Gianni Moscon went through a deep valley: "And then they started saying that I was lazy and not training..."

The last time we saw Moscon at the front of a race dates back to the October edition of Paris-Roubaix in 2021. Then, he fell while in a winning position wearing the jersey of INEOS Grenadiers. However, two years have passed since that day, and it is now January 2024. What happened, and what went wrong, in those seasons at Astana Qazaqstan Team?

Moscon took his place in the talking chair, providing a hair-raising explanation. "In 2022, I contracted COVID-19 before the season started, which made me feel really unwell for three weeks. Then, in February, I started training towards the Opening Weekend, after which I didn't miss a single classic. However, I still didn't feel good, so, of course, it was a DNF every time. Afterward, I went directly from altitude training and the Tour of Switzerland to the Tour, but after the Tour, I was completely spent. Empty. You know how bad COVID can be."

"In 2023, I had a good winter after my challenging 2022, where my health problems were finally resolved," Moscon continued. "Then I broke my collarbone in Australia, only to have to start racing again immediately after two weeks. I never had the time to get in shape. You understand: the past seasons have been very difficult for me; I've faced some challenging periods for different reasons," said the candid rider.

"The last two years have been very tough," he summarized concisely. "I love cycling, but I was used to competing from the front, fighting for wins, or working for teammates in big races. Sometimes I didn't feel the respect; I looked like an idiot during those races. And then people also started saying I was lazy, wouldn't train, and all those things. That wasn't true! It's much easier to be a cyclist when you're winning than when you're struggling. I never felt that cycling was a sacrifice for me, never. It was only the last two years because I got nothing in return for my sacrifices."

"The level in the sport is very high; we all know that. You have to be ready for every race, and if you are, then you can compete. If you start poorly, you can't catch up. Rest, train, eat, and then start again when you are fit; that's how it should be. That didn't happen in recent years," he says of his time with the Astana Qazaqstan team. "In my opinion, you should race when you are fit; otherwise, there is no point, and it will only get worse."

"Everyone sees you struggle, and that also wears you down. I tried to make that clear to the team leaders, but they didn't fully understand. They also paid me, but I couldn't win races that way. I was only at 60 percent of my potential. But they told me to keep fighting and that it would come," Moscon explained. "Then you never get the good feeling, and you also lose motivation. You get some frustration because you know you can't compete. In my case, at times, I couldn't even follow the last ones in the race, while I was used to racing from the front," said the man who has already finished in the top five at the World Cup and in races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Lombardy.

"Maybe I could have asked for more from Astana, but in the end, I don't regret anything," concluded Moscon, who doesn't hold a grudge against his old team either. "I was an employee, and I respect them. They also wanted the best from me and made their choices. They thought they were doing their best; maybe they had other problems. I would have done it differently, but that's just my point of view."

"It was tough, but I gained a lot from it," he tries to highlight the positives. "When things are going well, it's easy, but in tough times, you learn a lot. I got through it, also psychologically. I wasn't used to having to withdraw first—how many DNFs have I had in the last two years? If I got through this, I'll get through anything. I'm not afraid of anything anymore."

Fortunately for Moscon (and fans of good cyclists), Lefevere came to the rescue with a spot on the Soudal Quick-Step team. "Patrick is the most crucial element of the story. Without him, I wouldn't be here; I'm a gamble for him. He signs a rider like me, who has been performing poorly for two years... that's hard to overlook. Maybe I'm a good investment, so to speak...," grinned Moscon, who was obviously feeling comfortable in his skin in Calpe, where we spoke to him.

"It's great to be a cyclist again. I have the confidence that I can compete again," he stated with determination. "When I joined the team, I lacked morale and confidence, but when I first joined the team in mid-November, it was immediately different. Every person I talked to had more confidence in me than I had in myself. That gave me confidence again."

"This is the best team for me. I've followed the team my entire life, but maybe I'm getting old," he laughs with a nod to the new superteams like Visma | Lease a Bike, UAE-Team Emirates, and so on. "I had a good winter. After Lombardia, I took a month and a half of complete rest, after which I started training relaxed. I feel fit, and nothing crazy has happened, but I have to knock on wood. The form of 2021, that's the form I want to achieve again, and I hope you see the Gianni Moscon of then, the real Gianni Moscon, again soon."

The Italian has already been highlighted by several teammates as a welcome addition to the classics team. However, he is not yet claiming a role as a leader. "I don't know. I'm part of the team, and I think this is a team where they can let everyone get the best out of themselves. If I have the form to win races, then I'll get my chances. If I don't have that, then I will help others achieve the team's goals. That's how I've been doing it my whole career."

Regarding the team's goals, one's first thought is Remco Evenepoel's Tour de France. Moscon is on Soudal Quick-Step's longlist. "That's hard to say now because we have to wait until the first races. But I think I could help Remco in many situations, like the middle mountains or the flat stages. If we want to go for the GC, I can be in the best version of myself."

But the real dream, of course, is still a significant victory. "If I may dream a bit, I'd say winning a classic. Roubaix, why not? I was close, but it is easier to lose than to win. I've noticed that in recent years."