Tobias Foss, 25-year-old Norwegian J jerseyumbo Visma, won the world time trial and, as he was the first to admit, he really didn't expect it. In Ganna, however, everything went wrong.
«It really feels like being in a dream – he says the winner – I actually still don't believe it. I had good signals and my legs responded very wellI was confident, but I didn't dare to dream so big. I would have been happy to finish in the top ten, it would have been a dream to be in the top five, but now that I can wear this jersey for a year, it will be very special. I'll enjoy it and try to honor it."
On the run from everyone
Filippo Ganna crossed the finish line puffing, then he let the bike take him awayHe didn't stop in front of the Italian staff and went straight ahead, exiting the barriers at the end. For some time now, Pippo has gotten into the habit (when things go badly) of not stopping too much or not stopping at all in the mixed zone where journalists ask questionsThis time, with a seventh place that was really difficult to predict, he preferred take refuge in the national team's camper, choosing solitude.
Understandably, I don't feel like talking, but it's precisely in these cases that the champion makes the difference, facing defeat head-on and with his head held high. Of course, though, looking at it from his point of view, it can't be easy to swallow such a morsel, with that Hour record that they stuck on him and that demands only perfection.
«I haven't spoken to Pippo yet – says Velo as soon as he gets out of the camper – but At the start I thought it was fine, but then I had the feeling that it was a bit wooden.But maybe these are just my impressions. Now we have to share the analysis of the race. What I can say is that the approach had been all smooth, perfect».
External factors
In the warm-up phases, Ganna was turning her legs, following the usual ritual.. One was almost afraid of disturbing his concentration, sensing the tension of the moment. At the end of a year of low tone, the world cup could have been the right opportunity to put everything back in place. But then, below par… Which other Olympic champion from Tokyo, after that gold, has competed and won medals in European and world competitions? Aren't we taking everything too much for granted? Isn't it normal to have a slump in the post-Olympic year?
“Look how tight he is,” he said. Christian Salvato, former time trialist and now president of the ACCPI – look at those thin thighs, they don't even look like his."
All around the blue staff was busy, each one taken up with his own tasksThe two mechanics fine-tuning the brakes and gears. The masseurs checking the water bottle and making sure everything was in order. The communications staff intently capturing every detail. Amadio, who at one point asked Affini what he thought.
«Bissegger – said the Mantuan, who finished the time trial in 13th place – he has already done a good time, I want to see how much these guys will do with the supersonic engines (winking at Ganna and Pogacar who was warming up in the camper next door, dnr). Pippo is fine, I saw him calm. The only thing that was a bit annoying was... external chatter, but little can be done against that».
Then Ganna got out of the camper wearing his thermal vest. He drank a sip of water. And he headed towards the trail, following Fred Morini's bike, who escorted him to the start.
A human being
«A champion like Pippo – continues Velo – he is not influenced at all by external voicesHe prepared this time trial and I'm sure he did it 100 percent. In these days of approach he has done everything he had to doIt was obvious that he hadn't found the right pedal stroke, because he was moving around on the saddle. You get upset, that's normal. But it could be a bad day, even if a solid hit is always expected from himHe's not a machine, he's a human being and he can have a bad day too.
«Foss, on the other hand – he continues – we didn't expect it. I looked at a little bit of what he did and I think it was great., because he recovered 10-15 seconds in the final on Kung who was going very fast. Poor him, once again second. I'm sorry. For everything he's been doing in recent years and since Pippo didn't do well, this time he deserved it".
Two more barriers
Foss somewhat agrees with him. He didn't expect it and struggled to realize it for the entire time he was with the press.
«It was a time trial – he says – in which there was barely time to recover. You could never let the power go downThe corners were very technical. In the hard, steep sections, you had to push hard. You could only catch your breath during the faster parts. We prepared well, I received good coaching, and in the end everything went perfectly. The moment I wore this shirt was definitely a very special moment.It's incredible."
Ganna climbed out of the camper van with a sad look on his face and went to sit in the van as it departed for Bowral, home of the national team training camp. Before closing the door he signed an autograph for an elderly gentlemanIt will be an hour on the road during which he will be able to search in the darkness beyond the window for the answers to the questions he asks himself first. The feeling is that in this crooked year, To continue to demand the moon from themselves and for us to ask it from them is almost an injusticeIn its place, we would like to finish the season and truly take a long break. But we are neither champions nor slaves to the need to win: we have no idea what it means. The Hour Record, if confirmed, and the Track World Championships will be two more very high barriers to jump.
PS At 21,34pm Ganna's words
Ganna's words came via a video from the Federation's press office around 9:30 pm local time, about four hours after the conclusion of the test, confirming what everyone had been thinking: a bad day on the wrong day.
«Logically – he says – you come from the other side of the world not to wear a shirt or a number, but we came with some goals. Today my legs were not like they were on their best days and Already this morning when I woke up I didn't have a great feeling, unlike the past few days when even the boys managed to maintain values that gave us hope. That's how it went, yes, there's a bit of disappointment, but the competition is a competition. If I won, everyone was happy and apparently because I got a seventh place, I was the flop of the year.. It's a shame. Maybe my only regret is that I made so many friends or relatives wake up early to watch the rehearsal and then it went a bit like that."
