TURIN – It's raining cats and dogs, the Piedmontese night is also cold, while The Giro d'Italia teams parade across the stage at Valentino CastleThey arrive. They slip into the mixed zone for interviews. They parade. And sometimes they come back to answer other questions. Rafal Majka does this, but when he comes back, the cameras and headlights all moved around Pogacar, so suddenly the scene went dark.
The Pole is a character halfway between a funny musketeer and an old-time warrior. He has many stories to tell and legs that have endured every kind of hardship.. From the years next to Contador, then those in the Bora and for a few years alongside Pogacar. On closer inspection, Rafal was the first real reinforcement taken from the UAE Team Emirates in 2021, following the Slovenian's victory in the first TourHis palmares includes eight participations in the Tour and the Vuelta, five in the Giro. Here he will have to guide his captain, who promises to win it already on his debut. While on the approach to the start in Turin, to warm up his legs Rafal escorted Del Toro to the victory of the Vuelta Asturias, finishing second himself. From today's captain to tomorrow's: you can ask certain things of a 34-year-old champion like him and be sure he'll carry them out with commitment and success.
The hardest day
There is next to it Alan Marangoni, who is asking everyone the same question for GCN. What was, she asks, your greatest effort at the Giro? And what was the greatest elevation gain you've done in training? Majka thinks for a moment and then breaks into a huge smile.
«I remember – he says – it was ten years ago, on Stelvio, when it was snowingIt was freezing cold, but it passed: that's for the best. The difference in altitude, however... 6.500 meters, don't you believe it? In Sierra Nevada».
Then he turns and comes to us. He wants to talk. He's witty. He knows that somehow he will have fun in this Giro and the somewhat dark and humid evening offers in its own way some ideas for entertainment.
Until yesterday with Del Toro, today with Tadej: what do you think?
These are these prodigious, very strong young men. I'm already 34, but I'm very happy to be here at the Giro. After four years at the Tour de France, I'm returning to Italy. I started with the Giro when I was young, it's a beautiful race, but let's hope the weather is good. Now with Tadej, before with Del Toro. They are two phenomena. Let's see what happens with the youngest, while we are sure about Tadej.
You were the first reinforcement brought in to help him and now you will have to guide him through the mechanisms of the Giro…
I'm not that worried about that, I'm more worried that I might waste too much energyYou have to deal with him. the Giro and the Tour, I hope he wins some stages here, but that don't use all your strength to get to France safelyLuckily, I'm not part of the Tour group, at least not for now.
So, is it about keeping him under control? Is that even possible?
Hard to keep him still, really. It's a phenomenon and when the legs are there, it goes awayWe hope to save ourselves in the first week and then we'll see how our Pogacar does on the long climbs.
How are you?
I'm fine, I spent a month in Sierra Nevada. I did Asturias with Del Toro and now I'm here at the Giro d'Italia. Isaac (Del Toro(ed.) He's another phenomenon, sorry if I repeat myself. Let's hope he turns out like Tadej in two years. He surprised me because he is a humble guy, really good.He's fast, he's good at time trials and he's also good at climbing. He's a complete rider, it looks like he'll be another revelation among the great talents of the UAE. Furthermore, he is very young, but he already has great professionalismThese young people are already well on their way when they arrive.
Do you think there will be a key stage for Pogacar in this Giro?
I can't say that, because he takes part in all the races with the pleasure of running, breaking the world and going away aloneLet's see how it goes, it will be a discovery for us too. But be careful not to think it will be easy. We know that The Grand Tours are not like the classics and you also have to stay a bit calm. But if it maintains the condition it had before Liege and then to Sierra Nevada, then he will entertain us.
How was it for him to return to the top after last year's injury?
Not easy. One who arrives second in the Tour de France after not training for a month it's still a phenomenonIt's true that he didn't win, but he was playing in the first week. He lost the Tour in two days, because in the end, the lack of condition from that month when he didn't train showed up. Now, however, he's at the top, he's found his form without any problems. In my opinion, he's even stronger than in previous years. At least from the way he trains and how I see him going strong.We're starting now, we understand everything now. Let's hope the weather is nice...
