SAINT QUENTIN EN YVELINES (France) – When he collapses, it's the one from London. Alone. "He's angry," his wife Elena Cecchini revealed. He wanted to win.. When he gets up, he is the one in TokyoProud as a standard-bearer, moved because great people shouldn't hide their sensitivity. They show themselves for who they areAnd he is still the one from Rio, an absolute champion. The Elia Viviani of Paris writes the last page of a special Olympic career.
Three metals, the same Elijah
There is all Elijah, in all three metals that he has at home from todayA golden boy, anyone who knows him will confirm that. Hair that will turn silver sooner or later, damn time passes for him too. Brazen face on the track, when needed. When, for example, you need to seize the opportunity to catch a ride with the group in Madison. He has always had an above-average intelligence, he demonstrated it yesterday too, at the key moment. When he understood that he could gain the advantage that allowed him and Consonni to reach the podium.
Who knows how things would have gone without that wrong gear change before the final sprint that led to Simone's crash.
«Portugal won by 7 points – he analyses – with the sprint skipped we could have taken 5, the gold was not lost for that».
"He messed up our plans at the end, but ifs and buts don't get you anywhere," Consonni retorted. He took the second medal, the third in an ideal bedroom with sister Chiara where perhaps they already dreamed of the Olympics as children.
Lots of quality work
The one from London is the Viviani who arrived here. The one who "trained like an eighteen-year-old," as coach Marco Villa says. And he confirms. "We've done a lot of quality work." As if he were facing his first Olympics. "We had to increase the watts, find harder gearsI didn't even work with the quartet anymore."
But then something went wrong in the omnium. Like in London, precisely. "I was disappointed, because I had worked so hard. I found very strong opponents, but something didn't workMadison is a race we didn't prepare for, but we know how to run. The girls showed us that too. Seeing them from the outside helped us. We needed courage, we found it, even at the cost of blowing up in the final. Instead it went well, it was beautiful, with a pinch of madness." Like when you are young, in fact.
The last race of a champion
But Elia is also the one from Rio. An example, as a flag bearer should be. "I ran with Elia's head, heart, and legs," he says. Simone Consonni, who had his teammate's helmet on his head"Because I'd tried others, but it hadn't gone well." Her silver medal is "worth a lot, because it's my second medal." For her sister Chiara, who "told me she loves me, and we don't say that often. It's the most beautiful thing."
This applies to our entire team. Even if the quartets didn't go as well as hoped, we are still a strong team". With a true leader. "When you leave and you know that you participate in the last race of a champion who made history, you know you have to be perfectAnd I'm very happy to have been on the podium with him. And to have put into practice everything he's taught me over the years."
The value of silver
Elia is the one from Tokyo. He who knows how to appreciate the value of a medal even if it is not made of the most precious metal.
«In Japan I was more happy – he says – because I had earned it tooth and nail. Here the gold was very close and that's why I cried too.Out of anger. But then I analyze everything and know it's a well-earned and very important silver. I wanted to end my Olympic experience with a medal and I got it.».
Through Elena's eyes
to Paris it is the now married Elijah, who also lets himself be looked at with the wife's eyes that holds the top spot. "The medal was his goal and he achieved it. He's a champion.We've been apart a lot these past few months, and now I can't wait to spend time with him."
Time tells us this is the last Olympics. Elia will be at the closing ceremony, as he was at the opening. "We've closed a circle. Olympic. I would have signed for a medal. Analyzing things, however, we took a turn of cunning, the Portuguese did it when the race explodedIt's a sign of legs. They were the strongest, we probably couldn't do anything about it. The silver was missing, we're putting it in the collection. And let's end this story with a happy ending."
He walks away smiling. And leaves a doubt. Maybe Elia isn't the one from London, or the one from Rio, or the one from Tokyo, or the one from Paris. It's just the same as always. A starAnd on the night of Saint Lawrence, in Paris the stars don't fall. They ascend the podium.
