STIRLING – He says it's crazy and in saying it he smiles as if joy were about to burst from within his chestEven Vittoria Guazzini, his partner, had to admit that It will be really tough to do better than Lorenzo Milesi in tomorrow's time trial, but he who has a big heart says he will do everything to support her.
Malori's heir
It is 18pm on August 9, 2023 and An Italian won the under-23 time trial fifteen years after Malori in 2008It was an almost surreal wait, with the threat of Segaert looming and advancing. So bad and strong that he took over Bryan Olivo along the road (we later learned that the Friulian one started a painful numbness in his left leg that prevented him from pushing). Milesi had been in the hot seat all day at that point, but when the camera focused on him at the Belgian's various intermediates, his faces looked like comic book grimaces.
Il path, similar to that of professionals, provided a final descent to catch your breath before tackling the climb to the castleAnd there Milesi created his masterpiece, after having studied it with Velo.
«We had a good strategy – he says – which involved doing exactly this, to really go all out on the final climbIt worked, but I wasn't so sure at the time. Let's say that I didn't even make the curve to hit the wall very fastI braked a little too hard, so I wasn't so sure I'd climbed so fast. I felt real physical pain on that last stretch..."
He flew on the tear
Whoever climbed the mountain was even stronger than Milesi. Marco Velo, who followed him on the flagshipThe time trial rider reached the podium area out of breath and enthusiastic and needed a few seconds to regain control.
«It's an unexpected result – he says – in the sense that I knew he could do an excellent time trial. I would have been super satisfied if we had finished in the top 5. Then honestly, as they say, appetite comes with eating. When I saw that he was only 10 seconds behind Segaert, I started to gain confidence., because we were still getting close to a possible medal. At the second split he was only 3 seconds behind, then he took the lead. At that point I thought: it's impossible for him to lose it, because I saw him fly on the last climb.».
Segaert's scarecrow
Milesi is on a cloud and keeps smiling. Ganna is right when he says that this shirt is the most beautiful, even if Milesi won't be able to wear it too many timesHe got to the World Championships by going through the Tour de Pologne, like last year. Fedorov conquered Wollongong via the VueltaIf you want to win the World Championships, you need to choose riders who can do it: the promotion of youth activity in this cycling has other dedicated venues.
«In Poland, however, I didn't have any great sensations even in the time trial – he says – because It was the sixth stage and I had just come down from the hillHere, however, I knew I could compete for the podium, but winning is another thing. I don't think that having done longer time trials and WorldTour races was the key to victory, because in a time trial, what counts most is the legs on that day. And I knew Segaert could beat me. I only thought about him while I was sitting waiting, but also during the time trialI was just thinking about pushing. I knew I was first, but it didn't matter. I knew he was yet to come».
Investing in time trials
Velo moved a barrier to go and see the podium and take photos with his cell phone. Next to Milesi on the podium Alec Segaert had the face of a funeral, just like his fans and family at the foot of the podiumJudging by the away numbers, the Belgian team was almost certain to win, and losing by 11 seconds is still a difficult blow to swallow.
«He deserves it all – continues Velo – he's a golden boy. I tell him he's crazy, because he's very extroverted, but that's the quality of great champions. He's always been an excellent time trialist. He's put a lot of care into this specialty and may this be a lesson to many of his other colleagues, even younger onesIt's proof that even by taking care of this activity, you can get many satisfactions like this. And so congratulations to Lorenzo and all the staff. On this choice, I discussed with Marino Amadori, who also follows him on the road and we shared to bring himNow Lorenzo will also compete in the road world championship and I'm sure he'll do well there too."
World Championship and Vuelta
Now Milesi is putting his objectives in order. He may be crazy, as Velo says, but he has the great clarity to tackle one objective at a time.
«The time trial world championship – he says – was one of the goals of the year, we also worked hard with the team. We had a great fitting at the start of the season which has come in very handy now.It was a goal that probably started to be talked about last year, even if Wollongong was a completely different course and I wasn't the same rider eitherNow there will be the road world championships, then I'll go to the Vuelta: my first major Giro. It starts with a team time trialI hope I can keep up the form to make my contribution."
Belgian melancholy
Sawyer arrives in the press room after a long time. Belgian journalists, like their fans, were ready to celebrate and they ask him if he expected to be beaten by Milesi. He answers no. That Lorenzo had already beaten him last year in a stage of the Tour de l'Avenir and by only two seconds also in a time trial of Le Tryptique Le Mont et Chateaux, but that in turn he had been much superior in other appointments.
«But he is a super strong rider – he says – one of those who can change the course of the races and deserved to winI arrived at the final climb empty, evidently that made the difference there."
You breathe the same climate as in the Bruges square where in 2021 Ganna silenced the fans of Evenepoel and Van AertThey weren't happy, but we were. Today, too, the Mameli Anthem was played, and today too, we were there singing.
