At 12:30 PM, the three-day World Championships in Liévin, northern France, will officially begin with the mixed team relay, where Italy is the European champion. One of the six elements lined up by Italian coach Daniele Pontoni is the Under 23 Stefano Viezzi, last year's individual Junior champion. Yesterday we reached the Friulian talent by phone after the technical meeting, to understand his feelings about the Worlds starting today and this first U23 season that brought him into Alpecin Development after the temporary autumn stint with Bandiziol Cyclocross Project.

When we met in early September at Le Marne relais of Guido Martinetti, you had just recovered from a bad injury and told us to expect a less sparkling start, to reach peak condition in the winter season's crucial moment...

"...and that's how it went: after several placements, in January I won the U23 national title in Faè di Oderzo and finished 5th in Benidorm and 3rd in Hoogerheide. The biggest challenge was recovering explosiveness, but I worked well and I'm really satisfied with what I set out to do."

How integrated are you already in the Alpecin structure?

"Even during the initial phase with Bandiziol, I was using materials from the Belgian team. Then I participated in a first training camp after the European Championship with the Devo staff and teammates, and the WorldTeam riders who would be competing in the first Australian road races in January."

So meeting Van der Poel will have to wait, but you've raced many cyclocross events in Belgium and even competed in some World Cup events among the Elite: how was the impact?

"Tough but amazing: you can see their habit of racing for an hour instead of 50 minutes like us 'under' riders, but I'm happy with the responses I've given."

Tomorrow and the day after (today and tomorrow, ed.) you have two consecutive races: what are your expectations?

"A great team relay now and tomorrow fighting for the podium: I don't see myself far from great riders such as Del Grosso, Michels and Sparfel. It's a single race: with the right dose of luck and ability to handle the situations that might arise, anything can happen."

What indications have you drawn from the weather forecast and course reconnaissance?

"Right now it's muddy, but it should progressively dry out. We might have to manage the wind. Certainly, it's not a track that rewards fast riders as much as resistant ones who can maintain consistency on ramps and stairs."

You joined this team for its ability to support your dual activity properly?

"Of course! Next year I might change the number of cyclocross races, but I want to do the winter season. For now, I want to close this one beautifully, before taking a month off and starting with road racing in March."

Racing with him today are Giorgia Pellizotti, Mattia Agostinacchio, Lucia Bramati, Sara Casasola and Gioele Bertolini. Tomorrow, the other Italian in the U23 race, scheduled for 1 PM before the Elite women, is Samuele Scappini, a former national champion at the youth level who finished second in the national U23 championship on January 12th, just 18 seconds behind Viezzi.