Fabio Fellina has just finished the Vuelta Burgos and now he can finally prepare for the first major Tour of the season. The rider of theAstana-Qazaqstan had been discarded at the very last minute by Tour de France despite having done all the preparation for the Grande Boucle.
But now this August seems to have brought a whole new wind for the Piedmontese. We're back, the condition is improving, the desire is there and we're also looking ahead to next year, especially since A few days ago his transfer – or rather return – to the group was made official Lidl Trek.
Burgos Furnace
Fabio tells us about a Vuelta Burgos is very hot. They're cooked. In the last stages, the average temperature reached 37 degrees. "It was a ferocious heat. At a certain point," says Felline, "I found myself side by side with Damian Caruso, who isn't exactly the last to arrive, and we exchanged a few words about how excited we were.
After being excluded from the Tour, I took a break for about ten days. So I reactivated myself for the Vuelta, but I'd say the Spanish calendar, since I've done Castilla y Leon, San Sebastian, now Burgos, and then the Vuelta. But it's not easy to be ready with these constant changes in the program and in fact I struggled a lot at the beginning.
"If I have to talk about feelings, I feel like I'm growing, but I'm far from the best Fabio. I hope this Burgos has fixed me. Anyway, I've worked hard to Battistella, I took air for him, I tried to break away and at the beginning I even succeeded."
In these cases, experience counts for a lot. At 33, Fabio knows how to handle these complicated situations, even from a nervous standpoint.
All-round
Felline, by his nature, can be fast anywhere, even in sprints, if only to help out or join a small group and compete in the sprint. And even in time trials, so much so that he wore the Italian flag at the 2019 World Championships. But He also knows how to work uphill for a leader. As he did last year for Nibali.
And it was also these characteristics that made him sign with Lidl-Trek. These characteristics and the good relations with Luca Guercilena, the team manager of the American team, where he has already been for six seasons from 2014 to 2019.
"We didn't part on bad terms," Felline says. "It was an ambiguous situation, and perhaps there wasn't even a real desire to change at first. Then I let myself be convinced that perhaps it was better to try other experiences, and so I did.
«But I have an excellent relationship with Guercilena and the same with Nino Daniele, their doctor. He is still my sports doctor and the same goes for many of my teammates, who are still there. I think of Stuyven and ciccone, Even though I only spent one year with Giulio, let's just say I left a little piece of my heart in that team."
The negotiation began in the spring. It was Catalunya and a prominent rider from the then Trek-Segafredo team, about to become Lidl-Trek, while chatting said to Felline: «But why, Given the good relationship you have with Guercilena, why don't you talk to her? It would be great if you came back with us. I will support your arrival." And so it went.
What role at Lidl?
Felline also spoke with the new team about the role he'll be filling, because that's also the crux of the matter. Good relations are fine, but concrete action is needed. So what will he do at Lidl-Trek?
«Today – explains Fabio – I am aware that I cannot compete with the great champions. But I'm good on all terrains, from sprinting to climbing. And at the same time, I can enjoy a tough, rolling run for myself. It is on this basis that I was asked and I feel ready.
Which was the same reason I came here to Astana. I had to work for Fuglsang, and in the meantime I had won the Pantani. I had carte blanche on a few occasions, like the Castelfidardo stage of the Tirreno, where I finished fourth. That's Fabio Felline. And everything was working well.
«Then since last year I found myself on a Tour that I shouldn't have done and from there a series of circumstances (physical and organizational) were triggered and it was all a succession of problems. A chasing of the condition."
We bet…
A peculiarity of this story is that Felline, in agreement with the future team, he signed for just one year.
«We wanted it to be a gamble – says Fabio – putting yourself on the line, doing your best and pursuing the goals I mentioned before: helping the leaders and maybe competing in a few races. I chose to sign for just one year because If I quit, I want to do it with dignity. I don't want to drag myself to the point of "running out" because I'm going slowly.
«But now I don't want to deny anything. I want to finish this chapter and this season with Astana-Qazaqstan in the best possible way. I want it for them and for myself. Because it's very important to finish strong. It gives you some motivation and some extra confidence heading into winter. Do you think you'll be going into it with a good feeling?
"And then there is also a dream to realize: to win a stage in a major Giro. In 14 years of professionalism I don't know how many podiums I have collected, but I have never managed to take home a stage among Line of Business, Tour e Return" Maybe this is the right time
