COMANO TERME – Since he finished second behind Ganna in Cittadella in 2020, For De Marchi, the Italian time trial has become a pleasant obsession to live with.. Perhaps it had already become so the year before, on the streets of Bedonia, when they ended up in front of him again Ganna and also Bettiol. And if in the last two seasons things never went as he would have liked, after the beautiful Giro d'Italia with the new jersey of Team Jayco-AlUla the little thought for today's test in Comano Terme it came back to knock loudly in his dreams.
This is why he went to the Tour of Slovenia and you can therefore understand why the curses when in the first stage in Rogaska Slatina he fell, violently hitting his ribsYou never get used to ending up on the ground, especially if injury has become a constant companion. But this time Alessandro didn't give up.. And having had confirmation from the x-rays that there was no fracture, the next day he left regularly towards Ormoz and He finished the stage in last place, escorted by Lucas Hamilton, after having led the group for 90 kilometres, with a crazy rage inside.
A special time trial
The organizers have also understood that he has his eyes on the Italian championship that will be held today. Comano Terme 2023, which the presence of the Friulian on the route was reported in the days following the Giro d'Italia.
The race It was supposed to leave at 16,45pm, but was instead brought forward to 12pm, when the sun will be at its peak: yesterday the temperature was 34 degrees and given the harshness of the route, we will find ourselves faced with a scenario like the one in which, in the heat of Faenza 2021, sobrero He took advantage of the less smooth than usual route and anticipated Affini and Cattaneo, with Ganna furious, fourth and off the podium.
«It's a demanding route – explains De Marchi – and particular for a time trial (finally I say). It's not the classic plate to push, remaining in positionIt's definitely a track that forces you to carefully evaluate your effort and think about your strategy. I'd say that this is the beauty of time trials.».
Two-sided path
The path, if you look closely, is divided in two parts: first uphill stretch up to Passo San Udalrico (10,7 km) and the descent for 5,7 km, finally a flat stretch up to the finish.
«The path should be divided in two – continues De Marchi – the first 13 kilometers, then the remaining 10 or so. The first 13 kilometers start with a short, smooth flat section that leads to the first, steepest, climb. It's 2,5 kilometers, divided into two sections with gradients of around 7-8 percent.
«At the top you don't go over the hill, because the first stretch of slight slope begins, you have to push, stuff at around 40 km/h, difficult to do more. After this stretch of about 6-7 kilometers, you reach the last notch, the false flat becomes steeper in the last 2 kilometers, again always pushing».
Fast and technical finish
Thus ends the difficult stretch and begins one that is certainly faster and more technical, which from the descent will project the riders like missiles towards the finish line in Sarche, from which the time trial also starts.
«Go up the hill and start a very fast and technical descent – confirms De Marchi – where you get your first real breather. Towards the end of the descent there is another slight slope to literally skip, which takes you to the final stretch on a narrow road. It's all in and out, you have to pedal hard, but also you have to ride wellThe last 3 kilometers are linear and fast. It's a great time trial, difficult to interpret and therefore in my opinion very open».
Good starting field
Between those who dropped out of the Giro and were saving their energy and those who are instead on course for the Tour, the Italian time trial will see our best specialists at the start. sobrero, who left the Tour of Switzerland and was heading to the Tour. Ganna, who left the Giro due to Covid after the seventh stage and went looking for form on the Route d'Occitanie. Mattia Cattaneo, best Italian (7th at 39 seconds from Ayuso) in the final time trial of the Tour of Switzerland, passing through Barons which grows and reaches Allied ProductsThe Mantuan did not race again after the Giro d'Italia. won alongside Roglic and here he is hoping to make a special day.
«I don't give up – he says – but I am aware of my condition And that on a course like this, you win by being really strong. I hope we can pull off a great day. The heat will be a factor to take into account, but compared to Faenza, the asphalt here is good.. Despite this, I will not use flat ratios. I'll have the 43-56 in front while at the back I'll start with the 10-33».
The Comano tricolore program will open in two hours, at 9 am, with the junior men's and women's time trials. At 11 am it will be the turn of the under 23s,At 12 the professionals run and starting at 15,30pm it will be the turn of the male and female students. The heat is quite fierce and humid, the weather forecast calls for some showers during the night.
