More. Give more. Shopfronts and buildings are blurring. Faces are melting into one long blob. The clapping is everywhere but the individual hands making the noise are lost. The ground below changes from light stone to blue. The breathing behind sounds like that of a race horse. Is it actually tiring though? Or are they about to blow right past? Another drive of the legs follows. Another demand for more. A sliver of daylight appears. Everything is distorted now. There is only the finish line. Crociani raises a finger to his lips. He has given everything and in return takes everything. Roaring, punching, jumping, he makes it. A first WTCS medal is his.
Almost two months have passed since Alessio Crociani stormed to his maiden WTCS medal on the streets of Hamburg, but every moment still plays across his face as he recounts the race. Every medal matters, few as much as the first. What marks Crociani’s achievement out, though, is how it seemed he would not even have the chance to pursue it.
Crociani was a late qualifier for the Paris Olympic Games, finishing 30th in the individual men’s race and 6th as part of the Italian quartet in the Mixed Team Relay. “It wasn’t quite what I wanted,” he said, “so I came straight back to work.” An injury while running and a bike crash, however, conspired to put him out of the rest of the season. The new year did not augur new prospects.
“At the beginning of 2025 there were some issues with the federation so I decided to take part in some 70.3 races and focus more on what I like to do and on training how I want.”
A win at Challenge Cesenatico came first. Another win followed at Ironman 70.3 Warsaw. And yet summer arrived and no return to short course racing seemed in sight. It was not until July, with the arrival of WTCS Hamburg, the site of Crociani’s best ever Series result from a year prior, that the decision was made to step back in.
That is not to say his sojourn into middle distance did not have its benefits. “I think I had more power than when I focused on short distances,” explained Crociani. “The focus was more on the bike-run. For, like, three months I just focused on the bike because I know the swim was never a problem because I think I'm one of the best at it in triathlon.”
His swim certainly showed no signs of rust in Hamburg as he led out into T1. “The swim was very good. Hamburg is my favourite race because I like how the swim goes under the bridge in the dark. I know Hamburg is very fast, so we had to work very hard to get a breakaway. In the first two laps we pushed very hard and then I think we had a 30-40 second gap which we kept for the entire bike. Then we went down the chute and played on the run.”
Matthew Hauser and Vasco Vilaca escaped during the run to settle the gold and silver medals. Crociani, meanwhile, was locked in a showdown with WTCS Alghero winner Miguel Hidalgo. “After one lap I thought this was too fast for me and so I slowed up a little because otherwise maybe I’d kill myself. So I said, ‘okay, now I’ll take my time’. It was just me and Hidalgo for the remaining two kilometres. I played it tactically because I know Hidalgo is one of the strongest in the run. Of course, I’m confident in my run but he is very strong.”
When Crociani kicked with 500m to go, Hidalgo initially responded. It soon became clear, though, that no one would deny the Italian his medal.
“It was very special, of course about the medal, but not only about the performance. It was very special after the past months. At the beginning of the year I was struggling and thought about leaving my profession because the situation was very difficult. To come back from that was sweet.”
Crociani’s medal was the second in a row for the Italian team after Bianca Seregni achieved a maiden Series podium of her own in Alghero, a result that Crociani took inspiration from.
A week later, his glowing form continued with a win at the European Sprint Championships in Melilla. “After Hamburg I was very confident because that was a crazy race. There was a mental aspect in having to focus again which was important. Of course I enjoyed the moment of my first medal but I had to focus again.”
The sport, indeed, never stops. Crociani is now focused on the new challenge that awaits this weekend. WTCS Karlovy Vary will be a radically different challenge to Hamburg (and Melilla). Whereas Hamburg is a flat, fast, sprint distance course, Karlovy Vary poses a daunting, hilly, standard distance race, one famed for sapping the legs and breaking the spirit.
“I did the course already one time a few years ago (in 2021). But I think it will be perfect for me as the swim is more important as the swim course is very narrow so I think I can play it very well. And for me the bike course is the best course ever in the WTCS.”
“It was my first World Cup race (his start in 2021) and I was very happy to be there and I did a breakaway. I know the course and I will try to do it again this weekend. Other athletes will want it as well so let’s push the swim and see. The first part of the bike will be crucial because the first uphill is very important. After you have the seven laps and seven times up the hill; that is important too. We just have to push and make it happen.”
Having only just returned to the Series, Karlovy Vary will be Crociani’s final WTCS race of the season (barring a potential outing at the Final) before he tries his hand at further middle distance events. He will therefore attempt to go out this year in the same manner in which he arrived. Another race, another breakaway, another medal: Alessio Crociani wants more. And if all goes to plan, he will go out with a bang.
