The Tour de l'Avenir left the U23 national team's coach, Marino Amadori, with the certainty of having a future champion on his hands. But the French stage race didn't just show Lorenzo Finn's qualities, the responses from all the boys involved were more than satisfactory. So, once they had packed their bags and returned home, The national team coach is preparing for the upcoming matches with clear ideas (opening photo Philippe Predier/DirectVelo).
«Lorenzo (Finn, ed.) had a great race – Marino Amadori said from home – he was up there with the best and we fought for the podium until the last moment. The last three stages were fun, but it was a Future Tower complicatedFrance went on the attack, even when the yellow jersey was on their shoulders. We knew that there were four names with a "red flag": Seixas, Nordhagen, Widar and TorresAll of these guys, except Widar, are already in the WorldTour. Being so close and managing to leave the Spaniard (Torres, ed.) behind was a great thing for our Finn."
We're entering the World Cup and European Championships with an important player...
With a great team, because Avenir has shown this. We are strong, and compared to previous years we had a concrete name for the general classificationBut all the athletes did well, starting with Turconi, who was able to join the breakaway of nineteen riders that characterized the second stage. Mattio and Donati did an exceptional job, as did Borgo. Gualdi, however, did well to climb the rankings and reach the top 20.
Was the stage victory missing?
When you race with your sights set on the general classification, it's difficult to concentrate on stage victories as well. In the past editions we did not arrive with a podium rider, the name of Lorenzo Finn scared manyFrance ran against us from day one, they tried to make things difficult for them in every way. Coming within seven seconds of the silver medal is a remarkable achievement..
Will it really be a two-horse race with Widar in Rwanda?
I don't know, because there are so many unknowns about that race. Plus, there are many other riders to keep an eye on: Mateo Ramirez, Pavel Novak, Omrzel and especially Jarno WidarWe will arrive in Kigali with a reduced team, with four athletes. Since we occupy the first position in the under 23 ranking we could have fielded six boys, but the Federation had to make legitimate choices (Italy will present itself at full ranks only in the elite trials, ed.).
Just four names, easy or difficult choices?
Easy, to be honest. Because some riders haven't shown me enough solidity to even consider fielding them in the World Championships. The following will board the plane to Rwanda: Lorenzo Finn, Simone Gualdi, Alexander Borgo e Peter MattiusThe first two are the best players available for a competition like the World Championship, Mattio is a certainty and Village he showed that he is also strong uphill.
A challenging trip, not only because of the difficulty of the route...
For many reasons: the journey, the vaccinations (not mandatory but recommended, ed.), the fact that you're racing at high altitudes. The main goal will be to get to race day, September 26th.We'll leave on September 18th, because Finn and Borgo will also be doing the time trial, a decision we made together with Villa.
Will we show up at the European Championships with a full team?
No. The decision, taken in agreement with the Federation, is to also race the European Championships in France as a four-man team. Also because the route will be even tougher than the World Championship, with a seven-kilometer climb to be repeated three times. It will turn out to be an individual race, if done at a certain pace. The only two certainties will be Lorenzo Finn and Simone Gualdi, we will find out the other two names along the way with the September races (Giro del Friuli, Pantani and Matteotti, ed.).
It will be held a week after Kigali, with tight deadlines…
Very tight. Here too, we'll have to figure out how our people will return from their trip to Rwanda. The return is scheduled for September 29, four days before the European ChampionshipThe time trial won't be a problem because we will have different names than those who will race on the road, Since this is a course for specialists, I was thinking of Davide Donati and Nicolas MilesiBut there will be a way to understand.
