A few hours to go Tour of Italy Number 105. In sunny Budapest, the last things are being sorted out, but the city is ready to welcome the Giro d'Italia. Just as it is ready Salvatore Puccio. The dean of the Ineos-Grenadiers last evening he had fled with the team after the team presentation.
They were late and photographers were waiting for them for the ritual photos, which in theory they should have taken before going on stage. Live broadcast inconveniences! Yesterday, however, the day before, the Sicilian transplanted to Umbria dedicated his time to us, the last moments of relaxation before the brawl.
Salvatore, how did you get to this Giro?
Now good. The start of the season was rather troubled, Between Covid and falls... but I'm fine. A few days ago I was a little worried because they had some minor intestinal problems, but everything went back to normal.
It's your Giro d'Italia number…
We were counting them just a little while ago with Swift, is the ninth. But there is always a pinch of emotion before a great Giro. It's a different effect than a one-day or one-week run. It's a journeyYou're out for almost a month at the end, you look back on the journey and see how tough it is. There's never any relaxation.
What Giro awaits you? Two years ago you went on the attack, will you be able to take your chances this year?
That Giro was a bit special. It was different because after three days of racing we lost our leader, Thomas, and this changed our way of running, always on the attack. Furthermore, we came from Tour, it was 2020 when the Giro was held, in which we went slowly and so, Running like that, we took home seven stages..
Seven stages and the pink jersey…
Exactly, seven stages and the pink jersey. We started to believe in the general classification in the last few days. "But it can be done," we said to ourselves. And at that point we closed ranks around Tao (geoghegan hart).
And this year?
Well, let's hope we don't lose our leader right away! It's only right that carapaz can play his cards. We're all here for him – Puccio pauses briefly – Even Porte, who is a great champion.
What is it like working for Carapaz?
Honestly, I haven't raced there much. I did a few stages with Richard last year at the Return, before his retirement, but from what I've seen he's a good guy. He can even manage on his own. If the race heats up and he is left with only a few men at his side, he is ahead with the best. He can read the races. For the rest I see a calm guy, who always says thank you and when he is like that it is a pleasure to work for a captain.
You were also on Bernal's team in last year's Giro: what are the differences between the two?
The differences are mainly of character. Perhaps "Richie" is a little less calm, while Egan, speaking better English, is able to work better in the group and integrate better.But both are real talents. Established riders. Carapaz already has a Giro and an Olympics under his belt, he's no newcomer!
Over the years, you've taken many captains on a "walk," and each one may have different needs. How do you adapt?
With Froome it was all planned. Chris took control of the situation from kilometer zero to the finish. He gave orders, called the men, decided who would pull and who should stand down to save energy for the next day… This is why he has an extraordinary mind, different from all other leaders. And his strength lay precisely in his mind: he was able to simultaneously think about his opponents' tactics, our own, and push hard in the final stages. He managed the team exemplarily. That's how he achieved his great results. And then, clearly, because he was riding fast, like when he attacked at the Giro with 80 kilometers to go. Carapaz, on the other hand, is different, he speaks less, and does things more independently. I also watch the races on TV and always see him in the right place. He rarely loses a fan, for example.
And your preparation, Salvatore, does it change a bit depending on the captain you have to work for?
No, the preparation is the same, if anything the role changes based on the teammates, Depending on the team lined up. In this Giro, for example, I'll be called upon to work mostly on the flats; it'll be me and Swift. In the 2017 Vuelta, however, when there were still nine riders and not eight, I was the third or fourth man. Before me there were two or three other climbers and so I entered the scene for the climb, or just beforeAnd then the various roles are also managed based on the characteristics of the route. More than anything, you have to be good at being ready. If I have to run the first six kilometers of that climb, I have to organize myself to get there with the necessary energy.
And it takes experience…
It takes experience. I Now I go automatically, before I always had to calculate everything, But it's also important to show up well for appointments. If you've done the altitude, you're comfortable with your weight, and everything else, you're also more confident.
Are you well and confident, and what about Caparaz? How's he? Tosatto told us he was the one who wanted to come to the Giro...
I see him as very focused. He's also had his fair share of problems with Covid; he withdrew from the Tirreno race due to intestinal problems and some knee issues. He's thin. He's confident he'll do well. He wants to win. From the data he has and the tests carried out we know that he is well. And that matters a lot. It means you don't start out fearful. You know you're ready for any attacks, you can conserve some energy. And besides, he's a real attacker.
Carapaz, and all of you, do you know the climbs? Have you seen any yourself?
We know them a little and a little with the Garmin Today we see everything. Not only that, but by marking points on the map and loading them into the computer, we know when there are certain curves, a bottleneck... a message appears telling us thisWe know the gradients of the next few kilometers. In this sense, technology helps and makes a difference.
