The days after the Giro d'Italia are dedicated to rest and regaining strength for the second part of the season. The Corsa Rosa closes one chapter and reopens anotherSummer arrives and the Grand Tour season kicks off. Gianmarco Garofoli is no exception, the Marche native of Soudal-QuickStep after running his first Tour of Italy in his career he finds himself at homeAs soon as he got off his bike, he underwent minor eye surgery. Nothing to worry about, just a routine operation waiting for the right time.
“It hurts,” he says, “it’s still eye surgery, but after a couple of days the situation improved. I also started cycling again, without stress but with the aim of recovering as best as possible for the next commitments.At the end of June I'll be at the Italian championships, it won't be a course suited to my characteristics, but I think it's a good way to get back to pinning the number on my back."
Finally the Giro
Over the years, we have come to know Gianmarco Garofoli as a bold young man with clear ideas. The dream was to become a Grand Tour rider and the goal remains that.Over the past few seasons, there have been several moments where things have gone differently than expected and hoped. The strength of the rider and of the man, because in the meantime garofoli he grew up and became like that, he doesn't change.
"It's been a beautiful journey," he continues. "Thinking back over all the stages and the many moments we've experienced, I'd say it's been long, but experiencing it from the inside has made everything pass quickly. But once I stopped and thought about it, I realized that I experienced so many emotions, both positive and negative.For a child born with the dream of running the Giro, it was wonderful to experience it and, above all, to race it. I wasn't among the absolute protagonists, but I made myself known and achieved good results. One of the most beautiful things is hearing my name on the streets even from people you had never seen before».
You set out with Landa as captain, but at the first stage you lost your reference point…
Yes, it was strange at first because we came with a goal but it quickly faded. We found ourselves having to change all plans And from there, new opportunities arose for both me and my teammates. We looked for a stage win, which unfortunately didn't come. But I can consider myself satisfied because after several falls and a few broken ribs I managed to stay in the breakaways and always put on a show.
What memory do you take home from this Giro?
I think the stage of Asiago, I understood that I had a concrete chance of winning a stage. That seventh place gave me excellent sensations, being there in front, then at the finish I was disappointed because when you see the victory so close you believe it. But I have no regrets, I'm convinced I gave everything.
Also because you were running with three broken ribs…
After everything I've been through, I never would have given up because of three broken ribs. Perhaps the moment when I thought about taking a step back was after the second fall in the stage with the finish in San ValentinoThe blow to my back was so severe that I went to a clinic that evening to get checked out. Luckily, I wasn't broken. I told myself, "I'll only continue if I can do something good."
And fourth place came in Sestriere…
Let's say I gave some meaning to my suffering. It was a bit of a reliefI was in a lot of pain and couldn't pedal properly because my back hurt. My right leg was a bit stiff. That morning I would never have said I could get so close to victory. but it was a great feeling.
How did it feel to have discovered these qualities of yours during the Giro and, above all, to have received an answer after so many difficult years?
I've always believed in it, you always have to believe in it. For me it wasn't difficult to correct the Giro d'Italia with three broken ribs and go strong, it was much more difficult to continue believing in the years when everything was more difficult.
Did you lift the team's morale during a tough race?
We all had great faith in Paul Magnier, too. It was his first Giro but his qualities were beyond question. When the hoped-for result didn't come in Gorizia, morale was at rock bottom.Fortunately, in the next stage I took seventh place, which cheered us up a bit. We were convinced we could still do something good.
You made a positive impression on everyone, so much so that the renewal until 2027 arrived right during the Giro…
It's very important because he believes in me and I feel good. I like the winning spirit, you feel it a lot and that's what I've missed in recent years: going to the races and setting off to win. Here I found my self-confidence again and it's beautiful, I hope to improve further and repay their trust.
Good luck then.
Thank you! And I hope to hear from you soon, it means I've been great!
