Once a rider drops down to Coninental level, they can do one of two things: sink or swim. The rider will either excel in the smaller setup or simply fade away with their results becoming more and more invisible. Mauro Finetto is one rider who has certainly decided to swim as fast as he can.

The 30-year-old Italian, who has eight pro wins, including GCs at the Tour du Limousin and the Sibiu Cycling Tour, did not have his contract renewed by Southeast at the end of 2015. For a while, it looked like Finetto would need to retire, until small Continental Italian team Unieuro Willier Trevigiani threw him a lifeline in February. He has already repaid their faith by taking some impressive results in 2016.

The fast finisher, who has really worked on his climbing in 2016, spoke with CyclingQuotes just after he took tenth on GC in the Tour of Turkey.

“My goal after Turkey is already coming in these next days at Tour of Azerbaijan, since in the month of May I will make a brief rest.”

Finetto started well, finding his form in some smaller Italian races before taking eighth in GP Industria. He then went to the Istrian Spring Trophy in Croatia where he was eighth on GC after finishing top ten on both the summit finishes. Then it was off to Coppi e Bartali, where his team has one of their biggest objectives. Finetto came up trumps, finishing second on GC and winning the points jersey. He then jetted off to Morocco where he was fourth overall in the nation’s national tour. It was back home for a brief stint in Italy, where he was third in Giro dell’Appenino. Then it was time to go to Turkey, where he was fourth on day one and then made the split in the cross winds on day two to take third and secure himself a high GC spot. On the tough Elmali climb, Finetto surprise everyone, taking seventh on the day ahead of veteran climbers like Rebellin, Arroyo and Szmyd.

The downside of riding with his current team is that they are not able to do the Giro d’Italia, meaning Finetto will not be at his nation’s biggest race for the first time since 2013. However, he is willing to make that sacrifice as he enjoys racing with his new team.

“This year I will not do the Giro and certainly for an Italian rider this is quite a disappointment, but I do not make a drama, here at Unieuro Wilier Trevigiani we have other targets and we will try to hit those, the setting is great, you can work with extreme professionalism and young and serious teammates.”

When asked what the biggest difference between his new employers and his old ones were, the Italian was surprising, saying his new team is much more serious and professional than the team that rides one level above them. His biggest point of references come with doping issues Southeast have had in the last few seasons, with positives for Danilo Di Luca, Mauro Santambrogio, Matteo Rabottini and Ramon Carretero. 

“Here this is the difference that I find with Southeast team: the seriousness was not at home in that team, and just look at what happened with the doping issues in the last three years to figure it out.”

As Finetto’s climbing has really improved and he still packs a really fast sprint, the one-day races at the end of the season will realy entice Finetto and his team.

“As for my goals in Italy, I hope that we could take part in all the Italian classics, we have not yet defined a calendar, but in any case we will all be looking to red circle those races, like the last few years for me where I have always been the protagonist.”

CyclingQuotes asked Finetto which of these Italian Classics suits him best. He has qualities to do well in them all (Sabatini, Bernocchi, Agostoni, Industria, Tre Valle, Toscana, Milan-Turin, Emillia, GP Beghelli and Piemonte) and even Il Lombarida, where he was sixth in 2008 as a neo-pro, although his team will not be able to ride there this year.

“If I had to pick one I would say Giro dell’Emilia, it is the most fascinating Classic. For one reason or another, I have never been on the podium but I am sure it is very suitable to my characteristics.”