As he said a few days ago Egan Bernal, cycling is above all a matter of the mind. And Francesco Lamon showed that he has a lot of mental energy at the Vuelta San Juan, thrown into the lions' den like the other Italian track cyclists. Among all these road cyclists, ready for a season of climbs, sprints, and long distances, the Venetian rider had to grit his teeth every single day. For him, who is the Olympic champion in the team pursuit, the season will mainly consist of challenges on the track. 4-minute efforts, but they require a solid foundation. And to build this base, Lamon flew to the Return to San Juan.
Fatigue load
The stages must have seemed like torture to him, but when you know you have to do a certain type of work, you're lucky enough to be able to manage yourself.
"I am two months – he says on a hot morning like any other – that we started working intensely, alternating between road and trackBefore coming here we managed to do a significant amount of work on the track. Here we knew that it would be difficult for us anyway, because obviously we do relatively few road races Few. So we had to save ourselves, try to work as hard as possible, and put as much effort into our legs as possible. Something that is actually happening.
«The effort of this race will be enough to cover the period of the World Cups, so consequently it's fine. I don't know if there will be other road races later on. They're welcome, I'm at the manager's disposal. We just have to stay calm, hold on, and know that our goal is not here, but in 20 days.».
One man less
The International Olympic Committee has thought it best to shuffle the cards again and so now Each nation will be able to field only 5 athletes at the Olympics: the 4 of the quartet plus a reserveEach of these 5 athletes will have to run the events for which the nation is qualified. The fight for a place, which had been very close until Tokyo, now risks going beyond.
In the Italy of the great pursuers, the problem of abundance risks affecting those who do not have versatility as their strong point. And whoever does only one specialty will be called upon to play at a very high level: this could be the case with Lamon, who is especially strong in the quartet starts. A role in which, however, he has already been tested. Jonathan Milan.
«And this is a problem, even if relative – continues Lamon – because it means that there is also competitiveness within our national team, which will bring out the best in each of us, leading us to have the most competitive national team. Others have tried their hand at pitching, like Milan. But that doesn't mean I'll have to change my training or anything else."
"Obviously," Lamon continues, "when it's crucial to have the best time, I'll try to be ready, regardless of whether I can be first or second. In short, if Consonni can do the starts, maybe we could try having him start and me be second. We will live it little by little, like when we all get together, to talk about it and understand which is the best quartet..
«As for the other disciplines – he admits – it is clear that in Madison the priority will be for Elia and SimoneFrom this point of view, I cannot say that I am already among the five. As I said, first there is work to be done and the others will work too, always focused on the piece, until the selection takes place."
Always at the top
In a group of pursuers with names such as, among others, Lamon himself, Ganna, Milan, Viviani, Consonni and Moro, it is clear that The advantage of having a long bench will be useful when the hunt for qualification points moves to the World Cups.
«Qualifying for the national team – admits Lamon – is relatively easy. Qualifying for the Italian national team is much more difficult.It's a bit of a stressful situation that has its pros and cons. You always have to give your best in every little job., while the bright side is that anyway We know that five people who can take home a medal will go to Paris.».
