Gatto is the Italian word for cat and new Astana signing Oscar Gatto admits he has used up many of his nine lives in order survive in professional cycling for a decade.
Gatto has endured the highs and lows of the sport, winning 14 races, including a stage at the Giro d'Italia and the 2013 Dwars Door Vlaanderen, but has often been forced to step down from WorldTour level and fight to keep his career alive. He has joined Astana for 2017, ending his ties with Monaco neighbour and training partner Peter Sagan but reveals he has a special relationship with the double world champion.
"For sure I've survived the tough times and bounced back to find the good times again. Life is like that but I think I've used up a few of my nine lives," Gatto told Cyclingnews at the recent Astana get together.
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"I turned professional with Gerolsteiner in 2007, which I think was a good team despite its problems and eventual demise. I then had five good years with Scinto and Citracca at ISD and Farnese Vini. We were a small team but we were a family. In 2014 went up to WorldTour level with Cannondale and then down to Androni Giocattoli, then back up to WorldTour with Tinkoff, where I teamed up with Sagan. Now I'm at Astana for 2017 and 2018."
Gatto was a consistent presence with Sagan in 2016, giving some much-needed support in the Spring Classics, the Tour of California and the Tour de France. The two raced together at Cannondale in 2014 and remain close. Gatto reveals he could have stayed with the double world champion in 2017 but an offer from Astana was just too good an opportunity to turn down. Astana also pursued Sagan in the late spring but he and Specialized eventually preferred the Bora-hansgrohe project.
"I'm sorry that I'm not with Peter anymore because we've become good friends," Gatto said.
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