There are placings that are worth a medal, they have a very sweet taste of the future: when Frances Baroni he crossed the finish line of the U23 World Championship race, he raised his fist As if he had won. Having held off two Dutch players, the most feared going into the match, is incredibly significant. She finished fifth, could she have fought for the podium?
French Trap
According to coach Fausto Scotti, yes., even on such a difficult course and you can tell by his reading of the race.
«Leaving two Frenchmen, on the first climb, got stuck – says Scotti – and they blocked her, she lost about twenty seconds from the first riders who were breaking away at that precise moment. Then she did a first lap at full speed, passing fifth at 25", but she had spent too much and I told her to stay calmShe found herself pedaling in the second group, curiously the one with the favorites, those who travel in the World Cup trials with the various Brand and Alvarado teams. He was not afraid. In the first two laps, on the sand he suffered, then he reversed the trend and ended up gaining even on such difficult terrainHe did a miracle, but I say that without that initial hitch he would have been leading the Dutch…».
All together
The race had indeed seen the big favorite, Manon Bakker (third both last Saturday in Hamme and Sunday in the final stage in Overijse, but against the "big" teams), slip twice, seeing all her ambitions vanish. In front was her teammate Inge Van Der Heijden leads the way, trying to escape with the other Dutch Aniek Van Alphen and Fem Van Empel together with the Hungarian Kata Blanka Vas, another favourite of the race.
Teamwork? It's a foreign concept among Dutch girls.The Hungarian, who was gaining ground on some sandy sections but losing ground on deeper ones, given her slight build, was able to benefit from the work of the other Oranges. The fact is that with one lap to go they all found themselves together, with the spectre of the great mockery that gripped the orange technicians.
Meanwhile behind Baroni remained glued to Bakker and the British Kay, always travelling between sixth and ninth place, but curiously from the second pass, where the gap was 55”, the blue one didn't lose anymore, even if they were working hard to win in front of them.
Iride Van Empel
In the final lap was Van Empel to take the initiative, with Van Alphen in close pursuit. The final passage on the sand was fatal for Vas, who saw the others drift away. The situation crystallized at the entrance to the most technical section and the Dutchwoman who was least accredited on the eve (the youngest, she is in her first year in the category) went to conquer the rainbow with 3” on Van Alphen and 9” on Vas, which defeated the weak resistance of a Van Der Heijden, exhausted by the effort and perhaps also irritated by the behavior of her companions.
Baroni immense
Meanwhile, Baroni went to put the icing on the cake on his splendid performance going to pick up the other Dutch Puck Pieterse (the European champion), finishing a splendid fifth at 54”.
"I don't believe it either," he declared upon arrival. I knew this path wasn't right for me, but I think I defended myself well even in the less favorable sections. I couldn't have finished my Under 23 campaign in a better way..."
The blue he will in fact pass among the elite and given his characteristics he is a candidate for an important role even in the senior category. A talent worth investing in for the future, to make it a valid alternative to Dutch supremacy.
