Davide Malacarne is ready for the new season. Like last year the Astana rider will make his debut in January by participating in the Tour Down Under in Australia.

“I always try to travel to the heat once since I live in areas where the climate does not allow me to train,” he explains his choice in an interview with Spaziociclismo. “I exploit these opportunities to train better there. Let's see if I can use the opportunity to get satisfactions. I do not set any goals but I will try to be ready for Australia.”

Malacarne joined Astana for the 2015 season and played a key role for Fabio Ary in the Giro.

“On the one hand it was positive and on the other hand it was negative,” he says. “I did a great job but I missed that little bit personally and honestly I have perhaps not even tried. I came to Astana to help my teammates and I focused more on teamwork that personal results. For this new year, maybe I'll change something.

“I was a bit 'unlucky before the Giro. Between Trentino and the Giro I was sick and I only did four workouts on the bike in two weeks. For me, the Giro was really hard, especially the first part.  Fortunately I recovered and managed to do a good job which was also rewarded with the excellent results of Aru and Landa. I cannot say I am happy with my ride because I was expecting to do another kind of work but that little problem cost me a lot because I missed the important days of work.”

Malacarne feels comfortable in his new team.

“I came from Europcar where I had a wonderful experience,” he says. “There I found a great group but I also realized that I was coming from a period with mixed results. “Compared to the Europcar, Astana is more organized. The objectives and the bar are significantly higher but I think that it is like a family. They all love each other and I do not see any kind of envy. Often you think that joining a big team means isolation and that all contact with the team will be via phone but here I found more of a family atmosphere than I expected. 

“Some of the rivalries that have been created by the press, do not exist. We are lucky that the the captains are intelligent. They work together for the purpose of winning because we have to remember that we ride for Astana and the important thing is to win with Astana. This is clearly on their mind.” 

Malacarne was originally set to the Vuelta but missed out on selection.

“I had to skip it due to the fact that Nibali was brought into the team which changed the selection,” he explains. “I would have liked to do it because I was fine and I had prepared in the best way. Unfortunately it went like this but I cannot complain about anything. I was hoping to finish the season with the Vuelta to end a positive year. As absurd as it is, the race that I like the most is the Vuelta, but it is the one that it has been hardest for me to get to go. A few years ago the Europcar cut me off unfairly because I consider myself a professional and always try to do the best for the team with which I ride without thinking about the future. Last year, however, it was because of Nibali but obviously I had to give him my place. It was not unjust because of his quality.  Let's see if I am able to go there this year.”

Last year Malacarne was part of Aru’s group but it is still undecided what he will do in 2016.

“I am available to the team,” he says. “I will be happy to help those who ask me.. I consider myself a professional and do what the team asks of me. 

“As an Italian, I would obviously prefer to the Giro.Then I love the Vuelta, but the Tour remains the Tour. I honestly do not know what I would chose if I had the choice. It is better that the choice is made ​​by the team.”

Malacarne also hopes to get some personal chances along the way.

“I do not want to make objectives about where to get a result or at least try,” he says. “I live more by the day so maybe in the big races I will work more for the team while in the other races I will try to carve out my own space when possible.”

In any case, the goals are clear.

“It would be nice to win again,” he says. “It's not my primary goal but it's true that I want to try to get some results if there will be an opportunity. I want a positive season from a physical point of view and be in a group that can win the Giro, Tour or Vuelta.”