Former professional Max Sciandri has reluctantly decided to turn down what he terms the ‘opportunity of a lifetime,’ with the Italian born Briton saying no to a position as national team coach for Italy’s cycling federation.
Had he accepted, he would have taken over the slot from double world champion Paolo Bettini, who has been in the position since the death of Franco Ballerini.
However, after weighing up the pros and cons, he made the choice to stay where he is. “This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make because it was so important to me and it's such an important role for my home country,” he explained. “I reached out and touched something that was pretty untouchable for me. But I didn't grab it. I let it go. And that's difficult.”
He said that the current team setup where he is was a deciding factor. “It is only because I am working with a great team that has a tremendous program with a terrific bunch of riders, staff and managers,” he stated. “I am particularly grateful to Jim Ochowicz for allowing me to weigh my options.”
Ochowicz, the BMC Racing Team president and general manager, is pleased with the outcome. “We understand how difficult this decision was for Max and we are glad he has chosen to remain a part of the BMC Racing Team family,” he stated.
Sciandri said that he officially turned down the offer last week. He met with Federazione Ciclistica Italiana (FCI, the Italian cycling federation) president Renato Di Rocco and told him that he had decided against it. “It was a tremendous honour to be considered for the job but I told him my passion at the moment is to continue with the development of some of the young guys I am nurturing at the BMC Racing Team,” he explained. “I think there's a right time for everything. Unfortunately, the timing at the moment doesn't fall into place with the projects I am already working on that I want to see through to completion.”