"Tried to explain this to the team leaders, but it was not fully understood" - Gianni Moscon left frustrated by time at Astana Qazaqstan Team

In 2024, Gianni Moscon will ride for Soudal - Quick-Step having made the switch over the off-season after two relatively disappointing years with the Astana Qazaqstan Team.

"The level in the sport is very high, we all know that. You have to be ready for every race and if you are, then you can participate. If you start badly, you won't be able to catch up. Rest, train, eat and then start again when you're fit, that's how it should be. That didn't happen in recent years," opens up the Italian in reflection of his time at the Kazakh-based team with In de Leiderstrui.

"My opinion is: you have to race when you are fit, otherwise there is no point and it will only get worse. Everyone sees you get dropped, that also gnaws at you. I also tried to explain this to the team leaders, but it was not fully understood," he recalls with frustration. "After all, they paid me too, but I couldn't win races that way. I was only at 60 percent of my ability. But they told me to keep fighting and that it would happen."

Once regarded as a top prospect during his time with Team Sky/INEOS Grenadiers, Moscon's transfer to Astana failed to fully realise that level. "You get some frustration, because you know you can't participate. In my case, sometimes I couldn't even follow the last ones in the race. While I was used to racing from the front," he admits. "Maybe I could have asked more from Astana, but in the end I don't regret anything. I was an employee and I respect them. They also wanted to get the best out of me and made their choices. They thought they were doing the best, maybe they had other problems. I would have done it differently, but that's just my point of view."