STIRLING – Translate what you mean by having to endure media pressure? Ganna thinks about it for a moment and looking at him from down here he seems even taller.
«You know, when you always say – he explains – that Ganna has to prove himself, do what he wants, let's wait for him. I said this a couple of years ago, I don't feel it that much anymore, but obviously you always try not to disappoint, because disappointing someone is perhaps the worst partBut I repeat, you can't always have the performance of your life and maybe that day there's someone stronger. Maybe not everyone understands this and they are the ones who point the finger.. And that's the worst part, because you say, 'Wow, I didn't go slow because I wanted to go slow, because everyone wants to go fast!' So sometimes that's what people don't understand."
Thomas with the 64
Ganna and Cattaneo have just returned from a double turn on the time trial route who will run on Friday, along a ring of almost 48 kilometers that from the meadows at the base of the castle will lead them within the walls of the Scotland's largest and most important fortress, built from the fifteenth century onwards. For the Piedmontese in the blue jersey, it is the second assault on the third world title, after last year's failed attempt. It's Wednesday, August 9th, the day Milesi will win the U23 rainbow jersey.
«The desire – he says – comes stronger every year, it is not linked to particular episodes. The rainbow jersey is one of the most beautiful to wear, so I always want to try it, hoping that it goes wellIn the first lap we gave Velo directions, the second one I did behind Thomas who was doing his work with the 64I asked him if he'd have any problems pushing him up the final climb, and he said no problem...
«It's a fairly long time trial, there will be several opponentsIn the central part there was a stretch with some downhill curves that worried me a bit at the first pass, but after having seen it a couple of times, it is no longer a problem, but you will still have to put your hands underneath. For the rest, everything is done with the appendices."
The ending is worrying
The choice of relationships is the knot to be untied. On the new one Bolide F blue, we saw a Dura Ace single chainring with 58 teeth mounted and the 11-30 sprocket pack behind. This was fine with Pippo, until he saw Thomas and other Ineos riders using the team’s single disc chainring, which made him want to ride it himself. As for the sprocket pack, the final uphill stretch is anything but trivial. In fact, having done it on foot, right at the end it offers slopes higher than 6 percent of the average. For this reason Ganna asked the mechanic a sprocket set with the 32 because he had the feeling that on the final ramp with the 58×30 he lost too much speed.
«The bike is new only for the colors – confirms Matteo Cornacchione – but There are two new features. First of all, the handlebar prostheses., also 3D printed, made this week after the last wind tunnel test in Milan 10 days ago. They have a different terminal partThe supports are the same as those used at the Giro, the terminal part has tried to optimize it to be able to stay with the hands together. And then there is the Shimano single chainring, which has arrived».
Ready for the Vuelta
Goofy nods, while Cattaneo gets off the bus and they will soon be heading back to the hotel in Glasgow. The sky was grey, the wind was felt during the test, but it was more in our favour than against us.
«The other day I said to not having prepared the chase – says Ganna – because I actually prepared for the Vuelta. I climbed many meters of altitude with Thomas and let's say that I used the appendages very little.In practice, we tried to take the corners a little faster, as we planned to do in the race. So I went easy on the section where I should normally slow down, and a little more aggressively through the corners. There was also Joshua Tarling, who is young, not afraid, he doesn't need to prove anything and can go on like a Garibaldian.
A tough time trial
Cattaneo instead focuses on lightness of spirit, even if he has just won the Polish time trial and he can't go unnoticed. It seems like he's here on vacation, with nothing to lose, but knowing him since he was a kid, We are sure that inside his heart he is full of pride. He says he would sign for a top ten spot and that his best time trials have been in stage races, so the dry proof is a question mark.
«It's a fast route – he says – but I think it will depend a lot on the wind. From an energy point of view it is very expensive, because in any case there are very few recovery sections.It's 48 kilometers all to push. When you start to go back, there are some small jolts that you can feel. You've already done 25 kilometers of time trial, so it will be much more demanding than it seems on paper, even if the average will be very high.
"The road is good. In some sections it's new, so it's super smooth, in others it's not super smooth (laughs, ed.). But all in all it's not bad. I will have the 60, not a single chainring because they didn't give it to me, but I will block the chain on the 60As for the front wheel, it will depend on the wind, but so far in 90 percent of the time trials I've used the 110".
The van that takes them to the hotel is full of their bikes, and they're ready to go. The World Cup continues here with the U23 time trial and in the evening in the Glasgow velodrome with Letizia Paternoster in the omnium and Scartezzini (really in difficulty yesterday in the madison) in the points race.
