GORIZIA – In the cycling of big budgets, of the WorldTour, of research, It can also happen that a non-professional boy wins the national championship. In Gorizia, the Italian championship was won by Filippo Conca. The Lecco-born rider beat Alessandro Covi of UAE Emirates e Thomas Pesenti, the latter belonging to the devo team of the Soudal Quick Step.
Attention, Filippo Conca is no stranger. He's a non-professional only in a bureaucratic sense, because he's a true rider. One of those who until three years ago was in the WorldTour with Lotto Soudal and until last autumn was racing for Q36.5. But the fact that an athlete of a club, because his team, the Swat ClubIt's an ASD, not even a continental one – winning a race like that is news. It's a title. And also something to think about.
Covi defeated
Let's reconstruct this day. A scorching, or at least very muggy, departure from Trieste. Immediately an attack involving some of Conca's comrades, including Francesco Carollo e Lorenzo Ginestra. Then the race goes smoothly all things considered. Everyone is waiting for the XDS-Astana: there are ten of them and they are strong, they are in control but evidently their legs are not at their best.
On the second pass over the San Floriano, the day's steepest climb, Covi makes a move. Pesenti, Aleotti, and Conca follow, and some of the breakaway riders rejoin. Covi tries to break away on the final crest, and almost succeeds, but Conca grit his teeth until the end and holds on. Mattia Gaffuri, also of the Swatt Club, rejoins, and the sprint is five-way.
Conca wins by half a wheel over Covi, then puts his finger to his mouth, before collapsing to the ground and saying: "Now everyone be quiet." A sincere outburst, which he won't reveal to us even later, but which probably has very specific recipients.
Joy breaks out
“It’s truly a great feeling,” says Conca. “These have been difficult months. In October I found myself without a team, after four years of sacrifices for the various teams I was on. I've been waiting for this moment since October. I've been working hard these past few months. I've been dedicating myself to gravel riding a bit, just to have some goals, to stay focused, because otherwise it would have been really hard to go nine or ten months without racing."
Conca has completed 11 days of racing this year, including today. Aside from the Turin-Biella in April, the only road race he took part in was the Oberösterreich Rundfahrt, a short Austrian stage race in category 2.2. The other races were all gravel, including the well-known Conveyor.
«In the end – Filippo continues – I suffered a lot. I wasn't the strongest, but I held on. Really, really hard. I pushed myself even further on the final climb. Every lap I was pushing myself to the limit. In the sprint, I knew Covi was faster, but I also knew that if I entered the cobbled section with more speed, I would have a chance. And so it was."
Conca Earthquake
Without a doubt, Conca's is an important story. A story that in some ways recalls cycling from 80-100 years ago, when there were the famous “isolates”, riders without a team. Filippo has a team, but it's not professional. Where will we see the Italian flag? What will happen next? And what will people say about Italian cycling? These were the questions circulating among the experts.
His agent, Manuel Quinziato, who was present at the finish line, was happy. He knows that from now on he will have to and will be able to find him a place on another team. Since he's not even on a continental team, In Conca, there's no need to wait until August 1st to change shirts. Everything is (already) in motion.
The least surprised, some are even happy, are the riders. Among all of them, James Nizzolo, former teammate and friend of daily training, as soon as he arrives, he hugs him"What did you do? What happened? Bravo, bravo!" Nizzolo, who has just announced his retirement at the end of the season, almost cries.
But if there are those who have doubts, there are those who celebrate. Swatt Club explodes with joyFriends, enthusiasts, fellow Conca riders, and club members who came to lend a hand… They raised chants. His team manager, Beretta, was moved.: A very strong guy won. I don't understand why someone with numbers like his is out of the running. How much does Conca earn? But what salary? At the end of the year I'll leave him two bikes.».
Meanwhile, the new Italian champion has just stepped off the podium and shows off his sparkling wine-scented jersey: "Do I realize that this victory is an earthquake for Italian cycling? Yes, it's definitely an earthquake. I don't know what will change, nor do I want to think about it. I only know that I am one of the few who believed in this day. I thank them... and myself."
Very targeted preparation
Conca, born in 1998, has a solid track record among the Under 23s and even a few pro finishes. Today, determination made the difference. And he knows it. He says so.
"I prepared really well, even without the support of a WorldTour team. I've made a step forward. This cycling is so fast that many riders go too fast. They plug holes and never arrive ready like I have been for the last four years. Ultimately, I've never really been able to prepare well and be at my best. This time, however, I was able to prepare for this goal in the best possible way.
"In other sports, like the marathon, you prepare for months for a race. This helped me. I knew many were tired today after the Tour of Italy. Once upon a time, we would leave the Giro in great shape, but today it seems the opposite. And this, despite not having race pace, was in my favor."
But if this victory is sensational for many, it's less so for Conca himself. Listen to this: "Nizzolo is a great friend. I trained hard with him, but also with Marco Tizza, Simone Petilli... They motivated me not to give up. I've also been to high altitudes: in May I was in Livigno and had a bad fall because of a marmot while I was going downhill. But I didn't give up. After a week of inactivity, I started preparing for this goal again."
«I'm really happy. Happy to have won, but perhaps even more so to have had the courage not to give up. in these months."
