Italy can be a vibrant country where even small conversations are animated with big hand gestures and proud boasts. Yet by contrast Italian press releases are in a world of their own. Riders make announcements to the world that seem only to express a state of total tranquillity and calm.
For example, speaking after winning the Trofeo Melinda, Vincenzo Nibali said “this victory brings me happiness and tranquillity“. Meanwhile, commenting on his role with the Lampre team, Damiano Cunego says “it seems that everything that can help me look to the future with confidence“. I don’t know about you but if I won a race and the press wanted a quote, I’d be giving it the “hell yeah, I smoked the race” treatment.
If you really want bland, follow Ivan Basso on Twitter. He’s the master of zen, wishing people a good night’s sleep and a series of messages to tell the fan base that he’s had a nice massage.
I’m only making light of this as it’s just a different style to other countries. The message is almost always about keeping the rider calm, there’s rarely a mention of specific race targets, personal ambition or how great the team sponsor and their products are.