Filippo Pozzato, Chairman of the Cycling Style Council

From a chat with Filippo Pozzato, in what turned out to be his swanson season as a pro bike racer

Italian racer Filippo Pozatto is now well into his 19th season as a pro rider. He started out with the mighty Mapei team, and quickly marked himself out as one of the most stylish and gifted single day racers in the pro ranks.

Nearly 20 years later he’s still out defining cool on a bike and holding his own. We caught up with him for a long chat about the changes he’s seen, and moved with through his career.

ST; During your career the sport has become far more global, how do you see this?

FP; The globalisation of the sport is very good, because it’s opened up to Asia and Africa, which is good for cycling. 

It’s not only European now; it’s good that it’s becoming possible for other riders from outside to be competitive, but it does make it more difficult for the historically strong cycling nations like Italy and Belgium. Everybody thinks, for example, that the talent in Italy has gone; but no – it’s still there, it hasn’t gone, it’s less clear because there are other nations now that are getting stronger and spreading this.

ST; When you started training systems were very different, and you trained under Also Sassi at Mapei, how different are things now?

FP; Now it’s changed a whole lot. It’s completely different now; before we trained too much on long distance, because cycling is an endurance sport, we were doing way too many hours. Now, when I speak to riders with Sky and Quickstep, their training is not so long anymore, but is much more intense. 

I see in the races now that it needs to be different. Now 90% of the races will end in a sprint, before no. Before, on the climbs there would be attacking; one rider or two riders would go. Now there are attacks, but they are small groups, up to 10 riders in the big tours. This is not because the individual talent is not there anymore, it’s because everybody’s level is very high. 

The training system has changed because now the speed is very fast at the top end. For example, Sagan, I train with Peter every day in Monaco, and we speak a lot. The difference is in the top-end power now, not the endurance. In the final, when it’s all block, Peter can push that extra power out. It’s a small difference but it makes him a winner. This is a big change compared to before.

ST; You work with a trainer still, has your training also become more scientific and modern over the years?

FP; Yes, I think it’s important to progress. I train with a power meter all of the time, it’s important to look at the Watts; but, what is difficult for me now is to train like a race when it’s only in training. 

Yesterday for example I met with Cancellara at the airport for a coffee, and we were talking about how training was easier before. If you tried to make race level training efforts 2-3 times in a week that was enough. 

Now you have to train at really high Wattage race level much more, which is difficult for the mind and for health. For younger guys it’s not so hard, because is normal for them. For me - I try, but I don’t have the concentration to do that level so often in training. In the race it’s no problem because you are focussed, but I find it hard in training.

ST; You train mostly with Sagan, do you still enjoy the training?

FP; Yes, with Peter we enjoy every day. It’s the best cycling time ever for me. I speak with other guys about Peter, and I always say that if peter and Eddy Merckx were riding together at the same time then Merckx would not exist – because at this time in cycling it’s far more difficult to be a winner. He has to fight every day with all of the teams, because they all want to push him, and he still wins 10-15 races a year, and it’s not easy. Last year he didn’t have the strong team around, but this year he does so it’s easier from him now.

I think if he went to a team like Quickstep that it would not be good for the “show”, because he would win almost every race.

There are a lot of other guys in Monaco, but mostly I like to train with Peter, Gatto (Oscar) and Viviani; we can stop and take a coffee and enjoy it.

ST; Nutrition and diet have evolved a lot during your career, and riders are now very skinny – what’s your crunch on this?

FP; It’s almost anorexic with many riders, very close to the limit. Years back every rider took carbohydrate, and now nobody takes carbo, only protein - to stay skinny all of the time. 

When you were a little bit fat it was okay, and when you started a big tour all of the doctors said you were okay to start 3kg over and you came out perfect. Now, it’s hard –from January on the riders are very skinny, and I think this has a big effect on the length of your career, they are much shorter now.

Wiggins, I really liked him as a rider, for his character. For 2-3 years he raced very hard and lost a lot of weight, but after 2-3 years of that it was over, because it’s just too hard to do and not good for health.

I am more focussed on diet than before. My level and the racing level are also different now, and the climbing is harder for me. From my home in Monaco I sometimes do testing on climbs, and now my figures show that I would not stay in the first 20 in a big race, because of these level changes.

Now my weight is about 77kg, when I started pro it was a around 70kg, which is normal (to gain weight). When you get older you get older you also get more muscular, so I think it’s not possible to be as light as before, even with new diets.

ST; Do you have time off the bike in the winter?

FP; Yes, originally I used to take one month off in the winter, but now it’s only 15 days. I like other sports a lot though (which helps keep me active); I like motor cross, skiing, I run a lot too, and I play tennis 

ST; Equipment has evolved hugely over the years, what real-time differences do you notice?

FP; We still had steel frames and forks when I started. Now the bikes are very fast, and for sure the technology is moving forward fast, and I think it’s good for cycling and for the bike industry.

Now it’s also really good for the riders; the bikes are much more light and stiff, and the shifting with electronic is super smooth – perfect. Once you’ve used them it’s not possible to turn back to cable shift.

For the time trail, before the bikes were not really important, but now they are crucial, it’s like Formula 1 now, so important.

ST; How about disc brakes?

FP; I’m using discs this year. I had one bike to try last year, but Wilier didn’t want me to use it, as it was not ready for production. In the winter they asked me what I wanted to ride this year; I said I wanted to try discs, if they were good I would race on them, if not I would not. 

Once you’ve tried good discs it’s hard to go back to regular brakes. I tried discs 2 times in the team training camps, and on the descents the sensitivity is so much better. In the Tour of Haute Var I managed to stay in the front a lot more, even though my climbing is not so good any more - the brakes allowed me to make up time on the descents in the rain.

Many riders talk about the security, and yes there are potential issues – but all it will take is for one of the major manufactures to develop a plastic faring to cover the disc (like on a motorbike) and there will be no worries.

ST; Have you moved with the wider tyre trend?

FP; I think I was one of the first to start running 25mm tyres, in around 2000 or so. Because the frames now are getting so rigid I asked the team mechanics to put 25mm tubulars on to soften the ride, and now most teams are using them.

I only use 28mm for Roubaix. When the wheels are very rigid, the frames are rigid and aerodynamic it’s better when you use 25mm; not only for comfort, they are more reliable too.

ST; How particular are you with your bike and set up?

FP; I’m very particular. I have a one-off special frame made just for me. I don’t like the standard issue. I ride very long – 1.5cm longer than the regular frame at this size, and the bars, they are also just made for me. They are monocoque, and I like the angles different, to suit me better.

My position on the bike has only changed just a little over the years, just about 8mm longer than when I started. I only ever once went for a bike fit, and because I ride for so long on the bike I don’t want to change things, so have kept that position all though my career.

ST; How about the trend towards racing more offroad sectors in grand tours and single day races?

FP; When they put gravel into stages of the Giro and Tour de France, as I rider, I don’t like it, because it’s dangerous for nothing. For the GC riders it’s very dangerous. 

But, I understand that for the show it’s very good, and the cycling is the show. When the Tour de France puts these sectors in and more people watch cycling, I thinks it’s good for the sport.

For single day races, yes I really like them.

ST; Style has always been a big part of your image – how important is it?

FP’ For me it’s important; jokingly, I always tell my teammates that style is more important than speed. For sure it’s important to have style on the bike, but winning is the most important thing on the road.

Sure, when you have a style like Wiggins on the bike, (he has so much class) and cam also get results, that’s best. 

Froome, ahh, that’s not a style I like.