The first time of Aleotti in the North has the flavour of a cautious discovery and on the other hand it would be unfair to compare him to Evenepoel who, although a debutant and a year younger, is in his fourth season as a pro and yesterday hit the target squarely. The Emilian of the Bora Hansgrohe, well guided by Gasparotto in his second year in the group, had set his sights on Amstel, Freccia and Liège since the winterBut in this bizarre pandemic era, almost no plan has come to fruition as its creators had hoped. And Aleotti did not escape the rule.
“It’s been a tough start to the season,” he says in the lobby of the team hotel. “We were aiming to do well up here, but obviously everything had to be perfect. Instead, in January I had Covid while I was running and had to stay in a hotel for an extra week. Losing 10 days, having already done two training camps, isn't ideal. I was recovering, but the night before the Sanremo I started feeling some pain in my bones. I ran and after arriving on the bus, I had a fever of 39I stayed without my bike for another five days, skipping Coppi and Bartali and the hills. And so I returned directly via Amstel and Brabant ArrowI felt like I was growing, but it's better to try to take the good things. The year is still long."
Gasparotto says that at the Amstel you could have done your race.
We studied it well, since he knows it point by pointIt's very complex. During the survey I noticed that you pass over the same spot several times, so remembering everything isn't easy And the best way is to run it year after year. Up until 60 kilometers from the finish, let's say up to the 5-hour mark, I was still fine. Then I shut down. The Amstel is different from the Liège. It has short climbs to be done in one go. You have to know how to stay in a group without taking risks.
The Flèche Wallonne is a different kind of race.
And in my opinion, it suits me. I liked it a lotWe raced around Alex (Vlasov, ed.), supporting him as much as possible. I was still there on the last lap, though. I'd never seen the Mur d'Huy before. We tried it on Tuesday, doing a lap and a half of the route, to understand those climbs well.It's a very technical finale, worth spending some time on…
In what sense?
It's something he tells us often Gasparotto. In some very technical passages, you have to spend some more energy to stay in front and not have problems in the following kilometresI really relate to Enrico, I recognize myself in him as a rider. It's also important to have someone who explains things to you in detail, even if... On the radio we always try to speak English so as not to exclude others.
So let's talk about him again. Did he advise you to study the race sequences?
He says it's important to memorize the key points and moments. And he also says that watching them on television helps, because the outside eye sometimes reveals things you might have missed. The tip to take the Mur d'Huy not from the inside but from the outside, so as not to be closed, brought Vlasov to the podiumDirectors must be listened to.
Did you watch these races on TV?
I've always liked them, along with my father. Flanders too, but I don't know if I'm physically fit for it. They are unpredictable, something different from stage races. where after a while you understand the forces at play.
And we come to Liège.
We have done a 90-kilometer reconnaissance, very importantAnd yesterday we were riding strong all day. It was thought that the series of climbs starting from Stockeu would cause disaster, but it didn't. The real damage was done by the fall and luckily we were in front to keep Vlasov out of trouble.I really enjoyed the race, but you can immediately see that the distance makes the difference. And in any case Evenepoel did a great number.
What did you learn?
What really matters take a good position to attack the Redoute. Once at the top, in fact, there is little to go to the Roche aux Faucons, so It is best not to lose positions where there will probably be an attack.
Will we come back to win next year?
I would say that It's a long-term perspective, let's take it step by step. And anyway I was fine, I did my job up to the Redoute.
And now we're thinking about the Giro?
First we go home. Anyway, yes, we'll be going with a good team. We don't have a sprinter, but we have several strikers. And I expect to continue to grow.I'm not at the top and I hope I don't drop off in the summer. The goal will be to support the boys, knowing that in some days I might have some freedomSee you at the Giro, and have a safe return journey!
