Coming to a bunch near you: Matteo Cigala, leading, will race with Aquablue next season and he's keen to compete as often as he can. He has ridden the junior world road race championships for his home country of Italy but he's very much integrated into Irish life now.
By Brian Canty
Aquablue’s newest recruit, Matteo Cigala, has said he plans to race as much as possible next season.
The 22-year-old former Italian junior and U23 rider joined the Cork-based team from Navan Road Club recently.
Though he’ll take out an A2 licence at the start of next year he doesn’t plan on staying there for too long.
He only raced six times this year – and managed to win the Newbridge GP in March - but wants to do much more in 2016.
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“I’ll be doing any race that doesn't conflict with my work and college schedule,” he said in reference to his plan.
“For me, this is a new challenge and a new motivation, racing with Aquablue.
“I have no pressures in racing and in obtaining results like before.
“I think I already missed my chance to become a successful pro but I can still bring a lot to the team in terms of experiences, perspective and team-collaboration.
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“My objective is to help the team and have fun racing and if the chance of a win comes, I’m not going to hang around,” he added.
Cigala took a break from racing when he turned 20 years old but said the passion for the sport was and is, always there.
“I stopped racing a few years ago and I was at a high level; I moved away from the love of cycling because it was just an obsession for me and the pressure of getting results was always there.
“But it’s in my blood as I started when I was six years old.
“My passion never went away and I kept myself fit over the past few years.
“Now I coach cycling and I can’t wait transfer my knowledge and my experience to other people; this is what has really brought back my passion for this sport.”
Taking yet another victory as an U23 rider in his native Italy in 2011.
