Mirco Saggiorato: The dream of a professional career

He is one of the best Swiss amateurs. But Mirco Saggiorato of the EKZ Racing Team has so far been denied the chance to join a professional team. This season, the 24-year-old from Aargau is now putting all his eggs in one basket.

from Mac Huber

He raves about Philippe Gilbert and Fabian Cancellara. However, Mirco Saggiorato has nothing in common with the two relatively tall and relatively heavyweight classic racers. At 60 kilos, the man from Aargau is more of a mountain sprinter than a sprinter, more Beat Breu than Mario Cippollini.

Papa Saggiorato, although he once raced himself as an amateur, first let little Mirco play soccer, but soon saw: "Two left feet." This was followed by attempts at karate and handball. Conclusion: "Two left hands." So, as a fifth-grader, he let Mirco start in the Brugger evening race. And lo and behold, Mirco was already outrunning everyone at the second start.

Contact with IAM Cycling
It was the starting signal for a career that should have been really launched in 2011. At that time, Mirco Saggiorato won races such as the Giro del Mendrisiotto in Ticino or the national criterium in Olten, had recommended himself for higher tasks with strong performances at the Tour de Savoie in France, and had become Swiss champion in the amateur road race. In short, the 2011 season was so successful for Mirco Saggiorato that he had a real chance of making the leap to a professional team.

His goal of being able to take part in a renowned tour one day, the Tour de Suisse for example, or at least the Tour de Romandie, seemed within reach. This was also because IAM Cycling, the newly founded West Swiss team of Geneva financier Michel Thétaz, expressed interest in the young daredevil with the offensive riding style. In the end, however, Mirco Saggiorato received a rejection. A bitter damper for the sensitive pedaler. "The disappointment was deep," he says looking back. "Obviously I was never in the right place at the right time with the right result."

Maldives to recharge
It got worse: Last season, the Aargauer suddenly had bad luck with his pedals. First, a tendonitis in his knee set him back, and as soon as he was fit again, he was plagued by a protracted inflammation of his coccyx. Therapy instead of a podium. Mirco Saggiorato began to have doubts, asked himself the question of meaning and considered retirement. But during the three-week vacation with his girlfriend in the Maldives, he was able to switch off, clear his head and recharge his batteries: "I suddenly looked forward to cycling again.

Back in Ehrendingen, he signed a contract with the EKZ Racing Team for 2013 - "newly motivated",....

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