Wolfpack takeover Gianni Moscone looks back on the Astana period with a bitter feeling: 'As a team manager, I wouldn't do that'

Back to the fall of 2021: In the clay version of Paris-Roubaix, Gianni Moscon appears to be on his way to victory in hell with a single.

But a flat tire and a slide on the penultimate cobblestone section ended his chances of victory.

The next two years in Astana were doom and gloom for the Italian.

“I was pushed aside in every race and I gave up in many races because I wasn't at the same level before,” Moscone explains during the media day for his new team Soudal-Quick Step.

So what went wrong in the last two years? “I had a Corona infection before my first race in Astana. In my second season I broke my collarbone at the Tour Down Under.”

“Shortly after resuming training, I had to start competing in big races again and again. I did not have enough time to fully recover and reach the training level.”

Was it the team doctors' fault? “No, they made me not race. But the problem was the Astana team.”

“I don't want to put the responsibility on the team now,” Moscon says. “Astana probably did not have enough riders to cover the entire calendar.”

“But if I were the team manager, I wouldn't use riders to fill positions in the big races where you expect results. I would save the rider a little and then send him first to the smaller races he can win.”

This was not the case at Moscone. “If you look at my calendar over the last two years, you'll see that I've only competed in major races. As a result, I've had a lot of retirements.”

At his new employer Soudal-Quick Step, Moscon wants first and foremost to return to standard.

“I want to play an important role for the team in the Classics and compete in the first part of the race.”

“Striving to win myself? If I have the ability to do so, why not?”

Moscone also wants to contribute to the tour. “I would be very happy if I could support Remco.”

“He's a great rider and can ride a very nice race in the Tour. A podium is a realistic goal.”

Moscone further strengthens his candidacy for the Tour. “In the past (at Sky), I was often part of a winning Tour team. With all my experience, I can help Remco in its Tour ambitions.”