Born in 1962, I played football actively from the age of six until I was 14. Training has been part of my life since early childhood. As the child of an Italian grandfather, Italian stars such as Sandro Mazzola, Luigi Riva and Dino Zoff were part of my everyday life at the time. And also cyclists, especially Fausto Coppi and Felice Gimondi. At some point I also wanted to become a cyclist and so I started training at the age of 15. First with a heavy sports bike and then with my first racing bike. When I was 16, I took part in my first cycling race in Austria and won. At that age I climbed a mountain over 2000 meters for the first time. I'm still a little proud today of having conquered the seventh highest pass (Grossglockner 2505 meters).
As a 17-year-old junior driver, I was able to drive because of my success with the Austrian amateurs. So for those over 18 years old. A famous race back then was the high-altitude road race where the elite of Austrian cycling competed. And I was there as a teenager. Together with other juniors who later became successful professionals such as Paul Popp or the later track world champion Roland Königshofer.
Shortly after my 19th birthday, I moved to Italy alone with my bike and little money to become a real racing driver. My mother thought this idea was crazy. But I think more out of maternal concern.
It didn't take long before I got my first contract with GS Romito Liebherr, a team in Florence. It was only from then on that I knew how hard cycling really was. The field included racers such as Moreno Argentin (2-time professional world champion), Marco Giovanetti (1984 Olympic champion and...
1990 winner of the Vuelta a España), Stefano Colage (winner of Tirreno-Adriatico 1995 and multiple starter in the Italian professional team at World Championships and Olympics). Not only did these and some other top-class racing drivers suddenly become opponents, but 100 to 200 drivers often start in a race. The distances were longer, the pace was so high that I could just keep up and it was often very hot...
Doubts arose as to whether I really wanted to do this and could keep it up. You can do it, but not with natural strength alone, as I quickly realized.
At racing speed in the Dolomites (Gavia, Stelvio etc...) or Abbruzzo is beyond what you can imagine as a non-racer.
I've been cycling for sport ever since. I've never really stopped and it's still my passion to this day. Today I would like to pass on my experience as a racing driver to cycling enthusiasts.