Francesco Busatto is getting closer and closer to the heart of the season. He's one of those who started in January and will soon be completing his first block of races. before putting the Tour of Italy, his first major Giro, in his sights. This debut is not an isolated one, in fact after Australia the athlete of the Intermarché-Wanty he also made his debut at the Tirreno and Sanremo, a sign of a calendar that is taking shape more and more.
Busatto is one of our most concrete hopes: 23 years old in November, a rider we could define as modern: he knows how to hold his own on climbs and holds his own in tight finishes. And it's no coincidence that he won the U23 Liège. For now, he's enjoying his first Sanremo: "I felt great until the Cipressa attack, then I gave up halfway through. My legs weren't at their best, but overall I wasn't feeling bad.And as a team, we also raced well. Unfortunately, "Bini" (Biniam Girmay, ed.) was a bit unlucky. After the Poggio, he had a chain slip.
The condition grows
«I think – said Busatto – I'm getting to this point in good shape. I spent two weeks in Gran Canaria training in the heat and I trained quite well, so the leg is the right one. After coming down from the heights, I wasn't exactly brilliant in the French Drome Classic races, but after a week of recovery I improved and the motivation is right."
Having archived the Strade Bianche, Tirreno and Sanremo triptych, with which he hopes to have refined his condition as best as possible, For Busatto, there is a first real glimpse of leadership on the horizon: Tour Engineering and Paris-Camembert, in France.
«They're smaller races, but they're also where I have a better chance of finishing ahead and getting a result».
How important are results and the habit of pursuing them? Now that those usual suspects are out of the way, many teams are starting to revise their plans and calendars for race management and which ones to target. And for a young man with great ambitions like Busatto, having opportunities, opportunities as a leader, is crucial.
Tour in sight
Busatto's big goal is the Giro d'Italia. When he tells us, his eyes light up. Making your debut in your home race must be truly momentous. The timing is right.
«After the two tests in France – Busatto continues – I'll be spending some time at high altitude in the Sierra Nevada, trying to prepare as best I can for the Giro. My goal in the Giro d'Italia will be to set my sights on the stages, obviously. I've looked at the route and noticed that there are several this year that could be suitable for my characteristics. It's important to have fun, and I think there are opportunities to do that; you just need to get there in good shape and then everything will fall into place.
«In short, I'm super motivated. Then I also see that the team cares and wants to help me grow in the right way. At the same time, I don't have any particular pressure and so I'm very calm."
Growing leader
Busatto says he has no pressure, but at the same time he will start to be the leader in some races, like the ones he will have to do soon in France or like the Strade Bianche, where he was the first on the list of his Intermarché-Wanty, given that the year before it had been the best of the Belgian teamThe team gives him responsibilities in small doses.
«I definitely like the idea of being a leader. – Busatto analyzes – As for the pressure, what can I say? I feel it up to a certain point. However, in the end, if I feel I'm fit, I'm ready to take on the responsibilities, and I'd say that's right; we need to focus on that too. Sometimes you help your teammates, sometimes you are a leader. Everything is useful and it is also useful for growth."
Busatto speaks with real maturity. True, something has been missing so far, and perhaps he himself expected a little more, but we know it's not easy.
How do I feel compared to a year ago? Last year, for example, the Strade Bianche was the first WorldTour race I'd done, but now I've already done a few, so everything seems more normal. It's no longer a completely unexplored world, but partially. I definitely feel more mature. They are top-level races and they are different: it's a matter of doing them and doing them again...".
