Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Italian amateur aged 38 claims his Strava times could lead to pro spot with WorldTour team - and says he is in talks with one

Stefano Cecchini - son of controversial sports doctor Luigi - has posted faster times than many pros on some of Italy's toughest climbs...

A 38-year-old amateur cyclist from Italy who only began riding five years ago claims that he is in talks to join a WorldTour team after they were impressed by the time he posted to Strava after tackling one of the sport’s toughest climbs – although the fact his father is a sports doctor who has worked with some of cycling’s most controversial figures could thwart his dreams.

Despite taking up cycling in his mid-30s, Stefano Cecchini has built a fearsome reputation on Italy’s ultra-competitive Gran Fondo circuit, with three high-profile victories this year – and he says he gifted another five to his team mates.

Cecchini, who in his youth was a competitive runner and skier, discovered cycling in 2011 on a training camp on Gran Canaria run by ex-pro – and now, Italian national coach – Davide Cassani. There, besides discovering a passion for cycling, he also met a woman called Chiara, whom he would marry.

Five years – and 10 Gran Fondo victories – later, he says he was approached by a WorldTour team after the noticed that he had set a time on the Passo di Giau in the Dolomites that was just a minute slower than Vincenzo Nibali had tackled the same ascent during this year’s Giro d’Italia.

He also holds the fastest time on Strava for the Gavia and the second fastest in the Stelvio – ahead of pros including Sky’s former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski and Orica-BikeExchange’s Adam Yates.

 “They asked me to do three climbs they showed me and to send the files,” said Cecchini in an interview published in yesterday’s print edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport and subsequently reported on by Tuttobici.

“We talked a bit and then they disappeared because of the name I bear,” he added.

His father is Luigi Cecchini, the controversial sports doctor whose clients include former riders who have admitted doping, including 1996 Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis and 2004 Olympic time trial winner (but later stripped of that title) Tyler Hamilton.

But the younger Cecchini revealed that the top-flight team, which he hasn’t named “recently reappeared, and we’re talking about it. I don’t hide.”

He added that anyone who doubted his times could check them out on Strava.

His family certainly believe he has what it takes, with his brother Ansano saying: “He rides really strongly, much more strongly than some professionals.”

And his father Luigi added: “The lad has talent. He discovered it late and at an age when someone is more likely to climb off a bike than get on one.”

The rider had told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he had spoken to second-tier Professional Continental teams including Nippo-Vini Fantini, but they decided not to follow up on him because they were worried that the association with his father might see them denied wild card entry to the Giro d’Italia.

In a statement, however, Nippo-Vini Fantini team manager Francesco Pelosi said that while he had gone to dinner with Cecchini at the invitation of his agent, there was “no chance” of him being signed since its goals are to develop young Italian and Japanese riders in a team led by experienced pros.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

13 comments

Avatar
madcarew | 7 years ago
0 likes

"If people don't believe my times they can check them on strava".... not likely to enhance your credibility, especially seeing as pros have posted dodgy times even during pro races (that guy up the poggio in MSR a couple years back, etc) There's a time on one of our local strava climbs set by a guy who's never been here, a 12 % climb at over 40 kph. Altered strava files are (apparently) very easy. If you've already got family history, you're going to have to do better than strava times to provide credible evidence and impress pro teams. With THAT sports doctor father and only discovered your cycling talent in mid 30's??? Yeah. Right. 

A lot of mouth, not very much trousers IMO.

Avatar
Edgeley | 7 years ago
0 likes

He is 38.  Even if he is clean, he isn't an attractive prospect is he?

Avatar
Harmanhead | 7 years ago
0 likes

He's certainly got the gift, but the extra 1-5% is most probably chemically induced. Drugs make a difference, but they can't turn a donkey into a racehorse. Then again who knows what's really out there! 

Avatar
EddyBerckx replied to Harmanhead | 7 years ago
2 likes

Harmanhead wrote:

He's certainly got the gift, but the extra 1-5% is most probably chemically induced. Drugs make a difference, but they can't turn a donkey into a racehorse. Then again who knows what's really out there! 

actually turning a donkey into a racehorse is one of the most famous epo related claims/quotes there is  1

Avatar
Leviathan | 7 years ago
1 like

Fine, we live in a post-truth world now, so this guy must be dirty, he should be in jail. 

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to Leviathan | 7 years ago
2 likes

Leviathan wrote:

Fine, we live in a post-truth world now, so this guy must be dirty, he should be in jail. 

look at the photo - he didn't even wash the biro off his arms!

Avatar
Leviathan replied to beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
0 likes

beezus fufoon wrote:

Leviathan wrote:

Fine, we live in a post-truth world now, so this guy must be dirty, he should be in jail. 

look at the photo - he didn't even wash the biro off his arms!

Hides the injection scars.

Avatar
Boss Hogg | 7 years ago
1 like

Give the man a chance!

Avatar
tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
3 likes

//www.memes.at/faces/this_is_awkward.jpg)

 

 

Avatar
EddyBerckx | 7 years ago
0 likes

You'd be gutted if the times were 'non enhanced' though!

Avatar
Judge dreadful | 7 years ago
1 like

Juice my ride anyone? Juice my rider whilst you're at it.

Avatar
brooksby | 7 years ago
2 likes

I imagine I could do some pretty darned good times if my father had a really interesting black bag of - er - stuff...

Avatar
n8udd | 7 years ago
2 likes

Quote:

He added that anyone who doubted his times could check them out on Strava.

Nobody is doubting his times... if he's doing them in Grand Fondos, then people will see him do it. By the sounds of it, is't how he's doing these times that people are questioning.

Latest Comments