It had already been said on the eve and the topic has come up many times when discussing the cyclocross calendar: with the many clashes in Italy and abroad, some events risk being penalised.International Cyclocross in Brugherio it only happened in part, because even if all those at the start were Italians (and not even all the best considering that the next day there was the World Cup in Maasmechelen) the crowd showed a sensational turnout, worthy of the great classics of the sector in Belgium and Holland.
The spectacular impact left many breathless. Among them was the day's star, Federico. Ceolin returned to victory after a stuttering start in the very first outings, which is to be expected considering his commitment this year on the road: «I come from mountain biking and this was my first real season on the road., despite the fact that between a fall with my collarbone and two broken ribs at the start of the season and catching COVID just after returning after two months, I was always chasing. There were no results, but the impact on cyclocross was enormous.
The importance of the road
The standard bearer of Beltrami Tsa Tre Colli confirms once again how the cyclocross-road combination is extremely functional: «Before, when I tackled cyclocross races, I noticed that in the final part I suffered and often I started to feel a bit tired. Now, with the base of a rider used to pedaling for four hours, the one-hour tests are always demanding, but my body absorbs them much better. and in the end they are always able to give the right "thrust", that change of pace that guarantees victory."
It was the same in Brugherio: "Having lost a few ranking points, I found myself starting from the second row, but already on the first lap I was behind the leaders. I was a bit covered and then on the second lap I stepped on the gas to make a selection. Only Samuele Leone remained with me. We went together, then something changed...
Choosing the lesser evil
«Passing in front of the pits I heard that his managers told him to slow down, so as to allow Bertolini to get back in. At that point I realized I had to shake him off and I did exactly one of the things I said above. In the last lap I thought about managing it." For the record, Ceolin finished with a 14" lead on Leone and 39" on the ever-present Cominelli (Cycling Café).
A victory that gave him new energy, precisely because of the setting he found in Lombardy: «It was exceptional, a race in an unusual climate, it felt like cycling in summer. It was so hot that I decided to keep my water bottle both to get rid of some dust and to drink every now and then.I knew it would be difficult to carry the bike, but on that route you only get off the saddle once per ride, so I decided to choose the lesser evil. And then the people, oh my, how many people there were, it really felt like being up north..."
Controversy in the Belgian house
Speaking of the North, it was a busy weekend, first with the Superprestige event in Ruddenwoorde and then with the World Cup in Maasmechelen. While waiting for the three tenors to enter the fray, the specialists are battling it out, and there's no shortage of controversy in the field. In the Belgian camp, old grudges have exploded, which have their roots in Laurens Sweeck's farewell to Pauwels Sauzen, the team of Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout. On Saturday, with Iserbyt having prevailed over Sweeck in the sprint, the latter exploded at the finish line.
«He never takes responsibility. With Van Der Haar "On the run," he vented, "it was up to him and Vanthourenhout to chase, but instead they were waiting for me to move. Then, as soon as the Dutchman had bad luck, Eli attacked without having done anything to mend the gap. You're not a champion like that..."
Iserbyt is starting to be seen less well in his homeland: many fans and not only them accuse him of winning only because the "real" greats are not there"What am I doing wrong if I win when they're not there? Should I finish second? As for Sweeck, he's just frustrated because he doesn't win. The truth is, we're always the ones leading the race. It happened in the World Cup stages, and it also happened to Ruddenwoode." Then the final thrust: "Laurens has a good pace, but not enough to stay with us, now he will understand what a luxury it was to be in our team last year, because Michael and I were saving him the trouble."
Settlement of scores
Sweeck couldn't stomach it, and the Maasmechelen race turned into a white-hot affair. He turned the race into a private affair, pushing incredibly hard, holding off Iserbyt when he tried his usual trick on the climbs, and then capitalizing on the latter's mistake in the finale.
«When it happened – he says – I managed to create an unbridgeable gap. For me, the victory closes every discussion, I don't want to continue with the controversies, after all it's my first in the World Cup, I had chased it so muchThe hunt is over, now others begin."
The rest of the international season promises to be full of interesting things to do.
