At some point during the week It looked like it might snow again in Sanremo and the memory went back to the infernal edition of 2013. Don't worry, however, we don't want to offer you the story of that time, but knocking on the door of a boy who almost froze that day and still bears the marks of it today: Manuel Belletti.
Unlucky Tyrrhenian Sea
Just Wednesday evening, the Romagnolo he learned that the Tirreno-Adriatico crash will not have too complicated consequencesIt happened in the Gualdo Tadino stage: just when Manuel thought he was going to make a good sprint, with 3 minutes to go Izagirre thought it best to move and overwhelm him.
«I fell down – he says with the pain still in his voice – and my shoulder popped outLuckily, it had happened to me before, so the joint has more play and nothing was torn. However, I had to rest, but now I hope to be able to get back on the rollers soon. Our team won't be competing in the Sanremo and I'm sorry, but the years of placings are gone and it's no longer a race within my reachIt's getting harder and harder to finish in the group. And the very year I was going strongest, when I had even placed in the Tirreno, was the year of snow. And in the end... I never recovered the last toe on my right footI can't feel it anymore and at first it bothered me a lot, because I was pedaling and it felt like I was going in vain..."
Objective Giro
Belletti runs today at Eolo-Kometand in the dream book he wrote that he wanted to win a stage at the Tour of ItalyIf it hadn't been for Covid, the Giro d'Italia would have been held again last year the Cesenatico stage on the same day in May 2010, when Manuel won in his own cityThe pandemic, however, rewrote the calendars, and Belletti didn't go to the Giro. And while no one wants to reopen wounds that are healing or rekindle long-simmering controversies, the official version does not coincide with the one he would provide and which in his opinion doesn't rhyme much with the word meritocracy.
«But now there's no point in going over it again – he says – I'm much happier with this team's project. Spada fell in love with cycling and wants to make a significant climb. We really have all the best, starting with technicians like Zanatta, Yates and Jesus Hernandez, people with the attributes that make us bring out our best. They took me and Gavazzi To be alongside the youngsters, and I'm happy to help the group grow. Motivation goes a long way, and knowing you have two legends like Basso and Contador behind you is an incredible boost. When the two of them talk, even we, who are old, look at them with wide eyes.. And doing the Giro is of vital importance. It's fine that Eolo is a sponsor, but it's never easy or predictable and we'll have to live up to it.».
Meanwhile, the Sanremo will be held tomorrow, and it's unknown if the weather will be unpredictable again. But Belletti won't be there; he'll be training after his Spanish season was thwarted by Covid and the Tirreno ended poorly. He will race in Türkiye and finally in Spain before the Giro35 may seem young, but to make it seem lighter, you need to have great motivation.
