Remember the Baracchi Trophy? On the calendar from 1941 to 91 and from 1949 with the time trial format, it was the classic end-of-season event in international cycling. Some pairs have remained in people's memories, like Fausto Coppi that after three victories with Riccardo Filippi in 1957 he triumphed with the young Ercole Baldini Olympic the year before, or the greats Altitude e Anquetile triumphant in 1962, Anquetil himself with gimondi in '68, Moser e saroni in '79, still Moser and Hinault in '84 (opening photo) until the '91 edition, individual return to conclude the World Cup.
At the same time in Lombardy the European GP which lasted a little longer, until 2000. In 1999 he won it, together with the Ukrainian Belohvosciks, a very young Marco Pinotti who remembers that type of race well and who we therefore called as an interlocutor to imagine a contemporary Baracchi, asking ourselves and asking him what could be the best time trial pairs based on current samples.
Marco, we can only start with Filippo Ganna: who would he be best paired with and technically best suited to?
It's not easy, because Filippo has an imposing physique and needs a rider of similar size: with Rohan Dennis, for example, a well-matched couple would not be formed because Ganna It would take too much air. In Italy he could form a good pairing with Affini, but considering the characteristics of Baracchi, where international pairs from different teams were formed, I say that the ideal would be to see him together with the European champion Kung.
Let's move on to Van Aert and Evenepoel: would they be a possible pairing?
Not at all, from any point of view. Technically Van Aert he is much taller than his compatriot so he would have to work much harder, not to mention that it doesn't seem to me that they get along very well in terms of character... They often tease each other, there is no affinity, the last World Cup proved it, Parsani was right in saying that Remco raced more for Alaphilippe than for Van AertI would see this last one well with Dennis, evenepoel could instead be paired with Vermeersch, the revelation of Roubaix who at the U23 World Championships showed he can race against time.
Same nation but different teams for Roglic and Pogacar too…
Here the situation is different, they are well matched and beyond the normal sporting rivalry there is a certain feeling, pogacar For example, at the 2020 World Championships, he openly rode for his compatriot. The only problem is that they would need a course with some technical difficulties, some undulations, to keep up with great rouleurs like Ganna or Kung.
How would you compare Kung to Bissegger? Two time trial specialists who come from the track…
And considering that the time trials were always over very long distances, they could pay the price in the long run. Considering that kung has great power and Bissegger a very low aerodynamic coefficient, I would say that they might emerge at the beginning but would risk falling apart as the race progresses.
Back to Italy: Ganna aside, would a partnership of Affini and Sobrero be viable?
No, there is always too much physical difference. Allied Products he could make better use of his characteristics with a similar rider, he would need physical protection when it's the other one's turn to shoot. Matthias Cattaneo it would be fine, as would an Alberto Bettiol.
A Danish duo, a pure specialist and a great rouleur: Bjerg-Asgreen…
This is really a couple I like, two tall athletes, highly suited to time trials and fully compatible, even over long distances. They would risk overwhelming the competition…
We're staying at home Deceuninck Quick Step with Cavagna and Almeida…
No, here the problem seen with the Swiss arises again. Cavagna it is suitable for very flat time trials, Almeida It's too light for long, smooth races. Cavagna could be good with someone like Asgreen, remaining in the team, Almeida could perhaps achieve more with Cattaneo.
And who would Pinotti have paired up with?
Definitely with Dennis, it would have been ideal for my characteristics…
Would you like to see an event like this return?
In the current calendar there is no room, even considering how the race was, a sort of final catwalk of the season. However, the time trial has its reasons and to tell the truth I would see it well inserted in the relay teamThe current format for the World and European Championships, with three athletes competing, effectively excludes many nations that struggle to find three athletes of equal technical and physical ability. By pairing two pairs, I believe there would be more participation and also less uncertainty.
