Bennati's first national team. Nothing like the victorious Giro di Sicilia, the Coppi e Bartali, or the Adriatica Ionica Race. The first national team with a jersey at stake: that of European championThe one that has been Italian uninterruptedly from 2018 to 2022 with Trentin, Viviani, Nizzolo and ColbrelliMore to lose than to gain. Appointment next Sunday in Monaco of Bavaria. And perhaps also for this reason Bennati's first national team is made up of a band of attackers. No one is willing to pull all day: the plan is different.
More tips than workers
Dainese, Ganna, Trentin, Milan, Nizzolo, Mozzato, Guarnieri, Baroncini. These are the names, with evident absence of gregarious people in the strict sense e Cimolai's regret, who just a couple of days ago expressed his disappointment at being left out. At first Viviani was also left out, for which the Arezzo citizen had kept the door open.
«We agreed – says Bennati – that we would have updated at the end of PolandWe talked again and he was good. He understood the situation and he took a step back (in reality Viviani returned to the race after Nizzolo's last-minute withdrawal, due to the after-effects of a fall, ed.).
Three pure sprinters. A final man like Guarnieri, who's taking the shot?
We don't have to work. I chose to don't bring men of substance like Puccio or De Marchi, to give an example. I would have gladly brought Affini, but since he will be doing the Vuelta, the team did not give him the chance to participate.
Are you expecting a close race or one firework after another?
I expect a tight race, but given the type of team we have, we will also be ready to handle unexpected situationsI don't want to be too cautious, but we can't work for everyone. I know, however, that when we get to the end, only one person will sprint.
It makes you think of the national team in Doha, full of sprinters…
I had thought about bringing just one. Then I realized that Dainese is young and has already completed 78 days of racing, including the Giro and the Tour. There was a need for an alternative, so we have other men capable of making good sprints. Milan too, with the question mark of how he would move in the scrums.
Was it bad to make the exclusions?
Making phone calls to deliver good news is easier than the ones where you give bad onesYou would like to make them all run, I was very sorry not to be able to do that. The important thing is to find valid reasons for the choices you make..
Which ones did you find?
Pasqualon was in the top 12 and deserved it, as did Cimolai. All people used to doing last man's work, but since I wanted to bring in Ganna and Milan, I had to sacrifice them. On the other hand, we have Guarnieri as a pitcher. Jacopo has always played this role and offers more guarantees than Pasqualon, who is also doing excellent things with Kristoff.
What if the race was explosive?
I asked Baroncini and Mozzato to be ready for any eventuality, for any type of roleBaroncini could fill a gap, but also foster it. He's an intelligent boy, he understood the opportunity that was offered to him.
What will Trentin do?
Matteo can perform any role: leader as well as directorHe can be a wild card, he can manage the team. He's an important figure. With him running, I feel more at ease.
