There is a factor that characterizes the Liège-Bastogne-Liège and which makes Paolo Bettini particularly proud when we return to talk about that classic which, among the many that Grillo has won, has most identified his career.
«The Doyenne is, together with the Lombardia which however arrives at the end of the season – explains the Tuscan, opening on the 2002 finish line – the only classic that truly pits one-day race specialists against those chasing the Grand ToursIt's like a different battlefield, open to all, that day we compete to truly understand who is the strongest. History says so, see Nibali who came second or Low who was playing for victory with me. It's a challenge as fascinating as few others."
You won it in 2000 and 2002: what does it take to stand out in Liège?
It must be the right balance between body and mind, as in all cycling competitions. The winner always succeeds because these two components are in harmony. Liège is definitely a complete race., which must be interpreted.
Tactically, is it different from other classics?
Let's say it is more structured, more defined in its plot, it hardly deviates from the script established on the eveYou know that the first parts of the race are for settling in, and whoever attacks at the beginning has no chance. The race heats up after La Roche aux Faucons And La Redoute, which comes first, always delivers verdicts that, even if they aren't definitive, still have a significant impact on the final outcome. This requires great fitness and mentality, You have to be careful in the decisive phases and have the legs to play your role.
Is it a race for climbers?
In some ways, yes. If you consider that its total altitude difference exceeds 5.000 metres, we are in the presence of something that it looks a lot like a big Alpine stage. This is why anyone who specializes in major stage races can pull off a major coup here, and Roglic proved it last year. But it's not enough to be good at climbing, you have to be explosive.I could never have excelled on the Stelvio or the Pordoi, but I felt at ease in those types of races…
Who do you identify as the Italian rider suitable for the Doyenne?
The first name that comes to mind is always the same: Vincenzo Nibali, despite his age, is the perfect man for Liège., then I don't know if he will run it this year, but It's truly incredible that such a rider is not in the Doyenne's roll of honour.. Alternatively, I can think of Davide Formolo, who has already shown that he can do very well on those roads, precisely because he embodies the right characteristics, both technical and tactical, to emerge and finally return to fly the tricolour in Liège.
