Alberto Dainese: “Being a member of Soudal Quick-Step is a dream come true”
The winner of the inaugural Wolfpack Bike Clinic talked about joining the team last year and his first couple of races as a mechanic.
“My first cycling memory is from a very young age. I was just three years old when my dad took me to watch some races near the place I live. Then, when I was six, I started taking part in races and I was immediately hooked. I competed in amateur races, I watched a lot of cycling on TV, and I developed a profound love for the Giro d’Italia and the Classics, Tom Boonen being one of my favourite riders back in the day.
Then, last year, I came across the team’s post on Instagram where they were announcing the first edition of The Wolfpack Bike Clinic and I said to myself: ‘Why shouldn’t I give it a try?’.
I applied and I was selected for the event at the Shimano headquarters in Belgium, where I spent a great day trying to show my skills that I had learned during my time working in a bike shop. When I got the news that I was the winner and I would become part of the team, I couldn’t believe it, it was an indescribable feeling to know that I would join this legendary squad.
I joined Soudal Quick-Step in December for the Calpe training camp and I was so happy. It was a dream that turned into reality that day, I was overjoyed at the thought I was there, part of a World Tour team, and one with such history.
In these first months of the season I have done a lot of races, including Strade Bianche, which is one of the hardest events of the year, not just for the riders, but also for the mechanics. I worked before the start to make sure the bikes were prepared for the challenging day ahead, but I was also present on the course, with a couple of spare wheels in case of flat tires. Strade Bianche is a completely different race from the others because we use tubeless tires and we have to prepare all the wheels with sealant to prevent punctures. Afterwards, the bikes need thorough cleaning, to remove all that dust from the gravel sectors.
From there, I went with the team at the Milano-Sanremo Women, which was another unforgettable day, especially as we got a top five with Kim Le Court. Now I’m in the Basque Country and I am delighted that we had this superb start with Max Schachmann’s victory in the individual time trial and already three days in the yellow jersey.
All these experiences have made me realise just how lucky I am to be part of the Wolfpack.
It’s one big family which gives you a lot of confidence and supports you all the time despite being a young newcomer, a family which works together for the same goal: to get victories and show that we are among the best in the world. Becoming a member of this team showed me that when you really want something in life, you should go for it, because you never know when it could become reality.”
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel