The road that will lead Davide De Pretto to the Italian under 23 championships is marked by the efforts accumulated at Giro Next Gen. The rider of Zalf Euromobil Desirée Fior he was always a man of few words, but the pink race for under 23s loosened his tongueHe, an athlete from an Italian continental team, has been in the Italian team for a long time. amadori, he always ran with the first ones. Boys of the same age as him but who have a very different schedule behind them.
The cyclamen jersey
From Pretto won the points classification (photors.it image at the beginning), brought home with certainty only on the shores of the city of Trieste, with a seventh place. Five top 10s in eight stages, victory was missed, but the consistency of the boy from Thiene was rewardedSo the 21-year-old returned home wearing a different jersey than the one he left with: the cyclamen one.
«The main objective of the Giro Next Gen – he says from home – it was about winning a stage. It slipped away from me by a hair, right in Povegliano I came second behind RomeleThat day I won the cyclamen jersey and wore it all the way to Trieste. Not without difficulty, given that Cretti's breakaway on the final stage put it in danger. I had to finish in the top ten and I did it.».
Good premises
Two podium finishes, but never on the top step: there is regret, however. De Pretto competed with the best in the worldHe is not an athlete for stage races and his placings have nevertheless put him in a good light.
«I was coming from the victory of De Gasperi – he continues – so I felt good and I was confident about my qualitiesNot having raced with the national team in Poland took something away from me, this Giro Next Gen It was the first stage race of my season. But once on the street I immediately went fast. Third place in Cherasco, on that upward-pointing finish line, suited my characteristics well."
Right in the mixed zone Aglie, an insider had pointed out to Busatto that the Cherasco stage was approaching the end of the Liège U23Race won by the Circus-ReUz representative, in which De Pretto came third, a placing also replicated at the Piedmont finish line.
The regret of home
But it is in Povegliano that From Pretto he almost got his hands on the stage victory. Once again he was trapped in a double-cross, as happened to the BelvedereThis time the colours were those of Colpack-Ballan and not those of Jumbo-Visma Development.
«I was particularly keen on that stage – he says with a thread of regret still stuck in his throat – I knew the sprinters would struggleI know those streets well, they're close to home, they're a succession of breathless eating and drinking. We left after many attempts, but this time too the opponents had numerical superiority and they outwitted me."
The foreigners
Foreigners have swept the stage wins in this Giro Next Gen, our colors defended well. De Pretto has always been one of the most active, the Veneto has returned to confront itself with Staune-Mittet, winner of the Giro, months later. What did you see differently in him?
«Staune-Mittet – says the Zalf rider – was strong in April in the one-day races and was also strong in the Giro. In spring, in the dry races, we had more or less the same levelOnce we entered a stage race the difference was even more noticeable. During the eight days he never had any drops, indeed: in Trieste he even attacked first».
«We also talked about it among ourselves in the team – he continues – an example of the different preparation is Segaert. He won the time trial, and in the subsequent stages, even on the Stelvio, he never faltered. He ultimately finished the Giro in eleventh place, a sign that if you do a lot of stage races, you're doing well. I'll do more from here on out, but before June I was at zero.In our case, either we go abroad or the national team becomes fundamental from this point of view. Precisely with amadori I'm going to run in France soon."
Positive balance sheet
All in all, De Pretto took home a positive result from his second participation in the Giro dedicated to under-23s.
«I thought I would do worse (he admits, ed.). Compared to 2022 I have improved a lot, in recovery and fatigue management. The hardest day was the day of Cansiglio, where I tried to hold on through San Boldo and Nevegal. On the descent, I regained the lead, but on the Malga Cate climb, the penultimate one of the day, my legs gave out on me."
«I'm in good shape – he concludes – I'm fine, these days (Monday and Tuesday, ed.) I did a bit of a cool-down. Now I will start doing some work in view of the Italians, something to get my legs moving again. The route has changed and it suits me very well, I'll give it a try."
