Domenico Pozzovivo started 2022 without a contract, and only in February did he find one as Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux opened their World Tour lineup to the Italian. The collaboration was a success, but there are ongoing difficulties to keep it rolling into 2023.
“The desire is still very alive. My only goal now is a contract for next season. IWG is ready to confirm, but we still need to clarify a few points," Pozzovivo said in an interview with TuttoBiciWeb. "We are also considering other offers, including a WorldTour squad and a pair of Pro Continental (ProTeam, ed.). I'm still worth it."
The Italian veteran rode to 13th at Tirreno-Adriatico, 8th at the Giro d'Italia and 9th at the Tour de Suisse, aswell as having great form in the Italian Autumn classics which included a podium at the Giro dell'Emilia only behind Enric Mas and Tadej Pogacar. Age has not been weighing much on the small climber's form, and at the age of 40 he continues to be capable of fighting amongst the best, spending most of the Giro d'Italia in the fight for the Top5.
“I performed very well. I was the second Italian in the final classification of the Giro and I scored important points for the team. Let's get one thing straight: I'm in the right place with this team. But paradoxically, despite everything, we still haven't reached an agreement," he continued. These difficulties have been reported for several weeks, likely as the team struggled with budget and had to let go the likes of Alexander Kristoff and Jan Hirt.
Additionally, having been brought into the team already in the ongoing season, it has likely not been the plan of the Belgian team to keep Pozzovivo into 2023. However, the two are still in negotiations to a possible contract into 2023, although he admits he has other offers on the table. “The certainty of being in the peloton at my age, especially for someone like me who has had a lot of accidents and risked his life in that big crash in 2019, is something extraordinary," he added.
"I consider myself very lucky, now I appreciate everything that comes my way. In addition to that love for the sport, there is also ambition with the 40-year-old rider, especially when it comes to the Giro. I can still be competitive there. I can't say the podium or top 5 in advance, but I know I'll be in the front. I am not interested in the stages, but in the classification," he guarantees.
Pozzovivo commented on the passing of his compatriot Davide Rebellin: “I thought it was a bad joke. It was horrible, really unbelievable. He was a symbol and dedicated his life to cycling," he concluded.
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