FORLIMPOPOLI – From a distance, after the finish line, it's difficult to read the details and reactions of the riders. The sprint started when it was still difficult to distinguish the leading group. Matthew Brennan and Niklas Behrens make the same gesture, a fist into the void. Only after a few seconds you understand that the first one is to celebrate the victory, while the second is of disappointment. The English of the Visma Lease to Bike Development, Brennan, blew the last chance to take home the minimum amount of money for an ambitious team like the Dutch one (LaPresse photo at the top).
At the last breath
The happiest one seems though Peter Mattius, teammate of the winner, who brought him to play for the victory.
«After so much bad luck in this Giro Next Gen – he says still hot – we finally managed to winAt the last stage, a bit in extremis but it's okay anyway. We had already put this fraction in our sights this morning, we wanted to try something at all costs. A team like ours had to try to achieve a result, even a partial one."
Still at full speed
The asphalt burns and scorches under the wheels of the riders, the temperature is so high that it feels like the rubber on the tires is melting and mixing with the asphalt. Last stage of the Giro Next Gen which presented itself like the others, illegible and running at crazy speeds.
«We started off very strong – Mattio continues – as always, but today there were also the efforts of the previous daysOur tactic was to interpret the race as a Northern Classic, which we do well. We moved immediately and I managed to join the breakawayLuckily, Brennan came back with another teammate. In the end, there were still two of us, so in the final kilometer I tried to get ahead. I was sure that Brennan would be the strongest in the sprint, so once I realized that they wouldn't leave me any space I pulled for him."
Brennan's signature
Matthew Brennan has written his name in the roll of honor of this race. All the strongest young people pass through here, indeed the very young onesThis is demonstrated by the four stage wins out of eight available for riders born in 2005, boys in their first year in the under 23 category.
“We stayed calm,” Brennan says, “even when the group behind started chasing us. My teammates pushed hard and guided me very well.I was focused on the sprint and I'm happy it went well. It's the best conclusion of the Giro Next Gen that we could hope for, especially after all the problems we've had. At the fourth stage we lost Nordhagen and Huising, so we wanted to make up for it, lift our spirits. In the first few days, it was difficult to find a new beginning, but little by little, we figured out how to move forward. This victory gives us a lot of confidence for the future, the season doesn't end today."
