Alessandro Fabian, European Champion and several times Italian Triathlon Champion. He participated in the Olympic Games in London and Rio De Janeiro. A career in which Alessandro followed his Olympic spirit. Three Olympic four-year-olds, the last one affected by the Covid which complicated Alessandro's personal situation a lot, moving time forward.
And finally the new dimension of father, who has brought various things into play, like the transition from the Olympic Sprint to the half Ironman: “With long distances I feel like I'm young again, I had to look for a new balance because it changes a lot between the two disciplines: the rhythm, the materials ... in short, a completely different approach. A new challenge that gave me the right incentives to get back into the game ”.
Triathlon is often seen as a difficult sport
It seems complex because there are three disciplines, but in reality it’s all accessible. The problem can be swimming, especially for those who are new to this sport. I was lucky because I come from swimming, but I started late at 18. I had a team from Padua that helped me a lot at the beginning and above all the family that supported me.
Any advice you can give to young people who want to approach triathlon
If you are not very familiar with swimming, concentrate on this discipline because it’s the one that puts you most in difficulty in all types of competitions. Take it as a challenge to yourself and you will see that in the end even swimming becomes as fluid as running and cycling.
And above all a recommendation also to parents: the approach to triathlon must be pure fun, because it’s a very demanding sport and the workouts are intense and take time. The risk is, over the years, of accumulating too much fatigue and giving up everything. Furthermore, a good technique and a good group of close-knit guys who can grow together and be able to make the leap into professionalism are needed.
Some technical advice when starting to compete or even simply riding a bike for pure pleasure
Choosing your equipment carefully is very important. In particular, the saddle is essential, especially when riding over long distances. In the saddle you have to be comfortable otherwise you pedal unwillingly and numerous complications can arise. I have had several bad experiences with previous saddles. Thanks to the advice of the Selle SMP technicians, I arrived at the VT30C Gel almost immediately. It’s perfect for my wide sit bones, moreover it’s the right compromise: neither too dry nor too soft. Right from the start I had a great feeling with VT30C Gel.
Bike fitting, saddle setup, ... how important it is for the cyclist
I highly recommend it not only to those who compete, but also to those who ride for pure pleasure and do many kilometers. The adjustment of the bike and therefore also of the saddle to adapt it to your physical and functional needs is too important. I'll give an example, again based on my experience: when I started riding, my saddle was too inclined. After several experiences, only thanks to the bike fitter I was able to find the correct position, certainly gaining in performance and well-being.
Alessandro Fabian's next goals
The Italian half Ironman Championship scheduled in October in Puglia, where I expect to reach the podium.