Elia Viviani:
Inspiration for a generation
Part one of a two-part series of interviews

Words and Photography by Andy Thornley

It’s the job most of us would trade our granny for: getting paid to ride some of the best bikes that money can buy whilst being showered with adoration by fellow fans. 

But what about the current crop of world-class riders? How did they get into the sport we love?

In the first part of a two-part series, we spoke to both Elia Viviani and Caleb Ewan whilst they were competing at the recent Six Day London, to ask them how they discovered this most graceful of sports.

Elia Viviani
When Viviani was a child, he came across a metaphorical fork in the road. He played both football and cycled but couldn’t do both. He decided to trade his football boots for a bike.

“I just started cycling in 1998 when I saw a good win of Pantani. He was my hero and I just started cycling for him.” 

“Then I play for a few years, cycling and football, but when I started racing in cycling, I just won from the start and that was more satisfying than the football match. Also, because cycling depends just on myself. When I become pro and in the juniors it is a team-work. But when I was young, I realised I can’t make a difference [on my own] in the match, but if I’m strong I can win in the cycling. This is why I changed.”

So how did this kid from a small town on the outskirts of Verona go on to emulate his cycling heroes and win the points jersey at the Giro?

“As you can imagine when you’re young you just have an idol but you understand your characteristics. When I understood I was more of a sprinter than climber, I was more focused to see Tom Boonen win or Cippolini win or Bennati, so when I become pro, for sure, going winning the Giro as an Italian is the first thing you have.”

Progression was something that Viviani had in mind as he started winning stages in his home Tour, as well as hero to a new generation.

“Going there, winning a stage and then winning four stages, and then the Ciclamino Jersey. When I wear the Ciclamino Jersey, I can be the leader for the young now and also some young sprinters see me like an idol and want to do the same and in a few years wear this jersey so it was a really proud moment.”

There is one race that stands out in Viviani’s record, one he has never competed in but that features some of the most famous roads in the Giro. Il Lombardia; the final classic of the season. He tells us that he would never compete in this race, however.

“No. [In] modern cycling the level is so high that it is not a race for my characteristic. For sure, it is a super race, but just to watch for me. It’s not a race I’m going to race because it doesn’t make sense. I can’t go to the finish and I can’t compete in a course like that so for sure, you’ll never see me in Il Lombardia.”

On the topic of watching rather than competing, he tells us he enjoys being an armchair fan, but despite it being a passion, it doesn’t take over his life.

“I don’t plan the day around [watching cycling] but if I am on the sofa or come back from a long training ride in the afternoon then for sure, if there’s cycling on the TV, I like to see the course. I like to see cycling that it’s not just my job, it is a big passion.”

As we edge nearer to the 2020 Olympics, the defending Omnium champion was looking in fine form on the track at Six Day; winning the overall competition with his partner, UAE Team Emirates rider Simone Consonni. 

Competing on a gold bike fitted with an engraved chainring from that race and a saddle painted with a depiction of him winning the medal, the Olympics feature strongly in his achievements and ambitions, and have done since he was a child. 

“The Olympics were a big goal from when I was young. I participated the young Olympic European festival in 2005 and there I realised what is the Olympics. I really started dreaming that I want a gold medal in the Olympics so in a few years I understood that I can do this in the track and that was my goal.”

“I had a few bad laps in the kilo here in London [2012 Olympics] and that made me focused 110% for Rio. It is a really big focus of my career right now. If I think back to that satisfaction, I want to try again and 2020 is an Olympic year, I’ll just try to focus on that and try to repeat this big goal.” 

Having a Gold medal already in the bag from the previous Games takes the pressure off the Italian this time around.

“If then, I get another colour of medal, it doesn’t matter so the Olympics is really nice for that because not just coming first is a good result, second and third also. Fourth is the bad place, but cycling is like that.”

Viviani has become somewhat of a fans’ favourite in the UK and his demeanour with those asking for photos or autographs underlines that; he has time for anyone who is polite enough to ask.

“I think my relationship with British fans increased a lot with the three years I was with Team Sky; I really loved the team and everyone knows that. I spent all of the time in GB really and I enjoy every single event with the fans on the track and on the road, and the Olympics here in London was the first impact, so I just ride road and also track and from that moment. I really loved this place.” 

“I have not so much satisfaction with this velodrome, but I hope really to enjoy this week and winning in this velodrome. I win in Tour of Britain, I win in London Classic this year so it’s the right way.”