Fran Muñoz and Davide De Cassan, stagiaires with EOLO KOMETA

The professional team of the Alberto Contador Foundation will give the opportunity as stagiaires to the cyclist of the under-23 team Fran Muñoz, and to the rider of the Cycling Team Friuli.

Summer arrives and here it comes the expected reward for the young riders who have shone during the season in the under-23 category. For them, the next months will be very special and the opportunity to compete with the professionals will serve as incentive also to demonstrate that they deserve a place in the PRO team with a view to the season 2024.

In this case, Fran Muñoz (Oviedo, 24 June 2001) repeats this trial period. A rider born in Mataró (Catalunya), with experiences of youth in the volleyball, who achieved last season the victory in the overall of the Spanish Cup Elite and U23 and already then he had the opportunity to compete with the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling team in two prestigious one-day races as the centenary Coppa Bernocchi of Legnano, being protagonist in the breakaway, or the Gran Piemonte. Muñoz comes from winning bronze in the Spanish Championships in his category after a formidable performance.

Fran Muñoz: “Last year’s experience was spectacular, I really enjoyed it, I had the opportunity to meet wonderful people like David Martín and Diego Pablo Sevilla and of course I also learned a lot. I think without a doubt it was the ideal start for me, everything was really positive. For this year the objective has to be to enjoy the opportunity, to show a step forward and a consolidation as a rider and, in that way, to contribute the maximum to the team wherever I am asked to be”.

Rafa Díaz Justo: “Fran is a cyclist who has not stopped evolving and maturing and, although it may seem the opposite with the good results of last season, he has grown a lot this year. It has not been an easy year for him, especially at the beginning of the competitions, but as the races were going, he has made progress and has shown his great consistency while being in the fight. Last season, we thought that one more year of experience in the category was going to give him a lot for the future, and so it has been. Now he has a new opportunity to compete with the ProTeam, which will surely help him to grow even more”.

For his part, Davide De Cassan can’t hide his excitement at the opportunity to wear the EOLO KOMETA jersey: “I can’t wait to race with the pros,” explains Davide. “Arriving at EOLO KOMETA is a dream and I know that it will give me emotions that are difficult to describe”. Born in 2002 in Riva del Garda, not far from where the brothers Davide and Mattia Bais were born, Davide De Cassan completes his third year with Cycling Team Friuli and this season has achieved important results that have earned him the call of EOLO KOMETA. “From the beginning of June I began to find continuity and important results: first in Slovenia, then in Austria and then in the Czech Republic. This has definitely brought me some visibility, but at the same time I have to say that my team is always very attentive to help and support me on my way. If I now have the opportunity to live this experience, a large part of the credit goes to them. A dream, he said, “when I was a kid I used to watch cycling on TV and there was Basso and Contador giving a show: imagine what it would mean to wear the jersey of the team founded by them. EOLO KOMETA is a team that people like very much: last year I took part in some races where the team was also present, and I must say that it is beautiful to see them racing”, Davide assures. “Then, the victories on the Zoncolan and in Campo Imperatore thrilled all the fans.

What kind of cyclist is Davide De Cassan? “I define myself as a ‘diesel’ climber: I don’t like very hard climbs or aggresive attacks, I like long climbs and strong high pace. Yes: Ivan Basso used to race and win like that….. As a fan, I’ve always liked brave riders, those who aren’t afraid and attack from far away”.

And to welcome Davide, the words of sport director Stefano Zanatta: “He’s a guy we’ve been following for the last few years, he has the typical characteristics of a climber who has always performed well in stage races. He has had a very regular growth and the team he comes from has always worked well with the boys, preparing them in the right way towards professionalism. We are very happy to have him as a stagiaire, because he is one of the best Italian climbers by projection: he did good things in the Valle d’Aosta, the Medio Brenta, the Palio del Reciotto and the Course de la Paix with the Italian national team. He has all the potential to grow, and it’s great that he has chosen to grow with us”.