Fighting among giants. He must have felt like a David among Goliaths, Edoardo Zardini in the last stages of the Giro d'Italia. The Veronese rider from Valpolicella put in a lot of work in this race. He tried to break away early and, more importantly, found it in the final stages: Castelmonte and Fedaia.
It's been a while since we've seen him truly in the spotlight. The terrible accident he had in the 2016 Lugano GP, a terrible day weather-wise, had a major impact on his career. Zardini was one of the rising stars of the Giro and the peloton. In 2014, he won a stage at the Giro del Trentino. He was often in the breakaway. He made many attacks. One of those terrible “little ones” that the public likes so much. Constant growth.
Knife between the teeth
The rider of Drone Hopper-Androni We intercepted him as he was walking back to the bus along Lake Fedaia. His head was sunk between his shoulders, he had the tired look of someone who had given everything, and his shorts were torn at the buttocks.
A nod, the complements for another long escape (he was in the group with Covi) and stopped to talk.
"Today we had the goal of breaking away," Zardini said. "It wasn't easy, but I did it. I was ready. I even crashed on the wet descent at the beginning, but fortunately the bike was fine and I managed to get back in.
«And this scene is a bit like a snapshot of my Giro». A lot of hard work and no one giving you anything for free. Especially if you're not in a WorldTour team, you have to work hard for everything. And somehow it costs twice as much.
Suddenly expert
He'll turn 33 in November. He's already got a certain amount of experience. But this maturity seems to have arrived suddenly. He's no longer a kid, and it's inevitable that he'll begin to take stock of his career. Especially in the midst of a Giro that was drawing to a close.
«I think I wasted a few years “For various reasons,” Zardini says, “injuries, teams that didn't perform well, the pandemic. This year, the team put their faith in me, and I returned to the Giro d'Italia, and that alone was important, if not fundamental, for me.
"I was here fighting, and fighting on these stages means a lot. Maybe I'd even gotten a little out of the habit of certain races and doing certain things, but... I'm just happy to give it my all. There is something good and we need to start again from here."
«Now I'm not a kid anymore, also for this reason In the next few years I want to have fun. Now that I've regained the team's trust, I've found a bit of a balance again, and I'd like to get back to winning ways. Maybe in some more manageable races."
Zardini speaks with passion. Slower and slower. At the end, he's moved. Try to imagine it. Two days of escape, two days of extreme effort. They arrive on the Marmolada, an almost mystical place in itself, especially at that moment, and the Giro is drawing to a close. It's the perfect storm of emotions.
Fun goal
The next day, with fresher legs and mind, Edoardo regains his smile and good humor, especially since the race is in his native Verona. He's truly determined to continue doing well.
«I know what my cycling is now – he says while preparing for the time trial – I know where I am and what kind of rider I am. The idea therefore, as I said yesterday, is to continue doing well, but with greater awareness.
«I want to enjoy cycling».
And maybe he'll be able to enjoy it starting today. Having come out of the Giro d'Italia in good shape, the team took him to Giro dell'AppenninoA race suitable for a courageous climber like Edoardo.
Maybe you don't see it, attracted by the champions who jostle at the head or who put on shows elsewhere, but there are also those who won their Giro, reaching the finish lineNot finding victory, but finding himself. Fighting like a David among many Goliaths.
