The words of Gaffuri and the team’s head coach after his signing with Picnic PostNL: “In a few years he will be able to…”

A late approach to cycling coming from cross-country running, the adventures among the under-23s, the decision to give it another try as an amateur, the races with Swatt Club, the challenges of the Zwift Academy, and then the adventures in gravel — a world that was completely new to him. Mattia Gaffuri has faced all kinds of experiences in recent years and has finally received the best reward he could imagine: a 2-year contract with a WorldTour team, Picnic PostNL.

It had been in the air, but just a few minutes ago the move from the former Swatt Club rider to the Dutch team became official through the team’s announcement. Below are the words of Mattia Gaffuri, and further down those of Rudi Kemna, the team’s head coach:

GAFFURI — “What really attracted me to Team Picnic PostNL is the attention to detail and the strong focus on long-term rider development. The team’s scientific approach, from training to equipment, is something I really appreciate — especially because I’ve also worked as a coach myself in recent years. I’m looking forward to gaining experience in bigger races, something I haven’t had many opportunities to do so far.

I’d describe myself as a climber, more of a diesel type with a strong engine, and I know I still have room to grow when it comes to race craft. My goal is to become a rider capable of targeting results in smaller stage races, while also being a reliable support for our finishers in the mountains.

I’m quite consistent on the bike, and off the bike I’d say I’m a quick learner: when I set myself a goal, I fully commit to it. I’m confident that my ability to learn and adapt, combined with the team’s support, will help me make big steps forward in the coming years.”

KEMNA — “Mattia’s story is quite a special one. He came late to the elite level and comes from the gravel scene. That’s where he caught our attention, and from that moment we started following him closely. What we saw was really impressive, with strong performances even against professionals. When we got in contact and looked at his data, that only confirmed what we had observed: his numbers are outstanding.

At the Italian Championships, for example, his teammate won the pro title, and Mattia played a crucial role in preventing the main favorite from coming back. We see him as a rider who, in a few years, could potentially compete in the final stages of the Ardennes Classics, while in Grand Tours he will be an important piece of the puzzle for our finishers Max and Oscar. Even at the end of the season, as a stagiaire, he showed some truly impressive things, so we’re very happy to have him with us for the next few years.”

Article “The words of Gaffuri and the team’s head coach after his signing with Picnic PostNL: ‘In a few years he will be able to…’” written by @strongmoderncycling.

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