The last time we met him, Rome around was celebrating the Giro jerseys and Ciccone had approached to say hello while he and his wife Annabruna were trying to reach the bus Lidl TrekThe American team's run had been so overwhelming, that even the Abruzzese, withdrawn at the most beautiful moment for the fall of Gorizia, he had wanted to be present to celebrate with his companions (at the beginning, his exultation after having brought about Pedersen's victory in Durazzo, ed.). He was smiling, but he was also dejected. Then, smiling, he said that he had spent the last two days at Michele Bartoli's house (his coach, ed.) who had stuffed him with delicious Tuscan food to keep him from thinking about the missed opportunity. He didn't know if he'd go to Paris to watch the Roland Garros final between his friend Sinner and Alcaraz (let's hope he didn't go: his mood would have worsened even further). Then “Cicco” disappeared, behind the re-education and the resumption of training.
When he finally reconnected with the world, apart from a few appearances on social media to cheer on Sinner (this time victorious at Wimbledon), we intercepted him in Andorra. As the Tour gets into full swing, his summer takes the form of rebuilding his condition and confidence, waiting for the return to San Sebastian and then the Return which will depart from Turin.
Let's go back to the Giro for a moment: how painful was it to have to leave it?
It was very difficult. In general Leaving a race is always difficult, especially when things are going wellIt was even more so because of the excellent atmosphere within the team. It was a real blow. These are the cases in which the soul hurts more than the body.Ultimately, the body is used to taking a beating, while mental pain is another matter. You're there stopping and the Giro goes onHeadaches don't go away easily.
Especially since things were going well, right?
They were doing super well. I had passed the most difficult tests, namely the time trial and the dirt track.I thought I was in great shape and the stages that were best for me still had to come. I would have done well, that's my feeling. And then it's true, I went to Bartoli in the days after the fallLet's just say it was a sort of mini-vacation. We tried not to focus on the Giro, on what we'd lost, but to lift our spirits a bit. To think about the bigger goals that are yet to comeTo take strength from the good things we've done and use them as inspiration for our next goals.
How long did you stay still?
I was completely out of action for 10 days, without a bike. Then I started moving again, doing some training, but very calmly, for another ten days. So in total I would say I was stopped for about twenty days: 10 without the bike, 10 very very easyThe pain is completely gone, but there was still a lesion on the quadriceps, the main muscle of the leg. Even now the scar remains on the tissue and we are continuing to work to recover full efficiency, but the pain has gone away in the meantime.
Are you working toward a specific goal? Are you thinking about the World Cup?
For now I have many goals, because I like to be competitive again, so I'm working well at altitude here in AndorraI prefer not to think about a specific race, I want to come back strong. I want to return to to feel as good as I did at the Giro d'Italia and I want to leave my mark between now and the end of the yearThe World Cup is on the radar, I talked about it with Marco VillaWe've spoken, but we still have to finalize everything. For my part, I am available to do well, as long as I can be competitive.I wouldn't want to just make an appearance, I would never want that and above all the national team wouldn't deserve it.
So what would the program be?
Now I'm in Andorra with my teammates. The return is scheduled in San Sebastian, then Vuelta Burgos and the Vuelta a EspañaThen we have to understand the World Championship and the end-of-year races up to the Lombardy.
The spirit is right. The annoyance of having stopped on the doorstep of the great result has left a scar on the soul like the one that the fall in Gorizia left on the leg.Last year's Lombardy race saw him on the podium behind Pogacar and Evenepoel: that's his dimension. The feeling that he wants to take it back grows stronger with every word.
