BURGAS (Bulgaria) – Among the 184 tadpoles that left from Nessebar there is also David Ballerini. When we met him, the Dancer he came directly from the Tour of Türkiye, where he had finally returned to raise his arms to the sky.
With the standard-bearer of the XDS-Astana , ready to play his sixth Tour of Italy, we talked about him and his team. Especially since XDS got off to a great start: a stage and the pink jersey with Silva, in the midst of the fray in the two sprints. Scaroni's vivacity.
Too long an abstinence
Ballerini, backstage at the team presentation, was smiling. Convinced. It was a pleasure to see him like that again. The Lombard is a consistent, generous athlete and the feeling of victory for someone with his fast pace is crucial.The conversation starts right from the victory in Antalya.
"It was about time, I'd been dry for more than three years," Ballerini commented. "The Tour of Turkey wasn't on my agenda. I needed to stop after the Classics to come here to the Giro a little fresher, but I decided to continue. I asked the team because I felt I hadn't given all I had in the classics.».
The rider, who in the age of numbers relies on sensations and instinct, retains a priceless appeal. Ballerini recounts how he still felt he had good legs. And how they needed to be exploited. "This way," he adds, " We decided to go to Türkiye and this victory came. A victory I had been chasing for a long time.».
If the mind changes
We were saying that Ballerini is generous. We've already seen it in these first four stages of the race, as if it were needed. In Burgas while helping Matteo Malucelli, Among those who fell to the ground at 600 meters. But a rider like that can and must also run for himself. So we ask him if this victory can change something in his mind. If it triggers something...
Something definitely changes. For goodness sake, I'm aware of the weight of my victory. It's not like I won a stage at the Tour de France, for goodness' sake, but maybe it gives you a little more confidence. And in any case, they're always joys that repay the effort you put in.
And now here he is at the Giro. The scorecard already shows a top ten finish. And he tells us about Ballerini, who was always in the thick of the action, even if things didn't go so well. Let's think back to the crash in Burgas.
"Already in the first week – explains Ballerini – This Giro offers stages that, if a rider with my characteristics is in good shape, can do great thingsI will try to give my best and take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself for me and the team."
For himself and for the team
And here the chapter of Ballerini as a team man begins. He is Diego Ulissi they are a bit like the captains in pectore of the turquoisesWhile we were talking to Ballero, Ulissi himself was not far from us and was busy talking with his Spanish colleagues from Marca.
How will we at XDS-Astana interpret this Giro? On the attack. We don't have a general classification leader, so we'll try to win as many stages as possible. The first captain on paper is Diego, who has enormous experience. Then, of course, there's also Christian Scaroni. We all know he's a great rider, so we'll try to help him out."
That "we'll see" has already been seen. And the same goes for that attack. On the very day Guillermo Thomas Silva won the stage and took the jersey, Ballerini opened the scoring on the climb before the start, launching Scaroni. Scaroni himself then prepared the sprint for Silva..
Another interesting fact. The night before the race, we were actually at the XDS-Astana hotel. And Matteo Malucelli told us, confident, that he could do well in the Burgas sprint. Ballerini would be his leadout. "Tomorrow, full steam ahead. I told it to the DancerI'll stand behind you and you'll take care of it.", thinking about the sprint launch. In short, in XDS-Astana, they know how to help each other out. And Ballerini plays a crucial role.
