LILLE (France) – Last Sunday in Gorizia we were looking for him before the start, but his teammate Giulio Pellizzari quickly cleared up any doubts: «Gianni? No, he's not here. He's on the Stelvio because he's preparing the Tour de France». Gianni is Moscon. What seemed to be just a rumor has turned into reality and so the thirty-year-old Red Bull-Bora after Tour of Italy he is ready to tackle the 3.338 kilometers of French roads too.
There are very few riders here in Lille who have also done the Giro d'Italia and those few are all of quality, starting from the king of the Giro, Simon yates, passing through its standard-bearers Edward Affini e Wout van aert, Mattia Cattaneo and precisely Gianni Moscon.
Idea Tour already at the Giro
After 44 days from his arrival in Rome, Moscon will reattach the number to his back. Forty days in which he tried first of all to recover as best he could and then to find the good, solid legs he had shown on the roads of the Giro.
"I'm fine," Moscon exclaims. "I've been training well at this stage. How did this participation in the Tour come about? It wasn't a complete surprise, because we had already started talking about it within the team during the Giro. But we'd get back in touch after a while. So, a week after Rome, the feeling was good, I felt like I'd recovered well, and so we decided to do the Tour as well.
"I was on the Stelvio for about two weeks, and I just came down on Sunday. I did some construction work, without overdoing it, taking advantage of the altitude and following my instincts."
Moscon, even if he wasn't seen much, was a true team player during the Giro. He worked first for Primois Roglic and then he was close to Pellizzari. No placings, no great escapes: a true domestique.
«As I was saying – Gianni continues – the feelings are good, I came out of the Giro well. For the work I am called to do, the first thing necessary was to have recovered well». Probably, given the trend, the final part of the Giro was also managed with the Tour in mind. Roglic must have ordered it.
In fact, there weren't many stages suited to him, so it was better to work in a certain way. These are the patterns imposed by modern cycling and its stellar levels.
Moscon team man
Earlier we talked about Moscon as a team player. Until recently, Gianni was one of our (Italian) thoroughbred horses. And without bothering that famous Roubaix, more than once he won or played in important matches. But then, amidst various unexpected events, something changed over time. Two changes of team in the last three seasons... not an easy thing to do. But now perhaps he's turned the page and found his place.
"Certainly," says Moscon, "I'm pleased with this role and the fact that the team wanted me here at the Tour. I know my worth, and my performance might even be better than it appears, but I'm also aware that things have changed today compared to some time ago. The level is very high, and I'm taking it philosophically. Winning today would be very difficult for me, and if they gave me more responsibilities, which I don't want, I'd risk disappointment. But this way, I'm calm, I'm doing my job well, and I'm happy.
«Doing the Giro and Tour in such an important team is an ambition, an opportunity and a responsibility at the same time.».
Moscon's words are important. He talks about philosophy, we feel like talking about awareness. At 31, he has complete awareness of himself as a person and an athlete. So, kudos to him for recognizing himself and giving his all in this new dimension.
Of course, if a team packed with top athletes like Red Bull-Bora takes you to the most important race in the world, after already having completed a major Giro, there must be a reason. Nothing is left to chance, and performance tests must necessarily have yielded a certain outcome.
All for Primoz
Test of performance but not only. Or rather: how do you evaluate the performance of a pro? And of a domestique in particular? Certainly not just with the infamous watts. It's also a question of experience, of the ability to be and work as a team.
"I'm really happy at Red Bull-Bora," Moscon says. "I settled in right away and I'm really happy. We're a great team.
«My role? More or less like at the Giro: trying to be present in the crucial moments and saving the captain as much energy as possible. Clearly, given my current level, I'll have to work harder on the fast, rolling stages, because uphill right now, to stay ahead, I'd need a scooter!
Roglic is the leader of the team, which will be led by Enrico GasparottoAlongside him there will be other excellent athletes such as Alexander Vlasov e Florian Lipowitz, according to some a possible outsider to Vingegaard and Pogacar.
«With Primoz, but also with the other guys, a certain harmony was immediately born. In particular with Roglic there isn't even this much need to talk to him that much. Sometimes I follow him when it's necessary, and he knows I'm there. Many times it's the other way around: he follows me because he trusts me. We'll give it our all. As you said, we're a great team. We're not the number one favorite, but maybe that could be a point in our favor."
