INTERVIEW | "Pogacar, for example, he's in another world" - Damiano Caruso on how 2025 cycling is different from 2010's

Cycling in 2025 is a completely different beast than in the 2010's. Everyone in the peloton who has experienced both says the same, and that is no exception with Damiano Caruso who is a pro rider since 2009. The Italian has adapted incredibly well, and describes some differences; as well as taking Tadej Pogacar into consideration.

Caruso is a key figure at Bahrain - Victorious, an experienced leader and performer himself, he has finished in the Top5 of this year's Giro d'Italia, as well as winning a stage at the Vuelta a Burgos. At the request of the team and Antonio Tiberi amongst others, he has agreed to stay with the team for another year, where he looks to guide the team towards more success. A rider for the late Liquigas and BMC teams, he has now also spent a large amount of years with Bahrain - Victorious. He has seen many top riders come and go, whilst he remains near the top of the sport.

What he sees on the daily is a completely different reality than when he entered the peloton. "In 15 years, the cycling has changed completely. Now, I think, that's why I also say to Antonio [Tiberi] 'you have talent, but talent today is not enough'," he said in words to CyclingUpToDate. "You need to be... if you have talent, even better, for sure you need, but it's not enough. You have to be fully dedicated on that. Discipline, and everything, you have to think just about your job".

When it comes to nutrition, gym work, overall training methods and preparation, it is simply a completely different way of executing the preparation for the races. The level is much higher, something that is very clear when seeing the current performances and average speeds in the peloton - fruit also of technological development, which can be just as important.

But pro cycling nowadays is not something many riders can do. Not the fact of being willing, but being able to follow the professionalism and dedication required to just be in the peloton. "We are lucky, because it's also our passion, but it's hard to find a good balance between both. So, now it's completely different because - and it's also difficult - because you don't know where is the limit to push hard".

Caruso believes balance is key to being a pro at the moment, but that balance is also hard to find, with demands being sky-high, and variables as simple as a minor crash or illness constantly threatening to end months of work. It is certainly not a sport for the faint of heart, and within the pros it can also be said that not many have all the pieces of the puzzle fit together at all times.

"Everybody is looking to today Pogacar, for example, he's in another world, he plays in another universe. But if you chase his training, lifestyle, maybe it's not correct for you. You destroy yourself," Caruso warns. Every rider needs his own program and way of working, and the same way riders must know not to follow Pogacar (as his teammate Afonso Eulálio said to us, ed.), they must also know not to try and replicate what he does outside racing.

"So, you have to find your limit, you have to chase your limit. Try to go over sometimes, do one step higher, no? But that's easy to say, but hard to do".