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Damiano Cunego, Lampre-Fondital

30 March 2006

A Cool Cunego for 2006

 

Damiano Cunego blasted to cycling stardom in 2004, when at the age of 22 years he won the Giro d'Italia and Italy's other big monument, Giro di Lombardia. Now, two years wiser, il Piccolo Principe is facing a new season with additional confidence and strength, as shown by his recent win in the Coppi e Bartali. Lampre-Fondital and frame supplier Wilier are completely behind their rider's quest for a second Maglia Rosa. Join BiciRace.com to learn more about Cunego, his thoughts on the Giro, Martinelli and American Music.

A Spectacular Giro

BiciRace.com:  Ciao Damiano. Thanks for joining BiciRace.com in an interview. Have you visited BiciRace.com? Do you like our website?
Damiano Cunego:  Yes, I have visited. I read the interview with my mate [Daniele] Bennati. I think that BiciRace.com is a beautiful website.

"Undoubtedly the last week will be fantastic, but very tiring for us cyclists. It will be a grand spectacle for everyone who is passionate for cycling." - Cunego discusses 2006 Giro Parcours

BR:  Thanks. How do you think the 2006 Giro route compares to the 2005 or 2004 route?
DC:  This year the Giro will be very hard, above all in the last two weeks. There are however, as I have been advised, a lot of time trial kilometers.
BR:  Yes, and then the last week will be spectacular, especially for the tifosi. Which stage do you think will be the most difficult?
DC:  Undoubtedly the last week will be fantastic, but very tiring for us cyclists. It will be a grand spectacle for everyone who is passionate for cycling. They will see the beautiful challenges presented by the Plan de Corones and the Monte Bondone. [Stage profiles: Stage 16 and Stage 17.]
BR:  Do you think that stage 13 to La Thuile will open up big time gains in the general classification? Or is it too soon? [Stage 13 Profile]
DC:  I think that a demanding stage like that of Thuile will bring about the first selections in classification. Whoever wants to win the Giro will have to be attentive, even if it would be possible to make up lost ground in the following stages. In any case it is always better to stay at the front and not lose time.
BR:  Do you think that stage 20 to Aprica, with the Passo del Mortirolo, or stage 17 to Plan de Corones will be harder?
DC:  I think that the stage to Plan De Corones could be the toughest, even if there are actually more difficulties to confront after this stage.
BR:  Yes, that will be a stage of explosions, and the following stages don't offer too much respite. Do you know all of the important stages or do you plan on previewing them soon?
DC:  I have seen the Pontedera time trial and it seems to me a little too flat for my liking. In regards to the other stages, I have in my program to go and see the most important mountain finishes after the Coppi e Bartali.

Blue and Red Bikes

BR:  What was your first bike like?
DC:  My very first bike was a blue Graziella. I had that bike for five years. However, I had my first true road bike in 1996. It was a road bike, nothing special, and it was red.
BR:  So, now 10 years later Lampre has changed from Cannondale (Six13) to Wilier. How do you like the Wilier?
DC:  I find the Wilier to be a very nice bike. It really is a truly beautiful bicycle.
BR:  Yes, the Le Roi, and the other models, look great. Did you make some important improvements, working with Wilier, on your time trial bike?
DC:  Yes. Working with Wilier was one of the occasions that I found very nice and helpful. For the time trial I have developed a new position for myself that is more aerodynamic, which I can hold and make major improvements.
BR:  And then they also helped develop a frame to fit your crono needs. Will the crono bike be an all-carbon model?
DC:  Yes, the one that I will use at the Giro should be completely in carbon.

Giro del Trentino Bis

BR:  What will be your schedule before the Giro?
DC:  There was Sanremo, Coppi e Bartali and then the first "corsa rosa" that I will take part in will be the Giro del Trentino [18 - 21 April].
BR:  Is Trentino, or Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a race you would like to win prior to the Giro? Or are you only concerned with the Maglia Rosa?
DC:  Also I would like to win the Giro del Trentino, because usually whoever wins then triumphs at the Giro d'Italia.

"Now I have the possibility to work with Martinelli, and it is important to keep in mind that he was the Direttore Sportivo of Pantani." - Cunego on Team Manager Giuseppe Martinelli

Martinelli and Me

BR:  Yes. Like you did in 2004! ... Turning back to your childhood. While growing up, who was your favorite cyclist?
DC:  Without a doubt Pantani. He was always the best when the roads went up.
BR:  He touched many cyclists and some who are now racing professionally. At what point did you realize you were destined to be a pro bike racer?
DC:  That came when I won the 1999 [Junior] Worlds in Verona. It was on my home roads!
BR:  And when did you start with Giuseppe Martinelli?
DC:  When I first passed to the professional ranks, at 19 years-old.
BR:  It was Martinelli who helped Marco Pantani with his biggest victories. So is it special for you to be working with the same Direttore Sportivo?
DC:  It is truly special. Like I said before, Pantani was my favorite cyclist and I saw how important it was for him to be followed by Martinelli. Now I have the possibility to work with Martinelli, and it is important to keep in mind that he was the Direttore Sportivo of Pantani.

Gelato Cioccolato

BR:  OK. Time for the easier questions. Do you drink many caffès in a day?
DC:  I don't drink caffè!
BR:  Oh! What about Gelato... Do you have a favorite flavor?
DC:  Only Chocolate.
BR:  Do you like American Music?
DC:  Certainly. A lot! Listening to music is one of my hobbies, and the music I prefer is actually American rock.
BR:  Nice! Which bands do you like?
DC:  Most of all it is the Doors and Nirvana.
BR:  Very cool. Thanks for taking time out of your schedule for a BiciRace.com interview. We will be watching you at the Giro and we wish you the best. Ciao!

Cunego turned pro in 2002 at 20 years-old with Saeco. Saeco merged with Lampre in 2005, to form Lampre-Caffita, and this year the squadra is known as Lampre-Fondital.
Past Teams: Lampre-Fondital (2006), Lampre-Caffita (2005) and Saeco (2002-2004).