TURIN – A home hat trick that's difficult to repeat. Every rider dreams, at least once in their lives, that a Grand Tour passes on the roads of home, the ones where you learned to ride and started dreaming big. However, it's unlikely anyone will be able to emulate Matteo Sobrero. Not content with having won the first Giro d'Italia of his career in 2020 and repeating last year's feat by taking part in the Tour de France, Today he will be overwhelmed by the crowd once again in his Alba.
«It is a personal achievement that is more unique than rare – the twenty-eight year old begins to tell us Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe – but really splendid. The 2020 Giro was all strange and specialI was making my debut in the pro world and I can't deny that I was quite excited. Actually, I was too. last year at the Tour, while this time I feel more relaxed. I'm very happy with that the Vuelta starts from Piedmont and you pass by Alba and I'm trying to savor every moment».
The first taste
There was already a good taste of it on Thursday with the presentation of the teams in Piazzetta Reale: «There was a lot of cheering, despite a few drops of rain and It was exciting to hear myself being loudly cheered on and called by so many fans, young and old, as well as having my family and friends by my side."
But nothing compared to what will happen today along the entire route, as he anticipated. the younger sister Francesca, who organizes the party every year fan club at the end of November.
“We only found out about his presence last Sunday,” he says, “so we haven’t organized anything grand. Also partly out of superstition because this year we were already ready for the Giro and then he fell., so we didn't want to rush things. We're from Montelupo Albese, 10 minutes above Alba, and it really seems like the Grand Tour routes have been tailor-made for him lately. Jokes aside, we will try to push him all the way. We will be leaving and arriving, but I know that also the youth team where Teo grew up, theAsd Alba Bra Langhe Roero, will line up in Pollenzo in front of their track with all the children and dedicated banners to pay homage to him. Many friends and relatives will be scattered along the first kilometers." Then he adds: "I saw him calmer than usual, very happy with the warmth and the cheering and really energized."
The second Vuelta
Matteo tells us how it all began. his second Spanish campaign after the one in 2023: «It all started last winter – he explains – when we made plans with the team. I should have done the Giro and Vuelta if everything went well and I had asked to be able to do the latter, especially because it was leaving from Piedmont. Then, the crash put all those plans into question."
Yeah, why The aftermath was not easy to erase and the return to normality was very different from what was initially hypothesized: «I honestly didn't think it would take so long and it was perhaps the most difficult return since I started cycling. In the hospital bed, I didn't quite understand what had happened. I remember that at first I thought I could get by with a few days off, even that I could make it to Sanremo or at least calmly prepare for the Giro."
On the phone with Ganna
Instead, things went differently: «I wasn't able to get in shape even for the Tour de France and to rediscover the best sensations while running it took PolandWhen you hit your head it feels like a catastrophe, but it's one of the hardest things because you can never understand if you're really back to the same person you were before. More than the broken nose or cheekbone, it was the concussion that took the longest. A month after the fall, I went out on my bike and thought I felt like I'd never felt before, but that wasn't the case. My condition was fine for a casual ride, but everything needed to be rebuilt, physically and mentally.
«I also spoke about it a lot with Filippo (Ganna, ed.), who had a similar problem, although lighter. The symptoms were the same and we spoke a lot to compare and support each other.He, his sister Carlotta, who is my girlfriend, and my whole family have been truly precious over these six months, and now I finally feel fit again."
Between team and dreams
And Red Bull-Bora was quick to include him in the team for the Vuelta, because the versatility of the Piedmontese wildcard will be important: «Let's say I'll try to cover multiple roles – explains Sobrero – depending on the day. I will help Jai (Hindley, ed.) for the general where necessary.I will give my fundamental contribution to the team time trial and some day I hope to be able to go on the breakaway, given that two years ago I almost achieved success with second place behind Kamna in my last year at Jayco».
To dream of personal glory, however, we will have to wait for the return of the Return in Iberian land: «More likely to have freedom in the second or third week Sobrero explains, "Because in the first stage I'll try to help the team. I know the roads we'll be riding these days well, having ridden them in the lower categories. The only one I know a little less is the third stage, but Limone's arrival will undoubtedly be explosive and someone will try to move to take the shirt. However, I will try to enjoy the day on home roads as much as possible: at the Giro and the Tour everything went by too quickly."
