MILAN – The day that sees the Tour of Italy Crossing Milan can be summed up in two key moments, the first in the gestures of Fredrik Dversnes Lavik and Mirco Maestri. With the Norwegian of the Uno-X Mobility who rejoices by presenting himself to the city and the public of the pink race in what is his first victory in a Grand TourWith the second one still having to give up, for the umpteenth time, postponing the appointment with victory.
The breakaway of four riders reached the finish line, thanks to an attitude of the group that led to the neutralization being extended to the last lap of the circuit. Victor Campenaerts, then the pink jersey Jonas Vingegaard went to talk with the President of the JuryThe result is that the way has been opened for the fugitives. While the group looked at each other to see what to do, the four in front went full speed ahead., taking home a stage run at an average speed of 51,063 kilometres per hour.
The courage to try
Fredrik Dversnes Lavik speaks with the medal symbolizing the stage victory hanging from his neck and touching his powerful legs. He was the strongest of the four fugitives, putting them in the bag Mirco Maestri and comrade Bais, to the disappointed is added also Martin Marcellusi who found third place in the restricted sprint.
«Up front we worked well and in perfect collaboration right from the start. – comments the stage winner – with regular changes and a sustained pace. We knew it could be a challenging stage, with a completely flat city circuit. In addition, a wind was added that often blew from behindI started to believe it as the kilometers went by, and as soon as we got to a two-and-a-half-minute lead, I realized that those behind would have to pedal really hard to catch us. The moment I didn't see the shadow of the group above us, five kilometers from the finish, I realized I could play for something important.I managed to choose the right moment when I started the sprint, and I'm happy that it was enough.
«In the team we had talked about the fact that I would try to ambush the group in one of the major cities such as Naples, Milan or Rome. Today we did it, and that was huge."
The bitterness of the Italians
The big losers today were the Italians Mirco Maestri and Martin Marcellusi who in the sprint that could have been worth a lot for them and their teams were beaten by the Norwegian Dversnes Lavik, who strangled their scream in his throat.
"We knew the street circuit would be very tortuous," Maestri commented, "and that the group would struggle to close in on the breakaway. Mattia (Bais, ed.) did an exceptional job. I heard that the group made a mistake in timing, I think we were strong in frontI feel sorry for Mattia Bais, because he worked so hard for me, and we agreed that I would try to play the stageIn the team everyone is disposition of the other when necessary and we don't care about anything or anyone in doing so. The important thing was to bring home a stage, because we always run with courage and on the attack».
«Maestri and Dversnes Lavik were faster than me – Marcellusi said after the finish – I knew it, and I also saw them pedal better than me.We did a masterpiece, I didn't think we'd be able to reach the finish line. It's a third place that gives morale, today is a demonstration that we must always believe even when it seems to make no sense."
The Lidl-Trek doesn't run
There's no point in hiding it, on the eve of this Giro d'Italia we were counting the stages that Jonathan Milan he could have won like counting balls on an abacus. Instead, the Friulian sprinter's abacus is still stuck at zero while the curtain falls on the second week of the Giro d'Italia. Jonathan Milan he speaks, his tone of voice is one that makes it clear that the disappointment is there and is strong. He struggles to explain and the cordon that the team makes around him doesn't help to understand..
“The team did an incredible job,” says the giant from Buja, “everyone, from first to last. The front four were really strong, because we were also at full speed but we were struggling to closeI don't think there was a lack of cooperation or that it was a miscalculation, we believed in it so much with the hope of resuming the escape but it wasn't enough."
“We worked hard to close the game,” echoes Simone Consonni, “but we didn’t succeed. It's always difficult on the circuits, but all the teams collaboratedThe legs were fine, now we'll look to Rome, but first rest. We're doing well in the team, the spirit is highWe've often won with less than top-notch work. These are times, let's keep working hard and victory will come."
Vingegaard master
In every sense, why the Dane from Visma Lease a Bike is enjoying his first day in pink sweater with apparent tranquility. Furthermore, the team had frequent discussions with the President of the Jury to ask for an increase in the neutralization kilometers. The clock was stopped at the last of the scheduled lapsVictor Campenaerts, as a member of the CPA group, spoke to the jury. A phase of discussion that certainly influenced the group's recovery effort.
«I would have spoken to the jury even if I hadn't been wearing the pink jersey – comments Vingegaard – but doing it as the general leader has greater powerAs soon as we entered the city we realized that it probably wasn't the safest route and we talked about it as a group. We went to the jury and the organization, we talked to them and they really listened to us."
Simone Consonni, also a representative of the riders at the CPA, briefly responded to the decision to neutralize the stage.
“It’s hard to talk to anyone when you’re going 60 or 70 miles an hour on a route like that,” says the Lidl-Trek man.Maybe certain things could have been thought of earlier., but it's hard to say now."
