Luca Guercilena, the supervisor of the Lidl-Trek staff, has written an autobiography that appears again at his extraordinary life as a younger bike owner, coach, directeur sportif and now supervisor with one of many sports activities tremendous groups.
Guercilena devoted his e-book to his household but in addition “to all those that helped me keep alive.” He has battled towards an aggressive lymphoma since 2021, going via a number of cycles of chemotherapy however is once more working full time as staff supervisor of Lidl-Trek.
The e-book was written with the assistance of Italian journalist Pier Augusto Stagi and is named Da zero a uno – ‘From no person to anyone’. It doesn’t give attention to Guercilena’s combat towards most cancers however is the story of his life and an instance to anybody of how exhausting work and persistence is at all times rewarding.
Guercilena recollects humble beginnings within the suburbs of Milan, how his lack of biking expertise led him to turn out to be a superb coach. He labored with the then-innovative Mapei improvement staff, the Mapei professional staff after which stayed on with Patrick Lefevere. In 2011, he agreed to work for the Leopard Trek staff created with funding from Luxembourg businessman Flavio Becca and helped save the staff in 2013, creating what as we speak is the mixed Lidl-Trek males’s and girls’s staff.
Guercilena’s household, associates and colleagues attended the e-book presentation in Monza on the eve of Milan-San Remo, together with Fabian Cancellara, who recalled how he began his profession with Guercilena on the Mapei improvement staff and ended it with an Olympic gold medal within the time trial in Rio de Janeiro with Guercilena as his coach and mentor.
The e-book is simply out there in Italian however Guercilena and Stagi agreed to Cyclingnews translating and publishing an extract of the e-book.
It covers the 2013 season, after a painful fusion with Lance Armstrong’s Radioshack staff in 2012 after which the Texan’s lifetime ban for doping.
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Guercilena was requested to take over as staff supervisor and satisfied second sponsor Nissan to pay their agreed sponsorship payment regardless of not wanting to remain on the staff’s jersey. In the spring of 2013, Guercilena travelled to Trek’s headquarters in Wisconsin and satisfied the bike model to purchase the staff.
An extract from ‘Da zero a uno’ by Luca Guercilena and Pier Augusto Stagi
We began the 2013 season nicely and instantly gained Harelbeke, Flanders and Roubaix with Fabian Cancellara. He is clearly the undisputed chief of the staff, additionally as a result of on the similar time Andy Schleck started to have critical issues along with his knee after a crash.
Inside the group, there’s a totally different vibe, a household ambiance has returned that makes each the riders and the employees euphoric. We are robust and compact. But if on the one hand there’s nice consciousness of being again on the high of biking, there may be additionally a sword of Damocles hanging over all of our heads: we’re on the finish credit of a movie. We know that Flavio Becca will finish his funding. Riders and employees do nothing however repeat to me “that it will actually be a disgrace to separate up such a good looking group… “.
After Fabian’s triumphant journey at Roubaix, I discover myself speaking about this and that with the then-Trek advertising and marketing supervisor Joe Vanderboncouer.
At a sure level I take the bull by the horns and inform him: “Joe, since Trek is already making an enormous funding within the staff, I believe it is proper to begin excited about making an attempt to turn out to be the proprietor of the staff by simulating what has been occurring for years in F1. Trek has to remain within the sport, turn out to be the proprietor of the staff after which discover and contain sponsors within the venture.”
I keep in mind that Joe listens to me the entire time in silence and on the finish he says: “The factor is attention-grabbing. But the accounting books have to be so as: solely then can we submit the thought to John Burke [the president of Trek].”
Two days later I left for Luxembourg to fulfill Flavio Becca. Certain issues are higher mentioned head to head.
I clarify the venture to him which for the time being is simply an thought, even when the chance that Trek might take over your entire staff is concrete. At first, Becca seems very skeptical, then he understands that it’s attainable. During the Giro d’Italia, I fly to the United States to fulfill Mr. Trek himself: John Burke.
I keep in mind arriving at his place all dressed up in my finest swimsuit and feeling a way of pleasure I’d by no means felt earlier than. He welcomed me in a white shirt, denims and sneakers and checked out me earlier than saying: “Are you going to a marriage?”
I wished to vanish, sink into hell endlessly. I stammered one thing like: “My mom taught me that if you go to fulfill vital folks you gown good.” He smiles, places a hand on my shoulder and leads me to his workplace.
We speak for nearly an hour, and Burke listens to me and Joe in spiritual silence till he says: “Joe, let’s take every week after which give him a solution.”
I cheekily replied: “Please give me a solution earlier than the Tour de France. I’ve to ensure that the staff is being constructed, as a result of if it isn’t, I’ve an obligation to be clear and honest with the employees and the riders. I’ve to place them ready to discover a new job.”
On June 26, 2013, three days earlier than the beginning of the Tour de France in Corsica, John Burke known as me.
“Luca, we’re prepared to take over the staff and transfer ahead, however solely on one situation.”
What?
“That you handle the staff for us.”
Recklessly, I accepted. Two hours later, Trek introduced to the world that it will take over Flavio Becca’s staff. My biking journey continued.
Da zero a uno is out there on Amazon in Italy.