Gianni Moscon began his tenth professional season yesterday with the team time trial at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025. From Team Sky, Astana, QuickStep, and now the new adventure with Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe. A career far from ordinary, with joys and sorrows, victories and defeats, and still many chapters to write.

He got married to Alida at the end of October, which already sets the right tone for the new season. "The winter went smoothly and regularly, I married Alida, so it was certainly a nice winter," the Trentino rider explained just before starting the Orihuela team time trial. "Does it weigh more to leave home now? In the end, not much has changed, we just signed a paper, but our habits haven't really modified. Of course, the days away increase each year, and packing is always a bit of a burden, but this is our job, our passion, and the professional years are just a parenthesis in our life. We can't really complain."

Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Milano-Sanremo are in his first part of the season, but with less cobblestone, which he digests less and less with age. "I'll also do the Tour de Romandie and definitely a Grand Tour, but I don't know which one yet. It will depend on the team's needs and my form. This year I'll ride on the pavé less, fortunately. In recent years the races were increasingly tense and nervous, and there was a real risk of spending a month in Belgium without ever seeing the head of the group. I'm happy to do something different."

The "Trattore" from Val di Non has ridden with some of the most equipped and experienced teams, and RedBull is studying to become a powerhouse soon. According to Gianni, they're on the right path: "The team's ambition is to become No. 1. The structure is there, attention to detail is too, so I expect they'll soon reach great heights. I was hired to bring my experience to a fairly young group, trying to best support the team leader depending on the race. That doesn't mean I don't have personal ambitions. I want to go as fast as possible, hoping to be tactically useful and maybe even achieve some results. I still have ambition and I'm convinced I can still get some satisfaction."

Moscon's last victory was in June 2021, three and a half years during which sport has continuously evolved. At 30, he should be at the peak of his career, in his physical and technical prime, but with today's cycling, one can no longer be sure. Gianni reflected honestly on his position in the peloton.

"On one hand, I feel old, on the other, I feel I still have many things to learn, in every aspect, especially because cycling moves forward quickly and there's always something to learn about training, nutrition, etc.," Gianni explained. "At 30, I should be at the peak of my career, but unfortunately the group's level isn't what it was when I turned professional. With the numbers and strength I'm developing now, a few years ago I would have won many races, while now it's not enough. The overall level has increased by about 10%. Just look at the usual watts/kg or climbing times in major races to realize it. The best are faster than Armstrong and Pantani, to say the least. Practically everyone is extremely faster, the competition is maximum. I'm absolutely happy with what I've done and what I'm doing. My performances are almost always good, and I can't do more than try to seize the opportunities that come my way. I have no regrets, indeed, I'm proud to experience this golden era of cycling from the inside. I think levels can still rise, but then I believe they'll start to drop again. It's a cycle, like everything else."