HASSELT (Belgium) – Two hundred meters. That's how far our national team was from winning the European title. So, the Belgian Tim Merlier he became champion of Europe. At the finish line in Hasselt, the crowd erupted with joy at their compatriot's victory, his 14th win of the season. Dutchman Olav Kooij took the silver medal, while Estonian Madis Mihkels took bronze.
Belgium celebrates, while Italy of Daniele bennati chew bitterOnly a 13th place for our captain Jonathan MilanThe disappointment in the Azzurri camp was immense.
Bennati's thoughts
The beautiful atmosphere at the start understandably turned into a heavy disappointment. A few moments before the start, coach Daniele Bennati jokingly confided: "I'm fine, come on, my legs are good!" Then, more seriously, he added: "The guys are calm, fired up, and motivated. We hope that everything we discussed in the various meetings will be replicated in the race. However, as we know, 90 percent of what we prepare often goes differently during a race. We're ready for any scenario, even if… It's clear that Van der Poel and Pedersen won't want to arrive in a sprint, so they'll try to make a mess first."
Everything was executed to perfection, apart from the failure to react to Pedersen's final acceleration, which forced us to chase, burning energy and precious men to launch Milan onto the final straight.
Naturally, the defeat created bad moods and long faces. Bennati, always kind and helpful, did not hold back after the match: "Let's say that a scenario has been created that we should have avoided. Unfortunately, the race developed in a certain way and our guys had to take the responsibility of chasing the group of six, which included Pedersen, Van der Poel and Laporte."
«We had to sacrifice Affini and Cattaneo – continues the coach – who would have been very useful in the last 3 kilometers. The number one goal was to not let Jonathan stay closed and to come out at the right timeUnfortunately, we had to leave too early, and so, starting 1.300 meters from the finish, we stayed too long. Inevitably, the pace wasn't high enough to pave the way for Milan, and Merlier, starting from behind, surprised us. We shouldn't have allowed this situation to arise, but the boys did their best and gave it their all. Congratulations to Belgium and Merlier, who managed to wear us down and leave us with only a few men at the end."
A word from the Azzurri
Besides Bennati, those most willing to talk were David Ballerini and, after the long debriefing on the bus, Mirco Maestri ed Edoardo Affini. Jonathan Milan and Simone Consonni have remained silent.
«We gave our soul – he said David Ballerini – as always, to defend the national team's colors. We were present at every opportunity, but unfortunately, we were caught unprepared at a crucial moment. The pursuit cost us two men. Then, we tried to create the best possible team, but understandably the mechanisms aren't as perfect as those of club teams, as we run together less often.
Mirco Maestri, At his first call-up to the national team, he lets himself be approached while eating a tart, which despite the sugar remains bitter: "We managed the race well to bring Milan as best we could towards the end, but then, with Cattaneo and Affini, we sacrificed ourselves to close on Pedersen and Van der Poel's group. If it hadn't been for us, they would have arrived. Unfortunately, with a few fewer men, the speed dropped and we were surprised from behind. Jonathan wasn't able to sprint, which is a real shame given his current form."
Edward Affini He concludes a positive week for himself, after his victory in Wednesday's individual time trial: "Unfortunately, the result wasn't there, but I think we did everything right, at least up until the 3km mark. Something didn't work out in the final carriages."
So, was Belgium smart or did it gamble?Belgium – confides Affini – He made a couple of changes, but I honestly think he kept the men to pull the sprint. We took responsibility. In any case, I'm happy with the team and, yes, on a personal level, it was a fantastic week."
It was of little use waiting so long to speak with the other players. When they finally got off the bus, both Consonni and Milan were reluctant to comment. Sure, the disappointment is understandable, but you're a champion even when, cool-headed, after a shower and debriefing, you leave a comment. Now, for the coach and the Azzurri, attention shifts to the World Cup.
The path
The 222,8 km route started in Heusden-Zolder and finished in Hasselt, in Belgian Limburg. Being in Flanders, the route included some sections of cobblestones. Nothing comparable to the Northern Classics, but these sectors were decisive in livening up the race.
Starting from the F1 circuit in Zolder, the riders headed towards Hasselt, where they faced a flat street circuit to be repeated three times. Things got serious once we reached the “Limburg circuit”, 32,5 kilometers long and repeated three times. The menu included the first two cobbled sections, Manshoven (1.300 meters) and Op de Kriezel (1.500 meters), and two small walls: the Kolmontberg (600 meters at 4,5 percent) and the Zammelenberg (700 meters at 4,2 percent).
After overcoming these obstacles, the riders returned to Hasselt, where the finish was scheduled after a lap and a half of the circuit. In total, the course included 8 cobblestone sectors and six walls, even if not particularly challenging.
The race
As expected, the race was animated by riders like Pedersen and Van der Poel, who were forced to avoid a sprint. With 55 kilometers to go, during the final pass on Op de Kriezel, with yet another acceleration from Pedersen, a group of 6 men formed… and what a group!
Mathieu Van der Poel, Danny Van Poppel (Netherlands), Christophe Laporte (France), Mads Pedersen (Denmark), Jonas Rutsch (Germany), and Arthur Kluckers (Luxembourg). No Italians managed to break through, so Affini and Cattaneo had to work hard to limit the damage at the front of the pack. The leading group's maximum advantage was 28 seconds.
Belgium took a gamble, leaving the Italians to chase. At 31 kilometers to go, six Italians were leading the peloton, closing the gap to seven seconds. Van der Poel turned around, shaking his head, while Pedersen continued to push ahead on the final difficult cobblestone section (500 meters) with 28 kilometers to go. However, with the help of the Belgians, the Italians managed to catch the breakaway riders, compacting the group at 25 kilometers to go. Despite the Italians leading the pack until 250 meters from the finish, it was Belgian Tim Merlier who took the win.
