Of Storer and his new solidity we recently talked about the Australian (opening photo) and the progress made last year from sports director Tosatto we said at the end of 2024. We also asked the Venetian technician how the Tudor Pro Cycling she has equipped herself having received the invitation for the Giro and also for the Tour, but now with him it's time to enter the dimension of the Giro.
Tonight Tosatto will board the direct flight from Treviso to TiranaWhile the vehicles left on Sunday, they traveled all day yesterday and then took the ferry to Durres. Perhaps, one might think, only those from Team Bahrain Victorious who left from Slovenia could have driven all the way to Albania: what sense would there have been in driving all the way to Bari for them?
But now let's talk about you and the Giro, in light of this very solid Storer...
Last year he had a consistent and consistently good season. This year started off pretty well. He missed the top 10 at UAE Tour because of a fan. But he made up for it in Paris-Nice, winning a stage and taking fifth place. Then, as planned, he let up a bit, so he went to the Tour of the Alps and he won. For us it was already important to have won the stage, but the classification also came and that's a lot.. It gives us morale, it means that he worked well at home, even knowing that the Line of Business it's long.
Having someone like that forced you to form a team to support him or will you also run while looking at other possibilities?
Last year we started with the goal of trying to get into the rankings with him, because he was eager. This year we've built a strong team, which also has a sprinter, but who will be able to give Storer maximum support, because he deserves it. He's also confident in his abilities and current physical condition. It would be a shame not to believe it.
You mentioned the sprinter, but Dainese is missing and Trentin is also missing: the two Italians on the team, who immediately stand out at the Giro d'Italia.
Matteo always went to the Tour, even when he was racing with other teams, because making the classics in full, it's difficult for you to prepare for the Giro in the best possible way. With Alberto it was done an intense program at the start of the season, with the hope of an invitation to the Tour. We had planned to bring to Italy Arvid De Kleijn, who is a great sprinter and would have made his debut in a Grand Tour after last year's five victories. Unfortunately, however, he got hurt in the UAE Tour and has not yet returned since mid-February and this has thrown the plans into disarray.
Couldn't the plans have been revised at that point?
We didn't get invitations to the Giro and the Tour in December, so we made our plans practically in the dark. We learned about the Giro 35 days before the start and the Tour arrived on the same dayIt's hard to plan like this. So Alberto and I decided to hope for the Tour and, if they didn't invite us, we'd maybe look at the Vuelta. I'm sorry I can't see the two Italians, I think they are sorry too., because the Giro d'Italia is always the Giro d'Italia, but we chose it this way.
You'll have two young players like Brenner and Pluimers: is the goal to gain experience?
Rick Pluimers has proven to be strong. He won the Muscat Classic and finished second at the TirrenoHe's the kind of rider who can hold his own on climbs, maybe arrive in a group of 50, 60 riders and get a result. Marco Brenner is young, but he already has the experience of a VueltaHe's returning to a Grand Tour after two years. He's the German champion and holds a strong position in the peloton. He'll give it his all; there are stages suited to him, to try and break away or compete in a small group. And if they don't manage to do all that, they know they'll be there for Michael (Storer, ed.).
Who will take De Kleijn's place in the sprints?
We play it the card of Maikel Zijlaard, who finished one second behind Milan at the Tirreno.
Instead, who do you think will be the man who will help Storer up the ladder?
It can be there Brenner, as well as Yannis Voisard, who is on his first Grand Tour. And then we have a man of experience who is Larry Warbasse, who will be our mountain rider for the stages road captain, as they say now. And then there's also Florian Stork who we saw as very supportive of the Tour of the AlpsWhat I feel like saying is that compared to last year, the climbing team is much stronger.
With a leader who goes much faster…
It's a Giro where for the first two weeks, the leader must not waste time in falls and must defend himself well in the time trialIn the end, the first is 14 kilometers, the second is double, but they're easy. I don't think the gaps between specialists and climbers will be huge. This is why the Giro will be decided in the last week, from the stage after the last rest which arrives on San Valentino.That day you understand who can make the podium or the top 5. Then on the final Friday and Saturday, everything can be turned upside downA sixth-place finisher can reach the podium, and a podium finisher can finish outside the top 10. Chris Froome proved this in 2018.
And on his flagship there was a certain Tosatto…
There was the Colle delle Finestre and Simon Yates had a lead of over 3 minutes, yet on that single day he lost his jersey, helmet and gloves. I don't think there are too many opportunities in the previous stages, because more or less everyone does well in the first two weeks. While there are definitely fewer riders who arrive well at the thirdI struggle to imagine a failed escape like in 2010, unless Red Bull wants to play chess and send Dani Martinez away.
Do you think it is possible?
It depends on what they want to do, it's difficult to put yourself in their shoes. They have certainly made large investments, but not much has been seen yet.Roglic is strong, he won Catalunya and is now aiming for the Giro: they can't ride too strangely. Also the UAE has a nice internal fight with Ayuso and Yates, the directors will have to be good, but that's certainly not my problem.
Will the absence of a dominator like Pogacar make the Giro more open?
Last year he left little or nothing to others. This year there are really so many names with real ambitionsIf I said that I'm leaving to win the Giro, it would be difficult to believe, but we can fight for a good final placing and If Storer gets to the end with the right legs, he can do really wellSo, while working towards his overall standings, the main goal is to try to win a stage. Even better if he also finishes in the top ten.
