn't want to keep from you. The finish photo from Il Lombardia. I wasn't there, obviously, but Porte, Wellens and Aru in such a close sprint, what a great photo it is.
2015
I'm very proud to be on this sheet of paper, with only the most important moments of the season on. Yes, I'm talking about Milano - San Remo. It's still something unreal for me and there's still something inside me that cannot quite believe it. I see the name, I remember the day, yet I don't feel like I've actually won that historic race.
The 2015 season has been most kind on me. I've won races and not just any races. The dream start for an Italian, most certainly. People know I've got talent and I'm not that immodest to disagree. I do have a lot of potential and I now know more than ever that my switch to the road was destined to happen. With enough talent and the right attitude, there can be greatness in cycling. That's exactly what I want.
This is my palmares after the 2015 season, my debut year road racing:
Most obvious about this are San Remo and the fact that I'm still a GT-virgin. But I plan to change that as quickly as possible. But that's for my next post, when I'll get back to you nearing the end of the off-season and when I'm ready again to get back on the road and do what I do best: enjoying myself.
Time for 2016! Granted, we're still 2015, but only barely. I'm writing to you between the big holidays here in Europe, Christmas and New Years. Training has been intense and the new season is taking shape. Cattelan Italia management is working very hard to get the right riders at the right races to make our first WT season a success.
2016 Grand Tours
Arguably the two biggest races of the season (or at least for us) are the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, maybe only matched by Milan - San Remo and Il Lombardia. As last year's winner, I'm quite certain of a selection for Milan - San Remo. I'm not that eager to tackle those huge climbs of Lombardia per se, but it is my home race, so I guess we'll put that on the long track.
Now for the two Grand Tours (Vuelta selection will mostly depend on the early season and riders' freshness), our management has put together a tight plan.
Giro d'Italia: With Pozzovivo in our ranks, our absolute goal is to podium the race. We firmly believe he can even conquer the pink jersey in Milan. However, since his best effort is a 5th place in 2014 (but 8th and a stage win last year), we'll be aiming at any podium spot. Surrounding him will be a strong supporting cast, especially in the mountains.
Possible line-up: Pozzovivo, De Marchi, De Plus, Silva, Cataldo, Malori, Colbelli, Appollonio, Matzka
Team Objectives: General Classification is our primary target. Pozzovivo should be up for the task. Hope to limit time losses in time trial with a team time trial, a prologue, mountain time trial and hilly time trial. Many time trial kilometers but not too many flat.
Stage wins are secundary but might be very important to the sponsor and to ourselves. Colbrelli is good on many stages, Appollonio supporting him. De Marchi can always break away for a stage win.
Tour de France: With our strongest climbers peaking for the Giro, we had to develop a different strategy for the Tour, since our climbing depth isn't that extensive (yet). So our Tour will be all about trying for a stage win and maybe hunt a jersey, but that won't be easy.
Possible line-up: Fontana, Barta, Malori, Cunego, Fassoli, Bono, Van der Zouwen, Andolini, Grancitelli
Team Objectives: Stage wins, mostly. Fontana is turning into a beast sprinter with many late season victories last season. He's still very young and has a frightningly infinite potential, or so it seems at least. He's not good uphill, but in a typical flat stage he might just be the next Mark Cavendish. Cunego has experience if he gets in a break. I have also proved to be up for a late stage break and make it to the finish.
Personal Objective: The team sees me riding my first GT in the Tour. It'll be hectic and I hope to grow as a rider. In the peloton there's a half-truth that you're not a real cyclist until you've finished a Grand Tour. I want to do that. Two long, flat time trials only inspire me to keep training hard in the discipline, especially with the Nationals raced right before the Tour so peaking will hit two birds with one stone.
Other than that, who knows? My objective of last season was to start at Milan - San Remo and I ended up winning it. This doesn't mean I will win the Tour de France, but there are some stages that suit my abilities and I never race just to be part of the peloton.
2016 Schedule
What about the rest of the season for me? It's hard to tell. Some opening races, preferably in Italy for me, I don't like traveling as much as many of my collegues. Strade Bianchi is planned and I hope to do even better than last year's 5th. Same goes for Tirreno, where I couldn't show myself last season, and San Remo. I'm not fooling myself to believe I can win San Remo two consecutive times or even ever again, but I love that race and having won it just once already makes me a very happy man. I just want to race there again.
The team has already asked me how I feel about cobbled Belgium. I've seen some in the World Championships, where I hung on longer than expected, but they said it's no comparison. Either way, we'll need 8 riders at E3, GW, RvV and Roubaix. I said I'm willing to try everything at least once, but after San Remo I'll have to see how my energy levels are. We'll see. But I'm probabaly going to Belgium anyway for the Ardennes classics, so why not take a cobbled race or two and see what happens?
Then it's right on to the Nationals and the Tour. After that, who knows? That's for later.
2016 Objectives
It's hard for me to set objectives. I'm the kind of man who always wants to do better. But saying I want to do better than 2015 is very ambitious. On the other hand, it's a bit sad to say I don't want to do better than my neopro season.
So I'll say this: My objective is to ride competitively and race for the victory in all my pre-set races. Whether I win or not is not the priority, but I hope to do something noteworthy.
I guess that's it.
See you at the first race.
I can't wait. My legs are iching.
It's been too long since I've raced!
It feels good to be back in the saddle. I've just raced the Italian opening race of the season. Looking forward to the rest of the season now.
GP Costa degli Etrushi
Pre-race
It's the first race of the season, so let's just get through this and stay on the bike. Colbrelli is our man and I'll put in some work for him.
The Race
It was nice to be back in racing mode again. The race started with an easy pace and we had some time to catch up with collegues I haven't seen since last season.
But that didn't last long. The pace increased and with the rain, things started getting dangerous so we needed to pay attention instead of chatting.
We formed a train for Colbrelli. I'm not slow myself so I would pilot him to the final 250 meters.
Our train got pushed away a bit and we were a bit too far. Probably too far to still contend for the stage win. I stepped on the pedals and tried to pilot Colbrelli back to the front.
He came close and I think he actually delivered the fastest sprint of the pack, but we had to be happy with a 3rd spot. I took 16th after my delivery of our sprinter. Not a bad start. Too bad we couldn't finish it off.
Our team is off to a great start in the World Tour. Cataldo finished 2nd in the Tour Down Under, giving us a good amount of WT points early in the season. Meanwhile, Fontana delivered our first victory of the season in Bessèges. He sprinted to a win, a second place and a third place in all.
Besides sprinting to a win, we managed a great result in Bessèges in the final time trial. Piazzalunga is only 19 years old and considered a great time trialing talent in Italy. I'll have to watch out for him in the Nationals - Time Trial!
Another race on our home soil. Once again, we were looking towards Colbrelli for a good result. I feel my fitness is not yet what it should be so I took domestique duties, pulling the peloton and forcing a split, somewhat 30 km from the finish.
Colbrelli managed to finish it off and so we can celebrate another victory. I finished somewhere between place 60 and 70, but having done my work and after a great training.
So what's next on the calendar? Strade Bianchi - Tirreno - San Remo is coming closer and I hope to score in one of these races. Not necessarily win (although I'd love to win, obviously), but I want to ride a good result.
To get in the right form, I'll be heading to Switzerland in a week to ride in Lugano. That'll be my final preparation race so I might lack the real racing rhythm, but then again I'll still be very fresh so I should be in top shape for San Remo.
Ripley - Gent - Wevelgem is definitely one considering. Not too many cobbles and seems most suited to Antonio from all Belgian cobbled races.
Tamijo - Bringing Cataldo to the team was a good move. Colbrelli only continues to develop and Antonio is looking for last year's form while doing some good work thanks!
Pre-race
It feels nice to be back here, where it all began. I started my road career here with a fifth place. Talk about setting the bar high from the start. I return today with great ambition but also with both feet on the ground. As I have noted, my form is nowhere near last year's. My 37th place in Lugano proves that. Yet Strade is a race I cherish and I come here as the team leader, so what can I do but to give it my all?
An attack from a while out seems my best shot. I'd be more than happy to finish top 10, though, with my eyes on Tirreno.
The Race
Today was marked by bad weather, from start to finish. That always lead to trouble.
I managed to stay on my bike the entire race and that's a small miracle. Almost everyone went down at some point today. It was a hectic race.
A small group dropped us and looked like it was away with 50 km to go.
Thanks to Silva and Cunego, the group was brought back. But I considered myself warned.
And so I decided to go on the offensive myself. I attacked with 24 km to go. Still far off but manageable.
I got a decent gap because the teams were disoriented by a lack of helpers. However some riders quickly came forward and kept the gap within limits. I had a minute at the most and that shrunk back to 40 seconds.
One particular uphill section broke me and my 40 second lead was gone at the top. Caruso flew past me. It was all I could do to hang on to the oncoming group.
And Caruso proved to be the strongest today. I gambled and lost. However I hung on to the chasing group and still finished 14th, which isn't all that bad. My form isn't what it could be, though, because usually I wouldn't lose 40 seconds on a hill of only 2 kilometers.
So what now? Tirreno - Adriatico is next. It's a strange profile, without any time trial kilometers and without any mountain stages. It's all about hills and flats. That makes me wonder if I should try and ride a good classification.
I still have a few days to figure it out. And, if not, the team will probably know better anyway. Let's hope my form continues to increase because I'll need it!
Antonio Tirreno-SanRemo-Wevelgem hype Good racing early on, Strade very nice to see with some aggresion from Ando! Will be interesting to see how the increased race days take a toll, but if he does suffer hopefully not before his next step to Spartacusdom
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Photobucket once again failing to deliver, can't access the site.
I'll upload the next part without pictures, there aren't that essential (summary of Tirreno). But I'm going to wait to race San Remo until I can get back on photobucket!
Tirreno - Adriatico proved to be an interesting final test before Milan - San Remo. The route wasn't as hard as usually without any mountain stages. The team asked me to stay near the front as much as possible and see where I could end up in the GC.
In the first stage, a group of 80 sprinted for the win, I finished 7th. After that, I lost some time on some tougher stages, but always managed to limit my losses to 10 - 20 seconds, half a minute max.
And so, by the penultimate stage, I was in 23rd position, only 1'48" down on the race leader, Wellens. With 20 km to go, and the pace slacking a bit, I saw my chance. I attacked on a flat section.
On the hilly part, I managed to keep my gap and even increase it further in the downhill. Only Henao was willing to risk his current top 10 place in an attack and came after me on the hilly section.
In the end, we weren't able to catch the breakaway and sprinting for the win, but we took back some important time and Henao even ended up winning Tirreno because of this move. I jumped from 23rd place to a 5th place and kept it in the final, flat stage.
And so I can consider this Tirreno - Adriatico a great success. With a 5th place, I can look forward to San Remo and Gent - Wevelgem, my next races. The only thing that is slightly negative coming out of this race is that I've only been able to race aggressively that one stage. The other races were all about following for as long as possible, not a tactic that fits me I'm afraid.
That's why I love classics so much. It's winning, or losing. You have to try something.
Let's put that into action in San Remo. I'm looking forward returning there so much.
Very good result in Tirreno. Seems like the lack of a real high mountain stage did serve Antonio very well (or did Antonio undergo a Wiggins-2009 transition )
Selwink - There weren't any mountain stages at all. No climbs over 4 km long and not a lot of steep ones, too. Only one uphill finish (up a small hill that is)
Antonio Tirreno-Sanremo-Wevelgem-Another cobbled race top 5 hype
Maybe Antonio isn't quite up for hardest racing every day in a stage race but he's already good at it and he's only 23 - seems he's pretty good already
Congrats on ever entertaining writing Ian, loving this!
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
) It'll be interesting (and difficult) for Antonio to find his real specialty. But the mountains of Lombardia were definitely a bit too high. This season he has really excelled in San Remo type races. Some rolling hills, enough room to power through.
GP Costa degli Etrushi 
