Davide Cimolai he started running again, after a good period of preparation, at Tour of Poland, a race that has rewarded many sprinters. In which, the Friulian of the Cofidis, achieved a good seventh place in the final stage in Krakow. Points that are also useful for the standings The French team's WorldTour campaign. A difficult recovery, punctuated by many difficulties, But what did Cimolai find in Poland? We asked him to tell us about this race.
«In the second stage I fell – says Davide – I was in really bad shape, I didn't retire because I really did everything I could to go to the European ChampionshipUnfortunately I was not selected by the city Welcome, I would have been happy. I played 4 European Championships and a World Championship, I could have given a big hand in the help phase or as a last man (in his place as the last man was brought Guarnieri, ed.). I had given my word to Bennati, I went to work for a month in Livigno and I came to Poland taking this race as preparationThe fall did not help, there were also others who went strong, like Milan».
Too many falls
The seven stages of the Tour de Pologne have seen numerous crashes. One crash occurred right on the first stage, involving several riders; eight riders subsequently withdrew from the race the following day.
«It seems – says Cimolai with a serious voice – that Jakobsen's fall two years ago taught us nothingEven on the last stage, arriving in Krakow, we crossed the tram tracks several times on the final circuit. My question is whether theUCI look at the routesIn the end, in seven stages we crashed every day. I would have one for each one. In the first stage there was a descent one kilometer from the finish, it's normal that all hell broke loose. Even in the fifth stage, won by Bauhaus, in the last kilometer, 700 meters from the finish, there was a dangerous bend, so much so that the first ones fell, and 10 of them did the sprint».
A nice side dish
During the week of the Tour de Pologne, the riders toured many cities and saw many incredible views: from the plains to the mountains on the border with Slovakia. So many different colors and colorful towns welcomed the caravan.
«On the other hand I must say – continues Cimolai – that we saw many beautiful places, like the mountains that surrounded us during the time trialOn the fourth stage we arrived in the centre of Sanok, the square was really beautiful, being able to enjoy the places when you are on a bike is difficult, but I liked the little I saw. The hotels were also very nice and well equipped.We had perfect buffets for us cyclists. You know, in these races it's difficult to have a chef or a food truck behind us. We traveled a lot, There were some long transfers, but this is now part of modern cyclingOn the last stage, we arrived at the start less than half an hour before the start. There was a lot of traffic, but these are inconveniences that can happen."
The Tour de Pologne has allowed us to discover many corners of this beautiful country. Here's the view from the hill outside Przemysl, the finish line of the third stage of the Tour de Pologne. Zanok's main square, the finish line of the fourth stage
The Tour de Pologne has allowed us to discover many corners of this beautiful country. Here's the view from the hill outside Przemysl, the finish of the third stage Zanok's main square, the finish line of the fourth stage
Young riders and “carefree”
The Tour de Pologne has always been a race that has rewarded and highlighted many young riders. From the victory of a new professional, Moreno Moser, to the deeds of vingegaard, up to those seen in this edition.
"There were so many young players, and that's why I was already psychologically prepared for the setbacks. Polonia has always been known for that. But, to get back to what we were talking about earlier: The UCI is breaking everything: sock size, shirts... But nothing about falls.I fell not because someone slipped and hit me, which happens and you can't do anything about it, but because a young guy didn't brake and hit me head on.or I would put in a sort of slow motion, in my case this athlete would have to be disqualifiedThe next day I went up and talked, and I was fine, but the other guy who fell with us broke two ribs. While I was talking to him, he didn't seem to realize what had happened.
«It's normal to want to talk about this, this is getting difficult to handle, once they said to run ahead, but even that doesn't help. Think about the fall I mentioned before the fifth stage: the first ones have fallen, running in front is no longer enough. And trust me, it will only get worse, with technology, bikes will always be faster."
