Gianni Moscon: I’ve matured, but fundamentally I’m the same person

Gianni Moscon during the 2021 Paris-Roubaix
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Gianni Moscon was within touching distance of winning Paris-Roubaix in October when a puncture and then a crash swept the race from under him. The Italian had spent the day off the front and then forged clear alone with 50km remaining, holding a seemingly unassailable buffer prior to his double misfortune.

The career of cycling’s great pantomime villain has been pockmarked by episodes of very public rage, but Moscon was a picture of resigned calm when he reached the velodrome in fourth place, 44 seconds down on winner Sonny Colbrelli. As a scrum of reporters knotted around him on the infield, he had no complaints. Asked if he would have won without the crash, he shrugged. “Who knows? We cannot say this. I don’t know. The race went like this.”

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.