Getting to Know Lisandru Bertini, the Lapierre-Zipp Collective's Rider to Watch
Lisandru Bertini
If you race enduro outside France or Corsica, Lisandru Bertini is probably not a name that will mean too much for to you. Google certainly won't help you much, as it thinks you are looking for Alessandro. But his is a name you should probably remember as this year he signed for the Lapierre-Zipp Collective. It is Adrien Dailly that met him at the races and pushed to have him brought onto the team. In his words, "He has almost the same experience as me in mountain bike at just 17 years old, I can’t teach him much as he is already good better than me soon! He has raced enduro since he was really young and his generation is going to be really fast, watch out!! He doesn't only ride an enduro bike either, he’s good at everything, he’s fast on a road bike, XC bike, he has so much skill in enduro, jumping... everywhere. He's impressive!" Alongside Adrien on the team is none other than DH legend Nico Vouilloz. Young riders who have worked with Nico in the early part of their career have a history of doing quite well, you might have heard of Loic Bruni, Loris Vergier, Adrien Dailly or Thibault Daprela? So yeah, Lisandru is probably one to keep an eye on in the next few years. 
Where are you from and where do you live?
I’m from Zonza in Corsica and I live in Nice for the biking, I am studying sport at the Don Bosco lyceum.
Who do you ride for?
I ride for Lapierre Zipp Collective as of this year. I’m so happy to be part of this beautiful family! Thanks a lot team!
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day for me is to wake up not too early haha, have a good breakfast and go ride, sometimes shuttles, sometimes intervals, it depends on the programme.
How did you get into mountain biking and racing?
I began to ride XC at the age of 4. My dad rode when he was young and he got me into mountain biking. I have raced enduro for 5 years now. I started in our local races here in Corisca and then went to the enduro kid races over on the mainland after.
What are your strengths?
My strengths are that I am determined, committed and I want to do things well.
What are your weaknesses?
My weakness is that I’m a little lazy.
What’s been the worse crash you've had?
My worst crash was in Ollargues in 2019 at the French Cup. I crashed on the third stage, I think, I opened my knee up and had a big haematoma, but I continued and finished the race.
Where’s your favorite place to ride?
My favorite place to ride is Corsica for sure haha, but around Nice I like Blausasc.
What bikes are you riding right now?
At the moment I have my Lapierre Spicy and GLP2 eMTB. They're such great bikes.
Who or what inspires you?
I don't necessarily have any inspiration, I learn from all the people around me.
What do you enjoy doing away from bikes?
I enjoy chilling at the river or swimming pool when the weather is good - I need to be with my friends so we can laugh together.
What do you do to rest and recover after a race?
After a race, I go to Mc Donalds and just sleep all the next day! I then go for a little recovery ride two days after the race.
What advice would you give to someone trying to get into racing?
If I had any advice for someone who wants to start racing I would tell them to stay determined, do their best, and try to enjoy it.
How do you get focused before a race?
I’m pretty relaxed before a race. The pressure build a bit the morning of the race but after one pedal stroke, I’m good. To get focused I cut off myself from the world and stay in my bubble on the start line.
Where do you think the future of racing is headed?
I think the future of racing is ebike races. People are more and more lazy and the ebike is easy for everyone. It’s the future.
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You can look at DH bikes - sales is probably quite low these days - but DH racing is popular more than ever.
We are talking enduro here. Think of ebikes as of downhill bikes with their own lifts. Imagine that lifts are literally everywhere, the sales of DH bikes would outgrow enduro, because most people just want to have fun, they do not want to suffer on climbs. I am not talking commuters, just guys who know how to ride, maybe not hardocre riders, but mtb riders for sure. Simply customers for enduro bikes.
Imagine you are bike manufacturer, your enduro ebikes are selling like crazy, why would you invest in classic enduro racing, when you could invest in ebike racing? The moment when enduro ebikes will outsell classic bikes, will also be the moment when more money will flow to ebike racing.
Currently, the only thing holding ebikes is price. I have no idea how long will it take, but eventually enduro ebike prices will go down to acceptable levels.
I could believe them to be magical unicorns if I wanted to, but they're not and will never be.
DH racing is selling classic enduro bikes. Like Subaru Impreza WRX (was) selling other Subaru models
Enduro-e-mopeds will not make Enduro racing format any more TV friendly. There are already e-moped-something race formats and leagues happening, but nobody outside very specialized e-community doesn't give a sh*t about them. And comfort-seeking middle-aged men will not change that. Viewers don't really care how DH racers or Enduro racers come to start line....
Companies will pay Danny Harts to ride their bike that will sell other models (not DH), they will not pay Joe Nothing in some obscure e-moped leagues because Joe Nothing is not selling any additional e-mopeds...
Racing on EWS level is effectively 95% sponsored by companies so they decide where to put money. They use it purely for advertising. If they will make more money from ebikes, they will advertise towards ebikers, simple as that.
Let's talk in 10 years time, we shall see who is right.
"enduro is tv freindly? You mean those 25 minute videos published 2 days after results? You must be kidding."
reading comprehension -1
Weaknesses: A little lazy
The man might be conflicted but he can ride a bike.
Besides, he's only 17! Im sure this lad will have his share of epiphanies as he grows up.
I was riding a climb the other day and going pretty well. A very overweight bloke at least 10 years younger than me on an E bike passed, without even being out of breath. As he passed, he commented "It hardly seems fair, does it?"
It's totally fair. In ten years time, I'll be 60 and still riding my bike. He will likely have had a heart attack or two and not been on a bike in years.
You only get out what you put in. This rule applies to everything.
Lisandru was telling me that there are some good tracks on the island and a bikepark, apparently. I've on;y ever been to Corsica for work with roadies so have no idea about the riding.