HUY (Belgium) – «You know when you're in a trance because of the cold and you can't understand where you are? I was there pedaling, I knew I was at the Flèche Wallonne, but at one point I started asking where we were. Whether in the first group or where, because I really didn't understand. Now I have a plate of gnocchi waiting for me, but first I have to warm up my hands, which I can hardly feel..."
Three Italians at the finish line
Davide Formolo was the first of the Italians at the Flèche Wallonne, 24th at 36 seconds from Williams winner It's been a long time coming. At least the rain and snow finally stopped, but at a certain point, seeing the Veronese climb up the rankings, we hoped he had the energy to make a break for it. It wasn't easy being Italian on this wall, with no Italian riders in the first group, except for Formolo.The other fellow countrymen to have finished the Flèche Wallonne were Lorenzo Germani (fortieth) and Luca Vergallito, four places after him: last place.
"It's better to watch La Freccia on TV than be there," says the Lombard, who came to the WorldTour from Zwift. "I'm exhausted. The first 80-90 kilometers were nice, better than we expected. Then came the downpour, the cold, a bit of hail, and even snow. It was an elimination race, I dropped out on the penultimate pass of the Mur d'Huy And then I just carried the bike to the finish line. I even struggled to put my hands in my pockets to get something to eat. Surely those who won, in addition to being strong, were also good at eating properly.».
Germans and the cold
“It was a strange day,” says Germani. “We started out with good weather and knowing it would rain, but not like this. Maybe I started out a little too warm, with warming cream and at the start of the race I felt very hot.. But then, once it started raining, it started to get really cold. I tried to do my best. Every time I left, I was trying to get back to help Gregoire or Madouas, but it was such a strange day that they were affected too. I didn't have the best feelings, but you can't have that in this weather..."
Surprise attack
When Williams attacked, the leaders barely had time to look at each other. No one ever attacks at that point, because it usually gets stuck afterwards.. Yet it was precisely that small hesitation that opened the door to the British Israel PremierTech, who when crossing the finish line recalled Dan Martin's gestures and distraught look.
“I think I moved a little earlier than usual,” he says, “but there was a bit of a stalemate. Everyone slowed down and I don't think anyone expected such an attack.I was able to do it because I was confident in my legs. I followed my instincts and saw that it was the perfect time to go. I thought that if I could get a sufficient margin, once I saw the finish line I would have been capable of suffering more than the others. And in the end it was enough. I think I looked back a lot in the last hundred meters. They were getting closer, but after 200 kilometers in the rain, your ability to suffer makes all the difference, and I was confident in myself."
Eyes to the sky
The difference in this Vallone Arrow, who immediately lost the big names in the group (who withdrew or dropped out), was made by confidence, the ability to manage nutrition, clothing and stress.
“Ask any of my teammates,” he says. Last night and this morning, we were always looking at the sky to understand what the weather would be like.. It's actually really difficult to race in these conditions. The circuit wasn't incredibly technical, so it was manageable. Equally the hardest thing is trying to do normal things under certain conditions. So eat, drink, try not to overdo it with stress, try not to overdress. And today I did everything perfectly.
"I started with a couple of raincoats in my pocket, and I think I took the last one off with 10-15 kilometers to go. I felt really comfortable all day. My hands got a little crinkled, my feet got cold with a couple of laps to go, but by then the group was really small. We were all equal in a bike race, I could handle it.
325 grams of gnocchi
Speaking of hands, Formolo's have now regained color and life. The Veronese jokes: after a shower and putting on dry clothes, life changes perspective..
«It started to rain and it got cold – he continues Formolo – when we entered the final circuit. The UAE She stood in front to shoot, so we couldn't cover ourselves. We knew it was going to rain, so I set out with neoprene gloves in my pockets and a long-sleeved jacket. Only that It took me 10 kilometers to put on my gloves and by then the gaiter was wet and wouldn't fit anymoreI've reached the classic point where you don't understand anything anymore. It's hard to say how cold I felt, hard to rank. It's one of those days that fortunately only happens a couple of times a year.Let's say it's good training for Liège (laughs, ed.). And now it's time for lunch: 325 grams of gnocchi with chicken and turkey ragù. I'm so hungry, I could almost take a bath in it.».
