25 year old Francesco Ginanni has progressed steadily over his two years as a professional with Gianni Savio's Androni Giocattoli team. In 2011, Ginanni is looking to make the next big step forward.
"The first year I was a rookie, with the opportunity to explore and discover the world of the professionals. The second two years, I was considered a wild card, with the freedom to improvise. In 2011, I'll be a captain. That means more responsibility, but also confidence," says the rider from Pistoia to lagazzetta.it.
Ginanni shot to the fore of the young crop of Italian talents in 2008. At the age of 22, Ginanni enjoyed a sizzling August with victories at the GP Industria e Commercio Artigianato Carnaghese, followed by the Tre Valli Varesine, and capped off with the Giro del Veneto.
2009 was just as successful, but not quite as concentrated. Ginanni netted two wins in February at the Trofeo Laigueglia and the GP dell'Insubria, before picking up again in the summer with 4th at the Memorial Marco Pantani, and a second win at the GP Industria e Commercio Carnaghese.
If anything, 2010 was Ginanni's weakest season yet, but it showed a rider capable of competing in races contested by the best of the best, even with a season broken apart by allergies and a bout with mononucleosis. Ginanni once again started with a win at the Trofeo Laigueglia, but then followed that with 6th at the Strade Bianche, 6th in Stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico, and finally, 7th at Milano-Sanremo. As per the norm, Ginanni was quiet until the summer, where he picked up with some solid rides: 6th at the GP Industria e Commercio Carnaghese and 3rd at the GP Citta di Camaiore.
There was a reason for Ginanni's rather quiet season though.
"I had a good start. I won Laigueglia, then took sixth at the Strade Bianche, then seventh in Milano-Sanremo. Then the trouble started, beginning with my allergies. And to think that I never had problems with that before going pro. I even got permission to use bronchodilators and steroids, but since I stiff suffered while taking those, I do not take them anymore."
Once the gloom of spring allergies subsided, Ginanni was in for another rude surprise: mononucleosis.
"I wanted to culminate the second part of the season with the World Championships in Australia, but that was ruined by mononucleosis. That was unfortunate, because I really wanted it."
For 2011, Ginanni hopes to pick up where he left off in his first two seasons and the early part of 2010. He's not doing anything different though - the formula has worked in the past, and he'll stick with it this winter as well.
"[I started riding] at the beginning of November. I started slowly, adding more and more, up to rides of four to five hours, along with days in the gym…I'm more or less doing the same work as in other years. The base is similar, endurance work, short climbs, steady pace. I'll keep up with this until the end of December, and then I'll add some specific work."
Ginanni's goals are not small, nor should they be, considering his palmares in his first three years of racing.
"If everything goes well, Sanremo has always been my dream. It's in my heart."
Outside of his typical Italian dream of winning La Primavera, Ginanni is hoping to shine in a plethora of other races.
"I'm an optimist, so I hope that the allergies don't come back. If they stay away, I will do the Giro. Otherwise, I'll just have to be patient. I'll start racing at the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, then Donoratico and Laigueglia, the Giro di Sardegna, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milano-Sanremo, and - it would be nice - the Ardennes Classics."
If Ginanni's health cooperates in 2011, it could be the year that he becomes a commonplace name and exits the list of talents and enters the world of favorites.
"I'm a demanding racer, so I ask more and more of myself, and I expect much."