«I am very sorry for the action of my three boys on Saturday at Milan-Sanremo, has been passed over in silence. We always look only at the final result, at the finishing line, forgetting that cycling is commitment, performance, it has so much more to say» Ivan's words are scathing. Low, the manager of the Polti-Kometa even a few days after Classicissima, where Andrea Pietrobon, David Fuck and Mirco Masters they built an action that lasted 250 kilometers, in the company of 8 other riders (among which, it is right to underline, another trio from the same team, the Corratec-Vini Fantini with Baldaccini, Counts e Tsarenko).
An escape where there was the clear feeling that nothing had been left to chance, but rather it was the implementation of a project that had started a long time ago: «We presented at Sanremo a team with a sprinter like Lonardi who had the task of staying as close as possible to the other sprinters in the group, then a handful of attackers. We had to carve out a space for ourselves in a very particular race, because it has a script already written».
In what sense?
Unlike many other races, the Milan-Sanremo seems to have a pre-established script. On the eve of the race, everyone said that the UAE would try to select riders to launch Pogacar, that Tadej and Van der Poel would try to make the difference on the Cipressa or on the Poggio and that the race would be resolved either by a challenge between two or by a very small group of ridersAnd so it was, the plot was respected. In this reading, we had to carve out our own space, and we could only do so with long-range escape.
Why do you say that your action was not given the due prominence?
Because escapes are now taken for granted, but that's not the case. There's a way to get there, and you have to learn it, struggling, running, and taking the wind in your face. It's not easy, and it's not written when the escape will begin, and especially not with whom. The guys were very good, already after 15 kilometers they found the right move even with other riders with similar characteristics. It is no coincidence, for example, that in the same breakaway there were Masters and Tonelli, they did it last year too, because they have that kind of instinct.
What was the value of such a long escape?
Very high because it left its mark on the race. In that group of 12 brave riders there were very good, strong riders and it is no coincidence that the group did not allow large gaps to be reached, it always kept them within range.That action forced the teams to work continuously throughout the race and therefore also affected their performance throughout the day.
Do you think it also influenced the race strategies of the strongest teams? For example, UAE, which was supposed to make the race tough before Pogačar started…
I don't believe that, Similar teams are equipped to pull all day as is always seen in the Grand ToursThey know how to deal with these days, in the end the above-mentioned plot still unfolded without any major surprises, but it certainly characterized the race.
Did you expect Bais to reach this far, almost to the mouth of the Poggio?
This is a topic I'm very keen to discuss. Davide is an Italian rider who is maturing, and is becoming known for his ability to break away. He's developing as an athlete. If you get wind in your face, it boosts your self-esteem. Today they catch you 15 kilometers from the finish line, tomorrow 10, but the day will come when you will reach the finish line e he already proved it at the Giro d'ItaliaBut when it happens, it's no coincidence and it's not surprising. It's clear that that victory, too, was the result of strategy, of work that began a long time ago. Maestri tried at the Tirreno-Adriatico, he tried again at the Sanremo and he will try againWhen he succeeds (and I'm sure he will), it will be the fruit of all these opportunities that didn't go to waste, that weren't wasted time, on the contrary.
In your opinion, what were the conditions for the escape to happen?
First of all, it needed the other teams, the major ones, to underestimate the situation, but there were very experienced sports directors, who immediately urged their players to get to work, keeping her close. Then, the weather conditions were suitable. If there had been a strong tailwind, especially on the coast, when temperatures reached minus 30 degrees, then it would have been difficult for the group to get things back on track. I repeat, sometimes escapes happen, they should not be taken lightly and above all they must be evaluated in the appropriate way, giving the right emphasis to those who carry them outI remember I had a teammate who became famous thanks to his breakaways, Jens Voigt, because he won a lot of races like that, even some major ones.
Is this escape becoming your trademark?
Yes, but we are not just that. I have before my eyes the crazy numbers that Pietrobon, Bais and Maestri achieved on Saturday, they put horses in the engine and they will find them later onI say that their performance reflects this first part of the season.
How was it in your opinion?
Very positive. We've earned four times as many UCI points as last year, with three victories. But I also look beyond that: when you're doing two things and you see that you're getting results simultaneously, it means the team is working, and I'm not just talking about the riders, but the entire staff. We've grown exponentially, but we've lost some key players in the transfer market. as I had pointed out, but we've signed other very good players, and above all, we're leveraging our own talents, which we've been slowly cultivating. Look at how Piganzoli fared at Tirreno... We value performance, not just results, because if the same people always win, what are the others supposed to do? Cycling is much more complex than a simple finishing line.
