Segafredo Zanetti caught up with Alex in Luxembourg for this week’s coffee chat.
How do you like your coffee?
Black espresso coffee, for sure, to fully enjoy the true aroma of the blend. Wherever I am – home, bar, or at the races – I always choose espresso. If maybe I need that extra boost when I’m in training, perhaps a double espresso.
How many coffees do you have before a race?
Before I start preparing for the race, I usually have already had two or three espresso coffees. I decide whether to drink one last one before I start based on what I am expecting: a hectic stage, where I have to push hard from kilometer zero, or an uphill start, then an extra dose of energy is welcome.
What is for you a ‘coffee ride’?
For me, the coffee ride is the day off, a couple of hours at most, a bland pace to lighten the head and legs. The problem was, until recently, that Luxembourg lacked places for cyclists to stop, have a coffee, read something, and eat healthy food. So, with some friends, we thought of opening one: the Gruppetto Cafe. Of course, with Segafredo coffee!
Favorite company for a coffee ride?
I have several amateur friends with whom I like to enjoy coffee rides. Their company helps me get away from the rhythms of training and specific workloads. It’s a time to get together and enjoy the ride just for the pleasure of cycling.
How much has your daily life changed during this time of the pandemic?
During the lockdown period, I tried to maintain a strict routine, enough not to lose, both physically and mentally, the attitude to work: wake up, exercise, training, lunch, rest, dinner, and sleep. It was very useful.
The most critical aspect was motivation because training without a clear goal is not easy for a pro rider. However, there was also a positive aspect: the chance to face everyday life without stress and rush that fills our days. I had time to relax, to work on myself. And it was amazing to see how many people in Luxembourg made this choice and showed great solidarity. In all the craziness of the pandemic, this is something that struck me.
How do you invest your free time at home?
This sudden availability of extra time allowed me to continue some work in the house and, above all, give my wife a hand in the management of everyday life, first of all cooking. Then I was able to dedicate myself to reading, my great passion. I set myself the goal of one book a week – achieved!