At kilometer 172 of training, Grosu approaches the flagship, asking for a sandwich and a water bottle. In the back seat, Sergio Barbero, who as a rider certainly struggled more than the Romanian and today he is a mechanic at Androni, he offers him an orange instead.
"If there is fruit, even better, thanks" says the sprinter, who then He takes the fruit peeled by the Piedmontese, grabs the water bottle and joins the group again.
They are I've been cycling for about six hoursSome dirt passages made the bikes dirty, but The riders of the future Drone Hopper are marching at a good paceBehind them, about 15 minutes behind, their companions from the second working group are traveling the same route.
Marengo and Spezialetti: the theme is an app that allows you to monitor your weight Grosu prepares his "malto" before leaving. The Romanian arrives from Delko.
Marengo and Spezialetti: the theme is an app that allows you to monitor your weight Grosu prepares his "malto" before leaving. The Romanian arrives from Delko.
Distance and testing
Distance today (yesterday for those reading). On the flagship we are travelling in, Giovanni Ellena directs the operations. In the back seat there are precisely Barbero, a professional at Carrera and Mercatono Uno, and trainer Borja Martinez Gonzales, brought to the team by Dr. Giorgi. He comes from Burgos, after graduating he studied in Great Britain and now lives in Bologna.
Departure at 9,45, with eleven degrees, while Benidorm began to move in a disorderly fashion. At the roll call Only Chirico is missing, recovering from an illness, who after two days on the rollers, will go out on the road for a jog.
On the dashboard, the tablet shows the screen VeloViewer: a big step forward from when you had to travel around with road maps to interpret and wasted half the time looking for the right intersection. The daily program includes 185 kilometers with 3.200 meters of altitude difference and three testsOne after 85 kilometers: 15-second sprint on a slight uphill climb. One after 90 kilometers, with a 3-minute flat-out sprint. The third after 110 kilometers, doing a maximum of 12 minutes uphill.
The tablet screen displays the day's activity And then also the summary of the weekly training sessions
The tablet screen displays the day's activity And then also the summary of the weekly training sessions
When there was Chiappa
The navigator shows the position of the car and that of the riders, which on the computer display they have the route directions.
«Our GPS – Barbero chuckles from behind – was Chiappucci. He would go ahead, agree on the usual route with Quintarelli and follow him all the way.».
During the first few kilometers, Rojas let himself be passed and came to the team car. The 19-year-old boy is one of three, along with Diego Alba and Marti Vigo, to have been hit by a car last Thursday.The Colombian was thrown onto the windshield and now his left knee hurtsThe advice is to leave, wait for the second group, and then return to the hotel. There's no reason to take any risks, the season hasn't even started yet..
Grosu already leader?
This morning also ponomar he went to the emergency room for a little pain in his knee. Meanwhile Ellena talks about the thousand precautions to bring back Tesfatsion from Eritrea and have him vaccinated. And the fact that at the end of the retreat, Grosu will remain to train hereHe will have his partner come and is thinking of staying with him until the Mallorca races, where he could make his debut.
"Has the nature of a somewhat crafty sprinter – smiles the Androni coach affectionately – but this year he is very motivated and is giving it his all. I also see him as a good leader., because it seems to me that the others recognize it."
As many as 18 teams are training
Within a 5 kilometer radius we meet Deceuninck, Groupama, Eolo, Trek, Cofidis and some men from EfWe start counting and it turns out that at this time there are 18 teams between WorldTour and professional who are training on these roads.
A red light before the center of one of the many inland villages. Androni stops there! Quiet, traffic-free roads, often uphill and in the sun: perfect!
Red light before the center of one of the many inland villages Quiet, traffic-free roads, often uphill and in the sun: perfect!
After 65 kilometers, on the mountain in front, a series of hairpin bends climbing the rock gives a glimpse of the climb they will have to climbLet's hope the riders don't notice, but it's too late. Grosu is pointing ahead. He's not missing anything.
«I would have kept Venchiarutti – says Ellena while talking about the unconfirmed riders – because I'm sure it has numbers insideBeing a new professional in Covid-hit 2020 was unfortunate for many. Then he got a bit down and ultimately wasn't confirmed. It should go to the Work Service with whom we have a collaboration. It's the way of saying that we haven't given up on him...".
Sweaty cheeks and legs
They arrive at the top of the Port the Ebo Valley, along which we meet the Eolo riders doing lactate tests. For a few seconds we stand alongside Masters, sweaty and red in the face. He returns the greeting and puts his head down again..
Once at the top, Borja comes down to hear them talk. Even though the air is cold, the legs and cheeks of the Androni boys are sweaty..
Stop on the climb and first impressions: from left Benedetti, Grosu and Marengo Wanted: Grosu, Zardini, and Ravanelli join the team. Zardini is extremely thirsty: now he drinks water after a full load of maltodextrin.
Stop on the climb and first impressions: from left Benedetti, Grosu and Marengo Wanted: Grosu, Zardini, and Ravanelli join the team. Zardini is extremely thirsty: now he drinks water after a full load of maltodextrin.
They already sent breakfast on his recommendation 90 grams of carbohydrates. The reactions are different and not all enthusiastic.
"I feel so full," Bais says, "that I can't eat anything. In fact, thinking about it makes me sick." I can drink water, but I feel full».
«I have the same feeling too – confirms Marengo – so much so that I feel like saying that I could eat less for breakfast and start doing it on the bike right away... ".
While they catch their breath and drink water, Sepulveda asks about the new supplements. The team has signed with EthicSport, and tomorrow, during a call, Ellena explains, the company manager will also be there to explain the products and their features. They look at him approvingly, then leave again...
Attention to detail
Radishes have a protrusion under the left sleeveWe ask what it is, Borja and Ellena answer in unison.
«It's the blood sugar detector – says Ellena – the super sapiens. It's forbidden in running, but it's a nice tool in training».
Then the technician talks about a study already done a couple of years ago on the hours of sleep. «It was about put a sort of clock – he says – that recorded the quality of restSome riders had taken it badly, as if it were a violation of something. So when Borja proposed it again, he was almost afraid. Instead they surprised him, asking him if it might not be useful to keep it during the day tooThey're so detail-oriented these days that if you don't offer them something, you come across as disorganized. If you have a thousand attentions, they follow you».
Cured radishes
Ravanelli stops for the umpteenth time and jokingly He says that in Bergamo, on days like this, they'd say stay home. This time, the battery in the crankset transmitter needs replacing, because there's no signal reaching the computer. The first time, however, the data disappeared. The flagship stops, Barbero puts on the glasses he started using just today, gets out and makes the pit stop.
Nothing doing, Ravanelli grounded for a battery change After the break, Ravanelli had a fortunate return, hooked up to the flagship Androni
Nothing doing, Ravanelli grounded for a battery change After the break, Ravanelli had a lucky return
«Next year – says Ellena – we should change computers and power meters. Let's move on to the Dash of Stages Cycling with the detector in the crank. Look how Ravanelli is drying himself, though – he adds as we follow the Bergamo rider – he's really growing wellHe had problems in his first year with us, but in 2021 it went much better. We hope for the next one."
Grosu's wickedness
After a long descent, there's often a long climb, but the climb ahead is a real wall. The riders often have the amateurs of Drone Hopper, an under-23 team sponsored by the same company, in their way. Grosu zigzags for the first few meters, but when it comes time to start the 12-minute test, he pulls up the 53 and attacks. Behind them, the others also start moving with difficulty, while the team car follows the Romanian sprinter in the Delko jersey. He has an open mouth and a bad pedal strokeOn the hairpin bends, he turns to look and it's a continuous relaunch. Only at the top does Sepulveda, a much better climber than him, catch up with him.
Sepulveda pushes, Grosu holds his wheel And in the end Androni returns to Benidorm and its skyscrapers…
Sepulveda pushes, Grosu holds his wheel And in the end Androni returns to Benidorm and its skyscrapers…
Grosu first holds it, then gives in, but when the road flattens out, he puts his hands under it and launches a sprintHe's about to take it, then sits down abruptly. The 12 minutes are up, but his action has impressed Ellena, who comes to his side and tells him.
Unloading tomorrow
It's time to go back. Benidorm looms on the horizon with its skyline of not-so-beautiful skyscrapers. The city of Bugno's second rainbow jersey quickly swallows up the Androni riders, who peacefully make their way to the hotel, satisfied with the work they've done. Tomorrow (today for those reading this) there will be a day of rest and plicometry.
