MILAN – Ganna returned from Colombia with a handsome goatee, matching that of Matteo Sobrero (whom he opened with). The two were guests of Giovanni Lombardi on the beaches of Cartagena and they have the look of those who still carry the holidays with them.
Pippo entered the foyer of the Teatro Manzoni with a thoughtful expression, then he started smiling and answering. He wears the national team's tracksuit and his hair is as high as that of a soldier ready for the front.Interviews at this stage of the season are a mix of assessment, chitchat, and anticipation, steering clear of what's already been said.
All the colors of Ganna
The victories in 2023 came from four time trials: at Tyrrhenian, at Wallonie (where he also won the first stage in the road and the final ranking), to the Italian championships and the Return. Then there were placings that with a little more luck or skill would have become important victories. As a second place at Sanremo, the sixth at Roubaix, the second in the world championship time trial, in addition to three second places in stages of the Vuelta and even the second place in the summit finish of the Vuelta a San Juan, beaten only by Miguel Angel Lopez. Performances that described a Ganna richer in colors, compared to the version of the chronoman.
«It is no coincidence – he says – Among the best moments I would include reaching the last stage of the Vuelta and having finished second, after many days of suffering. Even having finished the Lombardy, the race that is perhaps least suitable for meAfter so many punctures and bike changes, it was a great moment. Some placings weren't really close victories, but you need luck and condition. You can train, you can have a great day, react in bad moments and finish second. Maybe this year I'll go back to Sanremo and not even finish it. Who knows? The conclusions will be drawn on the evening of the competition. So I'm calm. I'm just finishing my vacation. At the end of November, before going to the retreat with the team, I will start training again.».
Will the fact that it will be an Olympic year change anything in your plans?
I told the team that the first goal will be the time trial at the OlympicsThen everything else will follow. We know we'll start in Australia and then move on to the first Track World Cup, which will be useful for Olympic qualification. And then we'll see how it goes. We're all on the same page. Paris will be the main objective of the season, but we will try to face it with the usual light-heartednessFor the rest of the season, there will be no shortage of desire to do well and to race. I won't put a number on my back just to start, you always try to lend a hand or start as a leader. That's why I say it will be a long season.
One of the many…
Come to think of it, it's true. With all the necessary spells, I manage to have many goals. There are riders who aim for the Giro and as their first race they do the Tirreno. I, on the other hand, might get to Tirreno after just 20 days of racing. That means I'll send the team the right invoice (laughs, ed.).
You obviously prefer running to training…
I like training, it's nice, you look for paths that help you improveBut in the end the race is a race. That's where you can push yourself beyond the limit because an opponent escapes you, so it's the race that gives you the right confirmations.
Will you be looking for races with a time trial in 2024?
In reality, It's not that there are many at the beginning of the seasonAnd before the Giro, perhaps the last one is the Tirreno-Adriatico. So maybe we will have to do more personal tests, to understand if we are fast or not.
Do you want to start over?
Yes, it means that the rest served some purpose. I'm calm, I'm relaxed. Perhaps there have been too many events that break the tranquility of the days, but they are there, they must be done and thank goodness they are there.
Why did you talk about a time trial and not a quartet?
For simple chronology. In the calendar, if I'm not mistaken, the time trial should be first, then the quartet.. So obviously I'll be 110 percent focused on the time trial. I have already shown in Tokyo that you can reach the top even for the quartetObviously in the time trial the pressure will be 100 percent on me, on the track we will split it between four, so we will all have a fundamental role in confirming our performance.
The time trial will also be a goal for others. At the World Championships, we started to think about the gap to Evenepoel. How important will the work on materials be?
You should never sit down, because if you sit down you'll be left behind. We'll see next year. if there will be new developments, new materials, new technologies. I offer my ideas, but when it comes to practical matters, I prefer to let them do it themselves because I don't understand much about it. I trust the team 100 percent, because in the end it's also thanks to them that I've achieved so many results. There will be a lot of work to do, between the tunnel and testing. Some say it's about training, but I don't think so, since in the end I expressed the best values ever.
We'll start again soon, but you won't find Tosatto in Palma de Mallorca, he's moved to Tudor...
Tosatto was the director with whom I won the most, apart from Dario as a coach, who's always in the car for time trials. So there's a wonderful bond with "Toso." I hope all the best for him with the new teamWe've always remained on good terms, even in our free time. Let's just say I enjoy seeing and hearing from him.
This year, for the first time, we saw you more confident in your leadership role.
In the end, I always did what I was asked to do. Maybe not being in a hurry and showing respect to my elders makes them now have respect for me too.Just look at Thomas himself starting to pull me around. You don't see many leaders of a certain weight working for the younger ones, so I'm happy about it. I know that I didn't want to take over a role that wasn't mine, but I earned it, as well as the trust of the team and his teammates.
Is there still room for improvement?
Always, so who knows? It's evaluated year by year. Then maybe next time will be the season of my life and there will never be another one like it.
What does it mean to think that the Olympics will be held at the velodrome in St Quentin en Yvelines where you won some world titles?
Means that There's no need to put pressure on guys...
He laughs. He shows photos of Colombia. It has the lightness of the best days, a sign that the holidays were really necessary and served to recoverBut try taking the bike away from any child who loves it. After a while, the desire to start again will be stronger than the mirage of any exotic trip. It's the magic of cycling, it's the magic of champions.
