When Dario Cataldo was recruited by Trek-Segafredo final winter to function Giulio Ciccone’s key supporting rider on the Giro d’Italia, he didn’t want a lot by means of induction. He had, in spite of everything, been following Ciccone’s profession for the reason that very starting.
9 years separate Dario Cataldo and Giulio Ciccone in age, being 37 and 27 years outdated respectively, however their Abruzzo hometowns of Lanciano and Chieti lie barely 40 minutes aside. When Ciccone started racing as a juvenile within the colors of ASD Intesa Bike, his first coach was Cataldo’s father Michele.
By that time, Cataldo was already within the skilled peloton with Liquigas, however he stayed loyal to his roots. His profession developed – strikes to QuickStep and Sky adopted – however he saved an in depth eye on the riders beneath the tutelage of his father again house in Abruzzo. One undersized child drew his consideration.
“Once I turned skilled, Giulio was there within the juvenile workforce the place my father had teaching,” Cataldo instructed Cyclingnews. “Initially, Giulio was a boy who hadn’t developed bodily just like the others. In reality, the opposite lads had been taller and stronger, and he was nonetheless a bit smaller than the others, so all of us known as him Giulietto.
“We joked about {that a} bit, however once I went to see some races, I noticed some indicators in the end. He had this dedication that was out of the odd. I knew then that when he could be very robust as soon as he matured bodily, and I stated that to the coaches he had on the time. As soon as he was a junior, he began to provide some vital alerts after which much more as an newbie.”
Ciccone, for his half, grew up with Cataldo as one thing of a job mannequin. Whereas Abruzzo had produced notable riders prior to now – Vito Taccone and Danilo Di Luca above all – the southern area was hardly a heartland within the method of Tuscany or the Veneto. Cataldo was residing proof that The Present was not past Ciccone’s attain.
In 2016, Ciccone joined Cataldo within the skilled peloton, and he marked his passage to the paid ranks by profitable a stage of the Giro at Sestola within the colors of Bardiani-CSF on his debut season. Three years later, Cataldo and Ciccone would every win phases on the Giro. The older man soloed to victory in Como, whereas Ciccone received over the Mortirolo two days later.
By then, Ciccone had graduated to the WorldTour with Trek-Segafredo, and the pair had been already discussing the prospect of racing on the identical workforce, however that winter Cataldo as an alternative transferred from Astana to Movistar. They must wait two extra years to be united beneath the identical banner.
“Dario brings a whole lot of additional worth to the workforce, and I actually needed him to come back right here,” stated Ciccone, who has been shepherded by Cataldo by way of the opening week of this Giro. He arrives in his native Abruzzo on Sunday in twenty first total, 2:32 down on the interim maglia rosa, his teammate Juan Pedro López, and 50 seconds behind Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco), the very best positioned of the favourites. “It’s been a really optimistic Giro to date,” stated Ciccone.
Blockhaus
The dual ascents of the Passo Lanciano and Blockhaus on stage 9 ought to completely redefine the overall classification, and the stage on house roads marks a pivotal second in Ciccone’s Giro. The departure of Vincenzo Nibali final winter has seen Ciccone tackle the position of outright GC chief at Trek-Segafredo, and this race is crucial of his profession to date.
Now 27, Ciccone’s greatest Grand Tour result’s sixteenth within the 2019 Giro, although he seemed set for significantly better ultimately yr’s race just for a crash to pressure his abandon within the third week. He endured an identical destiny on the Vuelta, and he arrives at this Giro nonetheless in search of affirmation of his skill over three weeks. Cataldo positioned twelfth at successive Giri with QuickStep across the similar age earlier than repurposing himself as an elite gregario at Sky. He is aware of that it is a essential second in Ciccone’s growth.
“Giulio actually has significantly better numbers than I did on the similar level in my profession, and he has all of the help of the workforce and employees,” Cataldo stated. “Once I was at QuickStep, I actually can’t say that I used to be missing in help, but it surely was a workforce that was far more oriented in direction of the classics and perhaps there wasn’t somebody with expertise in stage races to provide me the suitable recommendation. Perhaps I made errors in preparation and so forth, in order that’s an additional motivation to provide all the things for Giulio now.”
On Sunday, Cataldo can be Ciccone’s information on the primary true mountain stage of this Giro, which brings them by way of the Apennines roads the place they solid their expertise as youngsters. The Passo Lanciano is probably the emblematic climb of the area, whereas the Blockhaus is Abruzzo’s most vital contribution to Giro lore.
The Giro got here to this space a yr in the past on the corresponding stage when Ciccone set the tifosi’s hearts aflutter with second place behind Egan Bernal at Campo Felice. On this most open Giro, he’ll set out on Sunday with designs on an identical type of show right here. “Like all the time, I feel there’ll be an amazing public on the market,” Ciccone stated. “That is the primary actual check of the Giro.”
Cataldo, as soon as his position mannequin, will now be by his aspect, their biking lives coming full circle. “It was already particular to be within the peloton collectively,” Cataldo stated. “So to search out ourselves in the identical workforce chasing massive targets on the Giro d’Italia could be very stunning.”
