Zana, it's done: "Adriatica Ionica, fourth week of the Giro"

Sitting under the porticoes of the Palazzo dell'Arengo in Ascoli Piceno, Filippo Zana enjoys the victory of the Adriatica Ionica Race. He never took it for granted, even though it was now understood that the ways to put him in difficulty were finishedAnd so the season, which was supposed to be a step forward after the excellent Tour de l'Avenir, got back on track.

Spring and the races up to the Giro, perhaps linked to a change of preparation last minute, they weren't formidable. Having the Giro d'Italia in their sights, the team had agreed that Zana would go to Etna to do the altitude and then the Tour of Sicily. Instead his trainer Paolo Artuso diverted him to Teide with the riders of Team Bahrain Victorious and he then suggested that he go to the Tour of the Alps, where perhaps the level was too high and prevented him from reaching the Giro as he would have hoped. In those three weeks, the miracle of condition was accomplished. And on the roads from Friuli to Marche, the rider of the Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè he managed to raise his head.

«Now everything is based on numbers – he says and smiles a little – and when you see that the numbers are there, you understand that we are in good shapeBut let's say I realized I was really doing well on the first stage, when I attacked on the climb and was always the one to lead. I cleared the group well, and then after the descent I still had the energy to close in on all the attacks. That day I told myself that my leg was coming back... ".

And then there was Grappa, right?

On Grappa I felt really strong. I found the leg I had last year when I was well, for example at the Tour of the FutureI'm really happy, every day was hard but my legs were there, so it went well.

Do you get paranoid if the condition doesn't arrive?

Let's say that there were some very difficult moments, but I managed to stay focused and let's say that qThis victory repays a little for all the sacrifices and difficulties that have occurred up to now.We hope to continue as best we can and that the wheel has turned. Now we'll get to the Italian championships and then we'll need to recover to have a good second part of the season.

Can we say that the Giro was disappointing in some ways, but certainly a training session? 

This condition comes from there. You can leave the Giro dead or with your leg broken. Luckily, I was on the rise., it's clear that for me this is like the fourth week of the Giro. I had good legs and was able to compete in the race.

What was it like wearing the jersey every day?

I had a great team, so it wasn't that stressful. Of course, you always had to be careful of the opponents' attacks, also because the standings were close., so I had to take the lead when the top guys were attacking. But the team worked really hard for days, and so it's thanks to them that I managed to win this race.

Does the victory change the face of your season?

Let's just say it makes up for some of the sacrifices and hardships we've had this year. So now we have another tough half of the season ahead, and we'll definitely try to prepare for it as best we can, to be able to get some more satisfaction.

Ha a serene gaze and legs still throbbing with heat and fatigueNow they're calling him for the awards ceremony. Now he can finally step onto the podium and feel that the matter is over. Easy on the flights of fancy. His career is just beginning, but Consistency in results is usually synonymous with qualityThe Adriatica Ionica Race is the third stage race he's won in two years for the Vicenza native (previously the Sazka Tour and the 2021 Course de la Paix, in addition to his third place at the Tour de l'Avenir). And this, given his continued development, could be an excellent starting point.