TIVO MEADOWS – The message read: “Meeting at 11,30 at the bus Decathlon-AG2R The World ChampionshipYou will follow the eighth stage in the second team car with sports director Cyrill Dessel.” And then followed a very short list of rules to follow. But what an opportunity: to live and observe the Tour of Italy from inside.
So much so that at a certain point we had Tadej pogacar e Dominic Pozzo alive practically hanging on to the right mirror!
Valentin on the run
Before leaving, Dessel explains more or less what the day will be like. «The idea is to place a man on the run, possibly Valentin Paret-Peintre or also Alex Baudin. And for this reason, we, the second team car, will leave a little earlier than the race. This way, we can join the group directly and not have to overtake them (especially on very winding roads, ed.). We'll do our first refueling on the ground at kilometer 33."
At kilometer 33 because in theory the escape should have taken off. And that's what we did. Only that the UAE Emirates Pogacar made things clear right away and left no room until the leading group was reduced. A minute or so, too little to follow the breakaway according to the rules. Moral of the story: We set off again, but behind the group.
The next 20 kilometers are pure madness. We fly. The team car's wheels screech, as if we were in an American detective story. It's a dance and a battle between the team car, the bike, the judges, and a few riders who even manage to get back. We dip in and out of Umbrian villages. The stones of the houses are ochre (and today also pink) dots in the green of this splendid portion of the Umbrian-Lazio Apennines.
Finally in Valnerina, when the road widens and there are "even" two kilometers of flat land, the jury gives the green light to the team cars to go on the breakaway. It is here that let's do a slalom between Pogacar and Pozzovivo and everyone else. On the way back up, we leave some water bottles for the guys from Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale. It's optimized.
The eye of the sports director
From this moment, Dessel takes charge of the situation. And the radio too. He begins to give Valentin Paret-Peintre instructions on how to manage the race. The sports director's face, very kind, becomes more focused.
He explains the situation to him. In fact, first he asks him if he needs water, malt, gel... Then, in a very calm tone, he begins to tell him what the next few kilometers will be like. Who is better placed in the overall breakaway. He points out that the Ineos Grenadiers he has two and Sheffield he's pulling for narvaez, so he has to try to do his part, but also to save as much as possible.
The tablet with VeloViewer It's an inexhaustible source of data. Thanks to the entire team's connection, Dessel manages to tell Valentin that "Sabino is 80 meters to the right for ground refueling."
And in the finale, Dessel also calculates the maximum time. In a special screen inserts Pogacar's time, adds the 18 percent figure, the maximum gap from the winner expected for today, and the maximum time automatically comes out: 43'36”.
Paret-Peintre attentive
The kilometers pass. We pass the splendid Leonessa. We glide with incredible curves over Posta. Then Borbona. From the Province of Rieti, Lazio, we enter the Province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Lots of curves, crowded towns, woods, and still some signs of the earthquake—or rather, the earthquakes in both L'Aquila and Amatrice. But there's little time for these matters. The race is increasingly in full swing. Behind the UAE Emirates play like cat and mouseThe detachment is an accordion that doesn't stray too far from the minute and a half mark.
The Intergiro is set on a fast straight, after which the penultimate GPM of the day begins: a 4-kilometer climb.
«Valentin – says Dessel on the radio – Be careful at this finish line. Bardet could take advantage of it to continue the attack and take away a detachment.From behind, Paret-Peintre follows the instructions to the letter and begins marking old Bardet. But nothing happens. Why?
Because from ahead comes news that there's wind at the top of Colle Abbio. It's contrary and even strong, and the subsequent descent leading to the entrance to Prati di Tivo isn't technical and has a gentle slope. In short, the worst conditions for attacking.
Well done Valentin
Dessel doesn't hammer his athlete into the radio. A few pointers, but they're kept in his head. Perhaps a few hints about the type of road ahead, or a hint to those who will pass through a narrow passage that's more treacherous than others, but nothing more.
And Bardet's non-attack was a good thing. At 25 seconds, halfway through the glide, the latest reading shows 55 seconds between the breakaway and the group. At 24 o'clock the race radio announces: "Stop for the breakaway flagships. Stop. Stop." As soon as we find a gap, we stop. We take the opportunity to grab a bite to eat. We let the pink jersey group pass, where they are also riding. O'Connor, Aurelien Paret Peintre and Baudin And when other Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale athletes pass by, we join the queue. The first team car follows the leaders.
Yet this stop almost feels like a mockery. Once again the UAE Emirates it holds there, but it doesn't close. So it happens that Valentin Paret-Peintre attacks alone on the final climb. We can only follow his attempt on TV in the team car... waiting for Pogacar's attack.
Decathlon promoted
We arrive at the top escorted Andrea Vendrame and Damien Touzé, who easily climb between 18 and 23 km/h, It'll be interesting for those familiar with this climb. The minutes are ticking away, but the two of them are well within the time limit. Better save some energy. Along the climb, people are cooking arrosticini. We even grab a few, in exchange for a water bottle. And Touzé gets a couple too!
«I think today was a good race for us – says the sports director – These attacks and the final burst were important for Valentin. He's young and they give him confidence. We wanted to try with him, and we succeeded. We figured Pogačar would want to win this morning at the start. But after a breakaway with many teams and difficult to control, I thought he'd leave a bit more space. Controlling them today wasn't easy, but they did it all day.
«And then I think it was a good stop for Ben O'Connor. He needs to move like this. He finished third. He got the time bonus. And he can compete for the podium. I think it's something realistic."
With 500 meters to go, the team's detour interrupts our adventure "inside the Giro." A day filled with passion and adrenaline. The door opens. A high-five with Dessel and mechanic Michel Szkolnike, and off we go... to write this piece.
