It happens to a lot of us, so you’re not alone in having these kind of obstacles in life. Hope the world will look brighter and more promising soon.
- Apr 13, 2021
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Next races for Fausto: Gp Quebec and Gp Montreal at the end of this week.
Yesterday he spent his rest day in Paris and today he fly to Canada. Happy that the team are using him in the WT races, he will make his debut in these races and I'm interested to see how he performs. The races are explosive and twisty.
Yesterday he spent his rest day in Paris and today he fly to Canada. Happy that the team are using him in the WT races, he will make his debut in these races and I'm interested to see how he performs. The races are explosive and twisty.
- Apr 13, 2021
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View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw3b258rGHD/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Efforts training with LouLou in Canada.
The team for Canada classics is Alaphilippe, Devenens, Masnada, Schmidt, Stiemle, Vansevenent and Van Welder.
There are some options, I hope they don't just try to ride for Julian. Fausto and Mauro can try to get in moves from further out, then Mauri and Julian can do more explosive attacks in the final kilometers. Also interested to see how forum mascot Van Welder does, since he seemed more explosive recently, he got a top 15 in fleche wallone this year and also in lombardia 2022.
I thinks it's a good opportunity for these guys to get a result, strong startlist but no major favourite. Build the team towards Lombardia
Efforts training with LouLou in Canada.
The team for Canada classics is Alaphilippe, Devenens, Masnada, Schmidt, Stiemle, Vansevenent and Van Welder.
There are some options, I hope they don't just try to ride for Julian. Fausto and Mauro can try to get in moves from further out, then Mauri and Julian can do more explosive attacks in the final kilometers. Also interested to see how forum mascot Van Welder does, since he seemed more explosive recently, he got a top 15 in fleche wallone this year and also in lombardia 2022.
I thinks it's a good opportunity for these guys to get a result, strong startlist but no major favourite. Build the team towards Lombardia
- Apr 13, 2021
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Y DALE ALEGRÍA ALEGRÍA A MI CORAZON!
IL GIRO DI LOMBARDIA ES MI OBSESIÓN!
COPAMOS TRENTINO Y TOUR OF HAINAN!
LAS BELGAS VOS LOS MIRAS POR TELEVISIÓN!!!
QUE VAS A HACER?
SI NO VOS TENES LOS HUEVOS DE MASNADA???
Y SIIIIIIIIIIIIIII SEÑOR
DE LA MAÑO DEL BRAMATI VAMOS A MONTREAL!!!!!!!!!
IL GIRO DI LOMBARDIA ES MI OBSESIÓN!
COPAMOS TRENTINO Y TOUR OF HAINAN!
LAS BELGAS VOS LOS MIRAS POR TELEVISIÓN!!!
QUE VAS A HACER?
SI NO VOS TENES LOS HUEVOS DE MASNADA???
Y SIIIIIIIIIIIIIII SEÑOR
DE LA MAÑO DEL BRAMATI VAMOS A MONTREAL!!!!!!!!!
- May 5, 2010
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AND GIVE JOY TO MY HEART!
IL GIRO DI LOMBARDIA IS MY OBSESSION!
WE DRINK TRENTINO AND TOUR OF HAINAN!
THE BELGIANS YOU WATCH THEM ON TELEVISION!!!
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
IF NOT YOU HAVE THE MASNADA EGGS???
AND YESIIIIIIIIIIIIIII LORD
WITH THE HAND OF BRAMATI WE ARE GOING TO MONTREAL!!!!!!!!!
This is what Google translate got out of it.
- Apr 13, 2021
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Sorry the song doesn't work in English but I can do a translation. And it has to be all capitals, because we are going to chant it at the top of our lungs when fausto on the attack later.
And give joy give joy to my heart!!
Il Giro di lombardia is my obsession!
We conquered trentino and Tour of hainan!
Belgian fans watched them on television!!!!
What are you going to do?
If you don't have the cojones of Masnada??????
And yes sir,
At the hand of Bramati we go to Montreal!!!!!
Also I'm not a Spainish, I don't speak perfect Spanish so maybe I did some mistakes. But we shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes in life
- Apr 13, 2021
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I was reasonably happy with the performance in Quebec and Montreal but there is room for improvements.
In Quebec I was proud because its not a race that suit Fausto, I didn't expect a good result, but he did 2 attacks and tried to anticipate the race, to make his mark on the race, to get a result to work for the team. I love that he races like that. Even if it doesn't work for him, it's good for Wolfpack to race aggressively and put riders up the road. I wish others in the team did the same.
I was less proud about Montreal because I wanted to see him play his cards again, but I think it was a training exercise which was the smart thing to do. Montreal GP has total elevation metres close to Lombardia and Liege, its a long and hard WT race and was in difficult conditions which Fausto doesn't like.
So I think the goal for Fausto was to test himself against the best and get that kind of effort in as prep for lombardia. To go to the limit following the best when UAE was really driving the pace. It's a shame 20 guys were strong than him, but he is not quite yet at the top shape so soon after comeback.
I was disappointed by the team, they seem weak in these races which should suit them. And aside from Fausto they don't race aggressively, they lack a bit of passion and anticipation, and they aren't getting top results. Van Welder the great Belge talent was really bad. Alaphilippe is decent but not ever a threat to win the races in 2023. Vansevenent and schmit just not that good.
Although I am confident in Fausto ability and think he will improve towards Lombardia, I don't think he will get quite close to his peak 2021 shape, just because so many riders in the team are not able to do that this season. Whats clear is that Remco and Fausto are the best in the team for hilly races, the best options for Lombardia.
I hope for some good results coming up, because next season it's a contract year for Fausto, and to go into a contract season without results means a lot of pressure. Hopefully strong results the next few weeks.
The only Italian classics that Quickstep has in their programme is Giro Emilia, Coppa bernocchi, Gran piemonte and Lombardia. That's why I thought the team would send Fausto in Lucemburg tour, to fine tune the race form for these races, to get enough rave days. But it looks like there will be some opportunities to ride some smaller Italian classics with the national team in the next 2 weeks, although I don't know exactly what the programme will be. Some good opportunities for our Fausto .
In Quebec I was proud because its not a race that suit Fausto, I didn't expect a good result, but he did 2 attacks and tried to anticipate the race, to make his mark on the race, to get a result to work for the team. I love that he races like that. Even if it doesn't work for him, it's good for Wolfpack to race aggressively and put riders up the road. I wish others in the team did the same.
I was less proud about Montreal because I wanted to see him play his cards again, but I think it was a training exercise which was the smart thing to do. Montreal GP has total elevation metres close to Lombardia and Liege, its a long and hard WT race and was in difficult conditions which Fausto doesn't like.
So I think the goal for Fausto was to test himself against the best and get that kind of effort in as prep for lombardia. To go to the limit following the best when UAE was really driving the pace. It's a shame 20 guys were strong than him, but he is not quite yet at the top shape so soon after comeback.
I was disappointed by the team, they seem weak in these races which should suit them. And aside from Fausto they don't race aggressively, they lack a bit of passion and anticipation, and they aren't getting top results. Van Welder the great Belge talent was really bad. Alaphilippe is decent but not ever a threat to win the races in 2023. Vansevenent and schmit just not that good.
Although I am confident in Fausto ability and think he will improve towards Lombardia, I don't think he will get quite close to his peak 2021 shape, just because so many riders in the team are not able to do that this season. Whats clear is that Remco and Fausto are the best in the team for hilly races, the best options for Lombardia.
I hope for some good results coming up, because next season it's a contract year for Fausto, and to go into a contract season without results means a lot of pressure. Hopefully strong results the next few weeks.
The only Italian classics that Quickstep has in their programme is Giro Emilia, Coppa bernocchi, Gran piemonte and Lombardia. That's why I thought the team would send Fausto in Lucemburg tour, to fine tune the race form for these races, to get enough rave days. But it looks like there will be some opportunities to ride some smaller Italian classics with the national team in the next 2 weeks, although I don't know exactly what the programme will be. Some good opportunities for our Fausto .
- Apr 13, 2021
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There is already hype from fans about Lombardia 2023 and the prospect of a top form Masnada being there. I'm trying not to get excited, let's moderate our expectations, but it's good times for our sport. And the route is the same as in 2021, its basically in fausto back garden sooooooooo....
Before we get to that , though, tomorrow Fausto start in Luxembourg Skoda Tour. It's the first big goal of this last part of the season. 5 stages, 2 of which are very hill, 1 or 2 likely sprints, and a 24km ITT.
I'm excited for this because it will be truly an opportunity to gauge the Fausto form just before Italian classics, whereas in the Canadian classics and gp plouay its more tactical and harder to understand the level. Anyway he was very active there.
The ITT should have a big impact on gc, and its not Fausto's specialty, so I don't have expectations for victory. But we know he can pull out of the bag very strong time trials when needed. For example 2021 Tour de Romandia when he was on the podium of the general classification with Ritchie porte and gerant Thomas. In fact in that general classification he beat by almost 4 minutes the recent vuelta winner sep kuss, as well as strong riders like soler, O'connor, Kelderman, Woods, izagirre, arensmen, skejmose, caruso, who were all in the top 15.
And fausto was recently training ITT specific efforts on the roads around bergamo. Looks like he has a focus on this race.
2 Years ago on a similar course he was 13th overall, whilst working for cattaneo and Almida on general classification. And we saw how were his legs in lombardia and such later that autumn. So it's a really good benchmark.
The big favourites of this race will be ciccone, tobias Holland Jehnson (and all those young guys from UnoX), maybe Fuglsang, Mcnutly and Hirschi from UAE, Fausto's teammate the great Belge talent ilan van Welder, matteo jorgenson, tiesj benoot, Richard carapaz, Ben healy, ion izagirre.
Really looking forward to this race. Even thought about flying there last minute to watch some stages.
Before we get to that , though, tomorrow Fausto start in Luxembourg Skoda Tour. It's the first big goal of this last part of the season. 5 stages, 2 of which are very hill, 1 or 2 likely sprints, and a 24km ITT.
I'm excited for this because it will be truly an opportunity to gauge the Fausto form just before Italian classics, whereas in the Canadian classics and gp plouay its more tactical and harder to understand the level. Anyway he was very active there.
The ITT should have a big impact on gc, and its not Fausto's specialty, so I don't have expectations for victory. But we know he can pull out of the bag very strong time trials when needed. For example 2021 Tour de Romandia when he was on the podium of the general classification with Ritchie porte and gerant Thomas. In fact in that general classification he beat by almost 4 minutes the recent vuelta winner sep kuss, as well as strong riders like soler, O'connor, Kelderman, Woods, izagirre, arensmen, skejmose, caruso, who were all in the top 15.
And fausto was recently training ITT specific efforts on the roads around bergamo. Looks like he has a focus on this race.
2 Years ago on a similar course he was 13th overall, whilst working for cattaneo and Almida on general classification. And we saw how were his legs in lombardia and such later that autumn. So it's a really good benchmark.
The big favourites of this race will be ciccone, tobias Holland Jehnson (and all those young guys from UnoX), maybe Fuglsang, Mcnutly and Hirschi from UAE, Fausto's teammate the great Belge talent ilan van Welder, matteo jorgenson, tiesj benoot, Richard carapaz, Ben healy, ion izagirre.
Really looking forward to this race. Even thought about flying there last minute to watch some stages.
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- Sep 2, 2011
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- Apr 13, 2021
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Struggling to get good flights, very last minute, and my mum is running a half marathon this Sunday in the city i live and I need to be back by Saturday night to support her.
- Sep 26, 2020
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Fausto wouldn't be able to cope with the pressure of having his biggest fan around.
- Apr 13, 2021
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Good performance today by fausto , first of the team after doing a lot of work for his teammate. 2 years ago he was around 30th position on similar stage.
Here is an interview in english about his struggle this spring and summer with saddle sore:
www.soudal-quickstepteam.com
Most notable infos:
-saddle sore was very bad and surgery was the last option.
-if the surgery didn't work he might have had to retire as a professional.
-50 days off the bike, more than a normal off season, although he did do a lot of gym work and walking
-really bad form at start of August team camp, very happy with the level in Canada 10 days ago.
-extremely sad to miss the grand tours and felt like a wasted season for him
Here is an interview in english about his struggle this spring and summer with saddle sore:
Fausto Masnada: “Being on the bike again felt like a victory” | Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team
The Italian, who recently returned to competition, looks with confidence to this week’s Tour de Luxembourg.
Most notable infos:
-saddle sore was very bad and surgery was the last option.
-if the surgery didn't work he might have had to retire as a professional.
-50 days off the bike, more than a normal off season, although he did do a lot of gym work and walking
-really bad form at start of August team camp, very happy with the level in Canada 10 days ago.
-extremely sad to miss the grand tours and felt like a wasted season for him
- Apr 13, 2021
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Saw some footage from the team after the finish yesterday, fausto was absolutely frozen and shivering, it was not good conditions for him , he was done and suffering after he got dropped on the noklasberg the last time
- Apr 13, 2021
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OK tomorrow its the first race day in Italy for Fausto since 2022 national championships, and only the second since that beautiful day in October 2021.
In Giro dell'emilia he should be working for others in the team. 2 years ago he was 30th, more than 5 minutes down on roglic. So the result is not significant with the bigger goals on mind. But it still will be good to see how is the level before next week.
Emilia is a cool race, I like a lot San luca climb and bologna, shame I cannot make it there tomorrow but I should be able to spectate some of these races next week. Alaphilippe, bagioli, Vansevenent, Van Welder, schmidt will all be cards to play.
In Giro dell'emilia he should be working for others in the team. 2 years ago he was 30th, more than 5 minutes down on roglic. So the result is not significant with the bigger goals on mind. But it still will be good to see how is the level before next week.
Emilia is a cool race, I like a lot San luca climb and bologna, shame I cannot make it there tomorrow but I should be able to spectate some of these races next week. Alaphilippe, bagioli, Vansevenent, Van Welder, schmidt will all be cards to play.
- Apr 13, 2021
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Weird few weeks.
We spent 2022 and spring of 2023 hoping for a return to top-level fausto and being consistently disappointed. I always maintained my support but have moderated my expectations somewhat for his career and his potential.
The races since start of September were more promising, but it's still difficult to know how competitive can fausto be tomorrow. In quebec and Bretagne he was racing aggressively. I liked that. But I was slightly disappointed and expected more in Montreal and luxemborg.
Then in Emilia he somehow missed the key move, attacked and was caught. Finally in coppa bernocchi we saw the fausto I love. Being aggressive, having the racecraft to be always in the key moves, and then being unafraid to work for his teammate in the final (unfortunately is difficult for bagioli to beat bellgian pozzato).
But lombardia is different to coppa bernocchi. Longer, harder, with pogacar, remco, roglic, carapaz, Simon Yates etc. I don't know what to expect. I just hope for no bad luck and for fausto to show his strength on the biggest stage in cycling, because this hasn't happened since 2021. Even now by some people he gets mocked on twitter.
To be in the front, to attack, to be unafraid, to work, to make a mark on the race. Is the most important thing.
After coppa bernocchi he did a lombardia recon. Shame no tre valle or gran piemonte but hopefully he is fresh. Today warm up ride in legnano.
I was supposed to be in bergamo tomorrow for watch the race but I had to travel home from my holidays a couple days early. I saw yesterday koen de kort in Milan Airport. Its a shame, but I have watched races live before and to be honest would rather watch the race unfold in TV than just see those few second of riders going past in bergamo alta.
Grande fausto!!! And Grande wolfpack, no merger !!!
We spent 2022 and spring of 2023 hoping for a return to top-level fausto and being consistently disappointed. I always maintained my support but have moderated my expectations somewhat for his career and his potential.
The races since start of September were more promising, but it's still difficult to know how competitive can fausto be tomorrow. In quebec and Bretagne he was racing aggressively. I liked that. But I was slightly disappointed and expected more in Montreal and luxemborg.
Then in Emilia he somehow missed the key move, attacked and was caught. Finally in coppa bernocchi we saw the fausto I love. Being aggressive, having the racecraft to be always in the key moves, and then being unafraid to work for his teammate in the final (unfortunately is difficult for bagioli to beat bellgian pozzato).
But lombardia is different to coppa bernocchi. Longer, harder, with pogacar, remco, roglic, carapaz, Simon Yates etc. I don't know what to expect. I just hope for no bad luck and for fausto to show his strength on the biggest stage in cycling, because this hasn't happened since 2021. Even now by some people he gets mocked on twitter.
To be in the front, to attack, to be unafraid, to work, to make a mark on the race. Is the most important thing.
After coppa bernocchi he did a lombardia recon. Shame no tre valle or gran piemonte but hopefully he is fresh. Today warm up ride in legnano.
I was supposed to be in bergamo tomorrow for watch the race but I had to travel home from my holidays a couple days early. I saw yesterday koen de kort in Milan Airport. Its a shame, but I have watched races live before and to be honest would rather watch the race unfold in TV than just see those few second of riders going past in bergamo alta.
Grande fausto!!! And Grande wolfpack, no merger !!!
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'Despite the media chaos and the uncertainties regarding my future, tomorrow I will race not 'a classic' but 'the classic', the most beautiful monument of the season with the finish in the city I love most, and where my career as a cyclist began. Whatever happens, whatever the result is, I already know that it will be a special and emotional day'.
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- Apr 13, 2021
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Second most popular rider for the crowd on Colle Aperto.
Fighting to the end like a champion
Couldn't compete with Thibaut Pinot though 😁
- Apr 13, 2021
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Yes, it's how we would want it, I saw plenty of video on Instagram of fans cheering Fausto . What an atmosphere. And what a great way to honour Pinot.
I wish the result was slightly better but there was not really much else to be done. He was among the top 20 strongest on Ganda when the race splintered, which is a strong performance, but no better than that. We know a lot of quickstep guys cant hit their 2021 level anymore.
Really fantastic performance by Bagioli, however, and Fausto seemed very happy for him. Positively surprised by his endurance.
I don't know now if Fausto goes into off season or will do Japan Cup next week. Japan makes sense considering the structure of his season and he will be motivated. A result would be great. Then an off-season without problems, plenty of endurance work, would be ideal.
- Apr 13, 2021
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- Apr 13, 2021
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14th in Japan Cup, is not the result we wanted. But again, the conditions were cold and wet, bad for fausto, and he was still the best of the team, the only guy who made the race winning move. Because of his racecraft instincts.
View: https://twitter.com/soudalquickstep/status/1713425169211863534?t=Cd5zAj0kSdzM6ZinAK97wQ&s=19
As we saw at lombardia this year, he is not at his best level , and yet can still fight for results in the top races. That makes me proud.
Is fausto too good for this small Belgian team? Most of the riders don't had the problems which fausto had and yet still they can't make any impact on the races. Maybe it's a clinic thing.
Anyway, it's has been the worst possible 2 seasons since I created this thread. After that lombardia performance, when the talent and mentality I saw, since 2018, manifested into a result which validated me in the eyes of forum users, we have had in 2 years: 4 off-seasons, 3 comebacks, 1 small win, only 1 grand tour . Many melancholy evenings.
I hope that things can only get better.
I will talk more about the future for fausto, and the goals for next season, when all uncertainties about the team are sorted. He has a contract for 2024. It will be a big year for cycling. Hopefully wolfpack remains and improves.
View: https://twitter.com/soudalquickstep/status/1713425169211863534?t=Cd5zAj0kSdzM6ZinAK97wQ&s=19
As we saw at lombardia this year, he is not at his best level , and yet can still fight for results in the top races. That makes me proud.
Is fausto too good for this small Belgian team? Most of the riders don't had the problems which fausto had and yet still they can't make any impact on the races. Maybe it's a clinic thing.
Anyway, it's has been the worst possible 2 seasons since I created this thread. After that lombardia performance, when the talent and mentality I saw, since 2018, manifested into a result which validated me in the eyes of forum users, we have had in 2 years: 4 off-seasons, 3 comebacks, 1 small win, only 1 grand tour . Many melancholy evenings.
I hope that things can only get better.
I will talk more about the future for fausto, and the goals for next season, when all uncertainties about the team are sorted. He has a contract for 2024. It will be a big year for cycling. Hopefully wolfpack remains and improves.
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