Lorenzo Fortunato he closed the Return in 16th place, first of the Italians, 40'43" behind the "master" RoglicHowever, this data is not enough to define his race, which is much more complex to define over the three weeks of the race. The same standard-bearer of theAstana Qazaqstan team It's a bit difficult to give yourself a rating, between a high-level placing but not up to his expectations and a difficult-to-manage performance in the stages.
The Bolognese, however, is quick to emphasize one aspect: the overall level of the race. "I've heard people say that the Vuelta was lower than the other two Grand Tours, but I, who also rode the Giro d'Italia, can say that wasn't the case at all. Overall we went really fast, we were never calm, not even in the stages that ended in a sprint., we always went full speed ahead, and it's true that even escapes were difficult to come by."
Why then was the Spanish race judged a little disdainfully?
It is a mistake that occurs more and more often: if there are no phenomena such as Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel then you think it's worth less. It's not like that: look at the final arrival order, taking away those three, the other big names were all there and you could see it in the raceBut I go even further: I talked about it with others and everyone, and I mean everyone, told me that the values were higher, not only on the climbs. And it was precisely on the climbs that you could see that you were going faster.
In your opinion, did O'Connor's breakaway, which was in contention for victory until almost the end, change the evolution of the race a little?
I think so. Above all, it has revolutionised the running mechanics because the Decathlon, which also proved to be a very strong team, did not control the group, did not impose its law. The Red Bull However, they didn't take full advantage of it, perhaps because Roglic wanted to wait until the final part of the Vuelta, as it turned out. Furthermore, it must be considered that 21 days is a long time to manage, so they preferred to leave things free, and this somewhat upset the tactics.
Did this affect you too?
In some ways. The day before, we started with the idea of ranking, and we continued along that line. If I had gained half an hour in the first stages, I would have had a freer hand to join a breakaway, so instead I was closely monitored because the Top 10 is something that many people covet. The race then demonstrated that at that level, getting into the top 10 was practically impossible. I cannot hide the fact that most of those who ended up in front of me were stronger than me, however, I do not regret the choice we made.
Compared to the Giro where you finished 12th, do you think you were faster?
I say yes, the values in the race tell me so but also my performance. I was going faster, also based on the arrival ordersI'm going back to what I said before: if you find people like Yates or Kuss outside the top 10, it means that the level was really high and clearly I was struggling more. Even Dunbar, who won two stages, was left out.
But you were saying that you stuck to your guns: do you increasingly feel like a Grand Tour rider, that is, a general classification rider?
From this point of view, I'm convinced of my choice, even considering that I'm good at climbing but I'm not one of the top riders. However, I try to be at that level. The only thing that I regret and that slightly affects the overall opinion of my Vuelta is that I would have liked to at least stand out in one stage, but the placings in Pico Villuercas and Alto de Molcalvillo are a bit of a reflection of my value in that race compared to the others. I repeat, they were faster, no problem.
This is also part of a more general restructuring of Astana, which is very active on the market and has hired people specifically dedicated to stage races, especially medium- to short-distance ones…
Yes, it's a bit of a key to the team's future, and I see myself in it, considering that I have a contract for next year. Furthermore, it will be a decisive year for our permanence in the WorldTour and we will do everything to confirm ourselves., working especially on multi-day trials. The team is strengthening precisely in this way.
Overall, do you have a positive assessment of your three weeks?
I say this a bit through gritted teeth but yes, even if I'm convinced that I was worth more precisely by making the comparison with the Giro. I finished in any case reflecting my size, even if it is clear that on the eve I expected and proposed moreBut in the end, you also have to know how to accept the verdict of the road.
