Johannes Staune-Mittet's smile spreads across his face until it becomes contagious, and his teammates who cross the finish line after him stop and hug him. The Norwegian from the Development team Jumbo Visma he won the 84th alone Belvedere tour before From Pretto and to comrade Van Belle. On a hot Easter Monday, but with a light wind that makes the temperature bearableThe meadows between these still bare vineyards are dotted with the yellow and white of flowers, and the public has gathered warmly along the streets.
In block to win
The “hornets” sting, the final stage of the race has always been in their hands, they first anticipated with Loe Van Belle, when there were still many kilometers to the finish. Once the race was back together they played on numerical superiority never letting the race slip from his hand.
“It was what we wanted to do,” says Staune-Mittet as he is pulled from one place to another for photos and interviews. We like to make the race tough and difficult and obviously we worked hard on the climbsLoe (Van Belle, ed.) got ahead of the pack and broke away with a long way to go. We caught him in the finale and found ourselves three out of five in the leading group. We couldn't make any mistakes. – he says with a smile that has never faded – I tried to get ahead in the final flat stretch and I arrived alone».
De Pretto mocked
Behind Staune-Mittet was Davide De Pretto, which gives another important podium to the Zalf Euromobil Desirée FiorThe 2002-born rider found himself caught in the voracious grip of Jumbo-Visma and could do nothing but suffer their pace.
«They are a great team – De Pretto says before the podium, with a hint of regret – there were three of them in front and I couldn't do much moreI tried to push hard on the final climb to Montaner to get back to the breakaway, which was a minute ahead of us. We got back down, but in the five there were three from JumboI immediately thought it would be difficult, especially when I then tried to break away myself and found myself together with Staune-Mittet and Van Belle.
«On the way down I tried to turn around to check the situation and behind me I saw another small group of threeOn the plain, the Jumbos began to work to prevent them from coming back from behind. They attacked me with cunning, always putting myself in the middle, I tried to follow three attacks but then I had no more».
Another podium
A race that featured many different moments, the first part was run at great speed. The riders spared nothing and the average speed in the first two hours was above 44 km/h.There is very little flat ground in this race, and this only increased the fatigue the riders had to face.
«This year – concludes De Pretto – the renewal of the path has made itself felt, the added climb brought even more fatigue to the legsEvery year the level rises and we must work to ensure we are not caught unprepared."
For Davide De Pretto this is yet another important placing this season, the big target is still missing thoughThe playing field is there, also thanks to the call-up to the Under-23 national team for next Sunday's Liège-Bastogne-Liège match.
«I'm satisfied – he explains however with an unconvincing voice – up to now I've only achieved podiums, The victory is missing, but I hope it comes soon. We had to catch her today, but we knew it would be a tough race. Now I'm going to get some massages, get some rest, and tomorrow at the Recioto I'll try again. Then, next week, on Saturday, I will run the Liège with Amadori's national team. While I should be at the start of the San Vendemiano on Sunday, they will be seven really important days."
