One of the most anticipated formations at Tour of the Alps was the Ineos GrenadiersThe team, led on this occasion by Matteo Tosatto, Maybe she collected a little less than expected, but she was always in the thick of the action. And she was there with us. Pavel Sivakov, above all, but also with Richie Porte.
The British battleship prepares to face the Tour of Italy and once again he will start as the favourite, thanks to the presence of Richard CarapazAnd with Tosatto we start right from the South American rider.
Matteo, this winter you were true to your word and said: after Bernal's crash, our plans remain unchanged. Carapaz remains our leader for the Giro d'Italia...
That's right. Richard had seen the Giro d'Italia route and liked it. He loves the Giro, it's his great success, having won it in 2019, and that's why he's preparing well. We have confidence in him, as well as in all the other guys who will be there.
Carapaz, however, hasn't raced recently. He's still in Ecuador. A few days ago, he rode his time trial bike at a racetrack. Why did you choose not to let him race until now?
Because this was the program we had decided on. A program that included a solid workload up to Catalunya. It's a shame about the hitch at Tirreno. where he withdrew due to illness, but then recovered well. The plan was to return to Ecuador and train at altitude for as long as possible. And he's training well, even on the time trial bike. Like all our boys, he also takes it once or twice a week, especially before important appointments that involve tests against timeThere are two at the Giro. They aren't long, but they could be decisive.
So no race before the Giro?
No, no rush. Carapaz has shown that when he returns from a period at altitude, he can immediately go strong. He now has a proven protocol. He arrives in Europe eight to ten days before the start of the Giro, acclimates to the time zone and temperature and is ready.
Al Tour of the Alps we saw an orphaned Ineos Grenadiers geoghegan hart: what happened?
A different program was chosen for Tao because he, unfortunately, also fell ill at the Tirreno-Adriatico. Consequently, he had to skip Catalunya but did the Basque Country. And so, after this tough race... he preferred to train at altitude.
From Tour of the Alps Did you receive any important information?
I saw a Pavel Sivakov who is back to his level. Porte is also doing really well. And the same goes for Salvatore Puccio. We are in good shape and can make our choices with peace of mind. In these days post Tour of the Alps We will take stock of the situation with the boys to define the Giro team.
So neither Sivakov nor Porte are sure of being at the Giro?
No, no… I mean they've prepared for the Giro and they're ready. However, Like every year, we put together the team after examining the data and after talking to all the guys. But I think that having demonstrated good condition there will be no problems.
Indeed, Sivakov hasn't been this bright for a while…
He couldn't see it, because maybe he wasn't the leader of the race and had to help the captains. But I saw Pavel very strong already last year at the Vuelta, where he actually rode as a support rider.This year he started off more relaxed, he trained well too. He returned after two weeks at high altitude in Sierra Nevada. And a healthy Sivakov is very important for us.
You're one of the battleships of the caravan. So many men, so much choice. And this applies to both the technicians and the riders. Given all this, did Carapaz ask for a specific man? Someone he can trust?
Since I've known him I can say that he's a very serious guy. A boy who trusts the people who work around himAnd if a coach or another sporting director tells him that these certain men are there, he's fine with that. He trusts them, he knows they're the best we can give him. So no: he didn't specify that he wants rider "X" or "Y." Richard wants a support team, that's for sure. For our part, we are setting up a team for him that will work only for him at the Giro.
In a team like this, with a man aiming relentlessly for the pink jersey, Salvatore Puccio fits right in. Besides, he looks good everywhere!
True – laughs Tosatto – Puccio's point is always valid. Not because he's Italian, but In recent years, "Salva" has shown that he's always ready when called upon. He's a leader, a leader in his work. He too had a lot of bad luck at the start of the season: illnesses, injuries, a knee problem... Now he's back and in good condition. He still has some improvement to make, but it's a normal progression. And he'll definitely be ready for the Giro.
Last question: Is Porte a luxury gregarious or will he also have ambitions for the rankings?
Luxury wingman.
Short answer, it doesn't happen often anymore...
But that's how it is: I answered the question! And Carapaz is a man who offers guarantees.
