Rcs announced the wild cards only a few hours ago and the carousel of comments immediately began. The spring races are at stake: from Strade Bianche to the Tyrrhenian, From Sanremo al Tour of Italy, the delicious dish that was on the table.
We immediately heard who was rejoicing, that is, the Bardiani Csf Faizanè , Vini Zabu (in addition to Eolo-Kometa). The latter in particular was perhaps the one most at risk with the raising of hands by the Arkea-Samsic of the 2014 pink jersey, Nairobi Quintana.
Enthusiasm for Zabù Wines
«I'm happy – comments the team manager Angelo Citracca – the Giro was the main objective. This participation will give us and our sponsors the visibility we need. And above all, it will give us a future perspective. I thank RCS: we are aware that without the third wild card it would have been really difficult."
When we hear from him, Citracca is on his bike, enjoying this important moment for him, for the team, and for his staff.
«I'm sorry for the Androni, Because I've been there. But it would have been wrong to give that third wild card to a foreign team. Okay, Quintana would have been an added value for the Giro, but would he have come to win or to train for the Tour?
Scinto already at work
Citracca echoes Luca Scinto. The sporting director is also thrilled. He knows the opportunity is a good one, despite having an inexperienced team, made up of many young players.
«We are a young team, it's true. – says Scinto – Everyone thought we were done for, but I'm convinced that in the end this season we will harvest more than last year. There are people who are eager, who are running in a certain way. Now we can work more calmly and we'll be ready. Mareczko He will be the reference rider and with him we will try to take advantage of those few stages for the sprinters who will be there. I imagine there will be someone near him Stacchiotti who could be his last man and who in turn will be able to have his spaces in the more lively sections. And then we'll see. It's a good group. There's the Swiss Joab Schneiter that's really going strong. There is Mattia Bevilacqua He's been with us since he was a junior. We've developed him gradually, and he can do well. In short, we'll be there."
And what do they say at Bardiani?
On the other side of the Apennines, in Emilia, Roberto Reverberi He is happy to go to the Giro, but he is also more aware, if he can say so, of this news. Roberto seems almost more disappointed about his “missing” at the Tirreno rather than happy about his pass to the Giro. The team has existed for 40 years, has been strengthened, and now includes almost exclusively Italian riders: being there could have been "obligatory".
«We are happy to be at the start of the Giro d'Italia – comments Reverberi – Bardiani has strengthened considerably this winter. We've been working hard to be at the Giro, regardless of the official announcement, especially with those riders who would have had a better chance of being there anyway. But the doors are open to everyone, even neo-professionals.
It's clear that this year there will be more of a fight to be called up, given our squad. We'll be playing with eight players and, unless they really go on foot, Battaglin e Visconti there will be. People like this also help the younger ones. So there are six places left. I'm thinking of Fiorelli who last year, in his first year, always placed well in the sprints. There will then be a great battle among the climbers. Covili, Marengo, Garosio, Gabburo, Carboni... I have 22 riders, we will decide towards the Tour of the Alps (April 19-23, ed.)».
Not only Androni, the main contenders could be the Gazprom-RusVelo and Arkea above all, which as mentioned could leverage Quintana.
«When I saw that Arkea had been invited to the Tour – concludes Reverberi – I understood that they could be left out of the Giro. They don't have the structure to run both major Tours at a high level. But you know, with Quintana in there, you're never completely at peace. But honestly, even if they had been there, we shouldn't have been the ones left out."
