The second part of the interview withAlessandro Zaccone « The 100 km at
Valentino Rossi were nice, but I was half broken… »
De Diana Tamantini / Motoracing
A disappointing 2022, but we are already looking to the future. Alessandro Zaccone will return to MotoE, this time in the teamHervé Poncharal, determined to redeem himself after a difficult Moto2 year for many reasons. After what we reported in the first part of our interview, including a review of his season, his return to the electric championship and more, let's start there. His experience at the Champions 100 km, his physical situation, the “Navarro case” in Australia… Here is what he told us, the second part of our interview follows.
Alessandro Zaccone, these days you have been among the protagonists of the 100 km of Champions. How was it?
« We took it very, very philosophically. Bassani, my partner, and I never ride flat-track, in fact I don't even have a motorbike... Getting there is not easy because everyone is very fast, even the Spaniards who always ride there. It's hard, but it's always fun and compared to last year we rode a lot faster, that's something! In the end it's an event to be together, also because when the 100km period arrives I'm always broken... Last year my back, this time the knee ligaments, so we always take it with lead feet. But it's a wonderful event, we just have to thank Valentino and the VR46 for what they did. »
An opportunity to “relax” after this complicated season…
« Let's just say that I didn't enjoy this global year as much as I would have liked. This is perhaps my biggest regret. So finding all the people from the paddock gathered in this party... We see them in a different light, it's nice. »
You mentioned your knee, how are you?
« I got injured in Australia: I never said anything, but I have three damaged ligaments and I'm still fighting. At the moment an operation has not been necessary, we will see later how the pain will be or if there will be other damage, but at the moment we are trying to avoid it. It's been about two and a half months since Australia, and now it's starting to feel a little better, I hope to be well soon. I'm training normally, I hope it's not a problem. »
So you take advantage of the holidays a little, also to get back in shape.
« I'm at home a bit, even if I continue to train, but perhaps a walk with friends, so in a more relaxed way. It was a very hard year, I needed to disconnect and rediscover the passion for this sport, for what I have always done. With all the suffering I had, let's just say that I came to "hate" what I was doing. Touring with friends and finding passion again is important, that's what I'm trying to do at the moment. In addition to thinking about the physical situation: not just the knee, because in Austria I fell back on the lower back that I had injured last year. The problem was almost solved, but with this highside I fell in the same place... It still hurts quite a bit, but not on the bike, I feel it a lot more when I stop! I hope to be back in shape as soon as possible. »
Is there anything to change in terms of preparation after this season?
« The hardest thing in the World Championship, after the short races in MotoE, is clearly the physical resistance for a Moto2 race, where the level is very high. You also go to places where it's very hot, actually I wasn't used to it. There were a couple of things I had to work on a little more this year like nutrition, training, certain details. For next year, however, I think what I did this year is good: the races will be short again, so you don't need the extreme preparation that Moto2 requires. Obviously it will take something more in terms of muscle, given that the bike is heavier, but I think I am quite prepared. »
Which circuit did you like the most this year?
« For better or worse, the World Championship tracks are all beautiful, but there are three that impressed me the most. The one in Malaysia, with a beautiful view, then the track in Qatar, with the difference of the race in the evening, and the circuit in Australia, also with a spectacular view. It's just the atmosphere that's different from racing in Europe, which you're used to now. Even with animals on the track! A little different, but very nice. »
In Australia, however, there was also the case of the Navarro accident…
« It was not a beautiful thing. Jorge was practically sitting on the side of the track, without a helmet and in a rather dangerous place: It's very strange that they didn't put up the red flag! We too, while driving, did not understand what was happening. He was seriously injured and sat in a bad place for two or three rounds with three or four doctors around. Not stopping the race was not a good decision, I honestly didn't understand. It's true that there were flags and you had to be careful, but when you're on a motorbike, anything can always happen. This could have been handled differently. »
Read the original article on Corsedimoto.com
To be continued tomorrow…
