The two Italian reserves for Sunday's World Championships will be Sobrero and Zana. However, while the former ran the individual time trial and then won silver in the Team Relay, the Italian champion of the Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè he will leave Australia without having his number stuck on his backYou might think he's annoyed, he's certainly sorry, but all in all he took it well, because Filippo is basically a very good guy. Being there, he says, is still a great satisfaction.
Thanks to Bennati
We meet him after lunch as he is walking towards the room. The morning was spent in rain and the riders were divided between rollers and those who went out anyway.And now that we're talking, a timid sun is appearing outside which at least gives us hope for tomorrow and the following days, when we'll have to run.
"Surely I would have liked to run it – he admits in his polite tone – but just being here is truly a great emotion and experience. So I'm sorry, but at the same time I'm already very happy to have been called up. I think it's the dream I had since I was a childIt's the senior national team, in short...
«And Bennati is really good. Let's say that He recently finished running, so it's almost like having another companionIt's nice to have such a young coach, because he can give us some advice, at least for me who am younger, really important».
The shyest one
Bennati had said it in the process of being called: Zana must be there. Because he is a young man with excellent prospects, because he is the Italian champion and that tricolour jersey deserves respect. And knowing Daniele, you can bet that he has suffered in communicating the exclusion to him, in one of those moments that makes you grow as a technician and as a man. Yesterday, speaking about Zana, Bettiol had defined it a little shy, while stressing that he was integrating.
"Yeah, come on," he smiles, "I'm a bit like that. It took me a while to get on the team, too. I'm keeping to myself, I'm listening, but this is a great groupWe're doing well and I hope we can get a good result on Sunday. I like being here because We stay together even after eating and this is a wonderful thing, because if there is a group everything goes better, even in competition. It definitely gives you something extra."
New stimuli
And so suddenly the season, which had started a bit crooked and had had a negative peak at the Giro (also due to a change in preparation that has been little talked about), has straightened out since June. First the victory at the Adriatica Ionica Race, then the Italian championship and more recently the good placings at the Sazka Tour and the Tour du Limousin. As is well known, the technicians of the Bike Exchange-Jayco who made him sign until 2025.
"Let's say that the second part of the season satisfied me – he smiles – and now that the season is almost over, let's try to bring it home in the best possible way. Also for start the next one with new stimuli and the hope of grow more and more».
Tougher than the tricolour
Australia will certainly remain a good memory, without excluding that the new team could bring him back there soon, using the Tower Down Under like a baptism of fire, which would allow him to see similar places under the scorching January sun.
«Let's say we came here – he smiles – in a rather strange period, at the end of winter. But they are beautiful places, a little wild and beautifulWe can say (smiles, ed.) that we've been through here too! Even though for us all the attention was and is focused on the route, which is certainly fast. However when you enter in the circuit and we start to do it fast, for sure the climb will remain in someone's legsThere is no braking on the curves and the acceleration is hard. The first 200 meters are perhaps done with momentumBut then you have to ease the pace. So you have to be careful. Because the route may not be particularly tough, but it's the riders who make the race. We'll have to see how the other national teams will move.In my opinion the Italian circuit was easier, because the tear was much less hard. But it was definitely warmer…».
