Simone Petilli and the strength to start again after a very serious accident: “I left behind definitely my injury. Now I want to close the season in a good way and in 2020 I bet to the results”
At just 20 yo, Simone Petilli immediately showed to be competitive with professionals: we noticed him for the first time in the Zero Area jersey in 2014, winning the best young jersey at the Coppi and Bartali Week and in 2015 winning the same again with Unieuro Trevigiani. And right at the end of that race we had the pleasure of interviewing him and this guy impressed us with the tone of his answers, the great determination and the unusual maturity for a runner of his age: from that moment we followed his growth, his transition to WorldTour with the Lampre shirt, which later became UAE Emirates, which believed in its potential and we were well satisfied with the great work done for its captains especially uphill. After a couple of apprenticeship seasons we were sure it was ready for the qualitative leap but a terrible fall at the end of the tour of Lombardia in 2017 left us apprehensive, we even feared the end of his career as he suffered several fractures including that of a vertebra, but Simone did not give up and after a long convalescence he returned to the group and proved to be still competitive and able to make a difference and is ready to make the leap in quality next season.
We met Petilli at some Italian races in September and we asked him to relive his second career with him, from the moment of the accident to the expectations for the future.
“Simone, let’s start from the worst moment, the fall in Lombardia in 2017 and a career that seemed to hang in the balance”
The Lombardia of 2017 has ended badly. Unfortunately, in the descent of Nesso I fell and I had a serious injury. Fortunately, I have now recovered and I do not carry any consequence, but it took a lot of physical therapy and a lot of time to get back to my levels and now I hope to have definitely left it behind. Let’s say that it took practically all of 2018 to return almost to my levels and in addition I had another small hitch because during the Vuelta where I was finding a nice pedal stroke I fell again. Fortunately, without consequences but it was heavy for the moral to have to abandon a race where I was finding myself for a stupid fall.
“After a year of recovery in 2019 you started well and you have shown remarkable progress at least in the first races of the season”
Now in 2019 I found a little more continuity and a nice pedal stroke, especially at the beginning of the season, while afterwards I missed a great lap, let’s say but other choices were made and I hope for the season finale to return to a great condition. Now I always want to give my best: the Italian calendar is waiting for me where I want to do well both at the Tre Valli Varesine and at the Milano Torino, two races that despite the level of the opponents will be very high are very suited to my characteristics and then I should finish the season in China at the Tour of Guangxi, a race I’ve never done but an experience that fascinates me so the important thing is to always try to be competitive and have fun.
“A new team awaits you in 2020: expectations and goals”
In 2020 I change teams and it will be a very interesting challenge for me. I received a nice proposal from Wanty – Gobert who is a professional but has a calendar almost like the World Tour. My goal will be to be able to do the race and collect personal results. In these years I have often had to sacrifice myself in the service of my companions, as is right because I was racing with great champions, but from next year I want to see how far I can go and I will give my maximum to reach and discover my limits.
