CASSANO MAGNAGO – "It wasn't easy to stay clear-headed after 200 kilometers of everything. Today was the coldest day of my life. I hope no one who… he writes a lot about us prove what we felt at the top of the Simplon Pass…».
It's just after 17 p.m., and the light, and thankfully not cold, drizzle is relentless. The crowd isn't intimidated and is crowded along the barriers, trying to follow the finale on the organizers' screens. When the leaders stop after the line and tell the story of the stage, the group still has 19 minutes of hard work ahead of them. Ineos Grenadiers has decided to let go of the pink jersey, which ends up on the shoulders of Bruno Armirail, Frenchman of the Groupama-FDJ, on a day that was worse than yesterday's weather conditions, boycotted by the group.
In the country that speaks of Ivan Basso in every corner, the last 10 minutes of a race that lasted 4 hours and twenty minutes were enough to to kill the dreams of the three Italians on the run, who would have given up more than a few dreams to win.
Oldani and Ballerini are in the leading trio. Bettiol returned just in time to launch the sprint. Everyone really needed it, though. Denz's double put everyone in agreement.
The Dancer's Mood
Dancers stay for a good five minutes bent over the bike, God only knows what thoughts. Then he stands up for a second, smiles at the fans from the fan club who are calling him from the barrier and goes back down. When the heart starts beating again and the ability to speak brings the desire to disappear closer, the canturino rises.
«It wasn't easy – he says – for sure. The last few days have been difficult for me and the team, but we are proving that we have the legs, that we are here and we will continue to try until the end. I was called to the Giro at the last moment, I had to help Evenepoel. I wasn't ready to do anything else, but luckily the passing of the kilometers is giving me good legsIt's not easy to transition to the mentality of winning stages. Today we tried to do everything we could until the end, but unfortunately that's how it went. I'm sorry, but I gave my all».
Oldani's plan
Oldani disposed of it earlier, or simply hid himself better from the targets and he had time to come to terms with it. He entered the largest breakaway of the day with great promptness and was also quick to stay ahead at the time of selection, but it wasn't enough.
«We have always given ourselves regular changes – he explains a stone's throw from Bettiol and Ballerini – but then they came up very strong and caught us right on the finishing straightIt's a shame, because I think we both deserved the win: Ballerini and I, but Rex deserved it too. We went strong. We gave it our all. The only thing that definitely didn't work in my favor in the escape was the fact that I didn't have any teammates.: managing the situation with many larger teams was not easy.
"The shot at the end? It was to anticipate – he smiles oldani – I had spoken to Ballero and told him: “Don’t follow me when I start off at a long pace, then if you catch me, you sprint.” We both didn't want to get caught out, being friends, but it happened. They came up really hard from behind and goodbye..."
Bettiol's oversight
We have already spoken about Bettiol and his poisoned tooth at the beginning, but looking at him with his face marked by the kilometers and the dirty water, It's clear that the Tuscan is happy with the sensations he has finally rediscovered.
"When you have legs like this," Bettiol says dryly, "you have to win. Today things were going well. At the beginning I wasn't really that brilliant, but then it got better and better., until in the last 10 kilometers we found the right collaboration. I missed the sprint and I'm sorry. I took it too far, at 300 meters.Unfortunately I looked at my computer, it said 200. But then I saw the sign and when I noticed it, I tried to slow down, but Denz arrived from behind and deserved it.
«I only had a couple of chances in this Giro d'Italia. One the other day in Rivoli and today was probably the last one, because there will be a fairly flat stage next weekToday was perfect, even the arrival was right. I'm sorry, though. at the same time also happy because I feel that my legs are improving».
Armirail in pink
The other news of the day is the passing of the pink jersey from Thomas to Armirail, a 1,90 m tall (74 kg) domestique born in 1994 in Bagneres de Bigorre, at the foot of the French Pyrenees. He has been a professional since 2018, with only one pro victory to his name (the 2022 national time trial championship). his girlfriend has Italian origins and when they point out to him that the last Frenchman in the squad was Jalabert in 1999, his eyes pop out.
«To be clear – he says – I started cycling very late. Cycling didn't interest me at all before, I didn't have any idols. I know who Jalabert is, of course, but the rider I really loved was Alberto Contador, maybe the French won't like this."
Then, after a laugh, Armirail summarizes in a few words this surreal day, in which at the start it would have been truly impossible to imagine wearing the pink jersey.
«I didn't imagine it this morning – he admits – 18 and a half minutes were a lot to recoverWhen I joined the breakaway, I was thinking about winning the stage, but instead I find myself in this exceptional situation. I don't know if it will change my career. My role is that of a domestique, so having the pink jersey is a privilege.We have to be realistic. Pinot he's a better climber than me, so My main goal will be to work for him, to be where he is and to work for the team. Next week there will be climbs where I won't be able to keep the pink jersey, so let me enjoy this moment."
Il Line of Business the second Alpine stage ends with some controversy. Today the riders did their part and it would have been difficult to ask for this stage to be changed as well.. In fact, for over half an hour at the finish line, all we could hear was the boys coughing. Regardless of the opinions of many and the possibility of discussing what happened yesterday, It's hard to remember a Giro so wet and battered by bad weather.
