"We wanted to have him on the team, but we thought maybe it was too soon, so we pitched it to Axel at Axeon, and Axel was very excited to have him on the team. We found that middle step that was beneficial to his career and now, a couple of years later, we can say that putting him on the path he's on now was the right thing to do," continues the Movistar Team boss. "I just exchanged a few messages with Axel this afternoon and, of course, he's very happy. It's been a good move for Romeo, because he's ended up in what was, and probably still is, the best development team in the world. So many top riders have gone through that system and when we sold the idea to Ivan, he was happier to do that, rather than go straight into the WorldTour."
In 2023 Ivan Romeo finally landed in Movistar Team and as a professional he won a stage of the Tour de l'Avenir, demonstrating his class. This year 2024 has shown a lot of class, he has had ups and downs but the team has always trusted him and now you can see the results with this incredible U23 World Championship time trial: "You know there are always ups and downs, and even in a short career like his there have been many. You look at his results this season and you can say it's been a decent year with the best possible finish, but there were very difficult moments for him. He worked hard to get to the classics well, not to get results, but to gain experience for the next few years, but a small injury forced him to miss a lot of those races. He worked really hard for those off-season races, but he came back stronger in the summer and then came at this point in the season. Guys like that are able to thrive in these moments and overcome adversity," says Unzué.
"It's not just that he's special, it's that he's super-professional, down to earth and a hard worker. He's mature, and now he's grown up, but he's always been that way, even before he joined the team. He's one of those guys who's very easy to work with and always has a smile on his face. You can talk to him about anything you want and I think everyone will be happy for him," he says of his rider's personality.
As for his future, it is still up in the air, although Unzué is clear that he has a jewel in his hands: "It's too early to say, but he's a super talent. Plus, he's an all-around rider. He can climb very well and he's a solid all-rounder. He has the technical ability and he's one of those riders that you can describe as having the complete package. He may not be the best in a complete aspect, but he's still young and has a lot of room for improvement. Time will tell and the road will put us in our place."
