Think, tomorrow the Matteotti Trophy celebrates its 74th edition. It is another of our country's historic classics. The race takes place in the heart of Abruzzo, in Pescara., a long "ping-pong" between the sea and the hills. Not an easy circuit.
"And when the word circuit is involved, it's not easy regardless. All it takes is a little bit of climbing and a little bit of descending to make them complicated," the defending champion tells us. Valerio Conti. And it is with the Lazio player that we are going to "discover" this race, which this year will see a truly great lineup. At the start, in fact, there will be people of the caliber of Sonny Colbrelli e Diego Ulissi.
It takes intelligence
«Matteotti is a great Italian classic. And before it was even more so – explains Conti – Today unfortunately he lost something like all our other one-day races, with the exception of Sanremo and Lombardia. And just last year it turned out to be a tough race, because it was held in the middle of summer and it was very hot. This year should be a little easier, at least from that perspective. It's not a race for sprinters, even if it's not particularly tough on paper. It is suitable for coups and every moment can be decisive. It takes intelligence. You have to know the right time to leave.
"For me, you can't wait. There are so many shots and any one could be the right one, so it's better to stay ahead, always ahead... than to have to chase. Last year, for example, I played smart. On a downhill stretch, when no one would have moved because they were waiting for the final climb, I sprinted. I was ahead of the curve. Then I was good at holding on up the climb."
Nervous circuit
The route will be 195 kilometers long with a 1.950-meter elevation gain. It's the classic Montesilvano circuit, with two successive "sprints" before gliding down to Pescara.
"There's no real climb," Conti continues. "It's basically a couple of kilometers of steep climb followed by a short, but very short, descent. Then another 500 meters of climbing with a very challenging right-hand bend. If it were a stage of a Giro, perhaps with the teams in control and a certain style of racing, one could even think of a sprint finish, but in a one-day race and without teams sharing the same goal, I see it as difficult. Usually, lots of small groups form, and it's one of those rare races where the team isn't so crucial, but you're the one who has to be careful. The race can be decided with just 50 kilometers to go."
Between past and future
While we were talking, Conti was at the Tour of Luxembourg. Yesterday he had just finished his time trial and was keeping an eye on what was happening. For example, he had told us live about the crash of Mollema.
"If I think about the list of winners of the Matteotti, it's incredible," concludes the Roman. "The strongest riders won it, even foreigners. It's a race I knew very well, even by name. Even more than a Pantani or a Sabatini Cup and I was very happy to have taken part in it and to have won it."
And speaking of history and past, these are Conti's last races with the jersey of UAE. At the end of the season, in fact, he will leave this team with which he has actually played since his transition to the pros in 2014, when the club was still called Lampre. But Valerio is still smiling, because he already has a contract in his pocket and will remain in the WorldTour. Its destination will be revealed in early October.
