When Wladimir Belli won the amateur Giro d'Italia in 1990We were all a little younger. But he, still 19, truly had the face of a child. It was the last Giro of its kind, with the young riders on the same finish as the pros, Bugno's edition wearing pink from the start and with huge crowds on the roads. That was where his rivalry was born, then became a friendship, with Marco Pantani: in the opening photo the two are together at the 2001 Giro d'Italia.
«Imagine what it was like for us kids – Belli recalls smiling – to do Pordoi and Aprica with all those people? If I have to say, This is still my fondest memory, because it projected me towards professionalism".
Belli was professional from 1992 to 2006 with 11 victories among which the 1996 Giro del Trentino stands out. Expectations on him were very high, because in addition to having won the Giro, among the amateurs Val d'Aosta had also wonBut in that cycling of many variables and strange variations, the Bergamo native made his way to the end. Today Belùn is one of the key commentators of Eurosport and in his free time he also works as a trainer.
"Eurosport," he says, "is what gives me continuity. As for the athletes, yesterday I was in Brescia testing four juniors, to allow their sports director to plan their preparation. Others, however, I coach myself the old-fashioned way. I don't like sending tables by email, it's much better to see each other. And then I also help some professionals."
How demanding is working with Eurosport?
At the beginning I struggled to understand how it worked, between the Italian and international direction and the whole mechanism. Now I've been here for six years and we're all satisfied.We have to get to the studio 45 minutes early, but I usually do two hours, so I have time for my things. The first time, maybe because I was nervous, I arrived so early that I put a blanket on top of it and slept right there., with the car running. Unfortunately, things got complicated with Covid.
What happened?
Between Flanders and the Vuelta there were some positives in the studio and we ended up doing the commentary from home, in front of the computer. It's already not easy without being there. You have to do your research, draw on your experience as a rider, call friends. But from home, the problem is even joining in to comment. Normally, you signal to the commentator that you have something to say, from home. I was forced to talk to him over it and it wasn't the best.
Do you never follow the races?
So far the only ones have been Gregorio and Magrini, who have done a Sanremo and maybe even the Lombardy.
Has professionalism ever tried to offer you anything?
I did for a while the preparer and also a little flagship to the GazpromBut as time went by, it became incompatible with Eurosport, and I left. Recently, team manager Renat Kamidhuline contacted me again, but I really don't want to give up that microphone.
How many friends do you have left in the group?
Friends is a big word. When I stopped and disappeared a bit, I was able to distinguish the real ones from the others. I don't think I'm doing anyone an injustice if I mention Guerini, Milesi, Bramati, Cortinovis, Dolci. Some are still in cycling, others have made their own lifeThen, by the time I got to Eurosport, others were back.
The feeling is that at a certain point in your career there was a brake.
There were two moments. The first was the day Diego Pellegrini died at Val d'AostaI wasn't there, but he marked me. The second was the day Fabio Casartelli died at the Tour and that time I was there insteadI had greeted him before the summit. We had raced together in Locatelli's teams and had left Italy together, I don't remember if from Linate or Malpensa. He arrived late. with the suitcase and a doll that his wife had left him, so he could remember his son who was born three months earlier. On the way down I saw a Motorola rider on the ground and I remember thinking he was in bad shape. Except that I thought it was Armstrong. So after the descent, the race calmed down and I saw Lance. I asked him if he had fallen and he told me it was Fabio.
Did you understand right away?
I went to the flagship to Pietro Algeri and asked him if anything was known. He didn't say a word, but I'll never forget his face.I immediately withdrew, I didn't finish the stage. I was an empty sack. Youth is good, I thought, but I started to think a little deeper, which made me grow as a man.
You could have won a Giro.
The one in 2001, at least I could get on the podium and it would have been the crowning achievement of my career. I was third in the standings when on the Santa Barbara climb I gave the famous punch to Simoni's nephew, who ran next to me and insulted me. The helicopter had filmed it, they took a hard line and disqualified me. Over the years we've seen many incidents, including Lopez who two years ago gave three to the drunk fanI thought he'd done well, but it cost me the best result of my career. I felt good; I could have won it.
Do you ride your bike anymore?
No, for a long time. But I walk in the mountains, on the Roncola and those around the house. My son runs, instead...
Marco, in honor of… Marco?
He's 14 years old. The other day we read together. the last chapter of “He Was My Son”, but I couldn't finish itMarco races mountain bikes, and when I go to see him, I hide. He suffers a bit from the pressure, also because at home they push him so hard. And then there's my daughter Vittoria who does athletics, but the races are still at a standstill.
During a live broadcast, a disabled boy thanked you for your volunteer work.
And I In response I thanked him, because they offer me the opportunity to help them and growMy partner is a psychologist and I often go to a center for people with disabilities. It's a world far removed from professional sports. I always say that I learned part of life on my bike, but this...These encounters taught me what real life is. and made me understand how lucky I was despite everything.
