From one passerby to another. From the double row to the fans. A few days ago with Mario Scirea we had talked about the double row, this time with Alessandro Ballan, let's talk about fans, another splendid "figure" of the group. Perhaps the most difficult and captivating to execute. And also fun to watch.
It takes legs, experience, and in certain situations, even a little courage, as we'll see. An intriguing topic that, when we throw it on the table for discussion, ignites the 2008 Varese world champion.
Alessandro, let's talk about fans...
A quality of mine – as Alessandro calls it – that I've rarely lacked in my career. Whenever a goal opened up, Ballan was there!
And how do you open a fan?
First of all, the right conditions must be there, starting from a good wind, let's say from 30 kilometers per hour and up. And the wind must be lateral, or at least neither directly in your face nor in your tail. Nowadays, teams send cars ahead to check the course conditions, so the riders know what to expect over the radio. For this reason, the group begins to fight many kilometers before to stay ahead. There is nervousness, there are falls.
In short, we're getting ready. And then?
For example, if the wind comes from the left, whoever decides to open the fan accelerates hard and moves to the left, protecting the other riders who position themselves alongside more or less halfway along the bike.
How many does it protect?
It depends on the width of the road and what he wants to do: whether to launch an attack or continue as usual. If he wants to attack, he tries to push as many riders as possible to the edge of the road, leaving them exposed. And so he moves closer to the center of the lane. At that point, the smart and agile rider behind must immediately open up another and stay within range. If there's a team attack, for example, that team will leave room for seven or eight riders. It's essential to choose the right rider's wheel.
Someone who knows his way around the wind or who has a team working for him…
In these situations I was looking for Boonen, Cancellara…I knew people like that wouldn't be left out. It takes strength and cunning. And then… everyone must collaborate in the fan. For two reasons. First: if you don't turn, you risk being left on the side of the road or slipping behind. Second: if they see you're being clever, they might attack again. When a fan opens up, it's usually because there's an attack. The rider's mind is to gain an advantage and get as close to the finish line as possible. Then we'll see from there. I can say that very few people are clever in the fan.
Is there a particular memory in Ballan's career linked to fans?
Qatar 2010, it was my first time there and the first race of the season. At the start, there was an absurd headwind. A breakaway of five riders broke away and after 15 kilometers had a 24-minute lead! The rest of us were going 14 miles an hour, the front maybe 25. At a certain point there was a right-hand bend and we knew everything would change, that the group would break up with that wind, and the fight to stay ahead began. I immediately looked for Cancellara, caught him, but we weren't in a great position. And so it happened that the group broke up, we were left behind. Fabian made an absurd progression, but then he jumped. I found myself 20-30 meters from the first fan. I had a huge effort to close them off. But I did it. There were eleven of us up front, Boonen, Burghardt... In an instant the breakaway was back within 5 minutes.
A super action…
It wasn't over. Because suddenly the course turned again and the wind became favorable. And the speed skyrocketed. Boonen gave an impressive rev. I went to throw down the 11, but it was already in the barrel. Then I thought: maybe I'm with the 39. But no, it was the 53! I checked the computer... We were going 80 miles an hour. I was spinning the pedals. Then Tom gave it another go and we hit 83 miles an hour on the flat! I'll never forget it.
And the escape?
I don't remember who won, but one of them got there with a minute to spare, very good. We caught the other four. They are stressful situations anyway: you're going really fast, you brush against the guard rails, you kick up dirt, you're at the limit, you're attached to others, it's not easy to drink...
True, even eating is difficult…
Once upon a time at the last stage of a De PanneThere was wind, and I was in front. But I was starving; the stage was very long. An American sports director, not very experienced, called me on the radio: "Come and eat," he said. I told him it wasn't possible. And he insisted. Finally, at the entrance to a small village, thinking it would be more sheltered, I let myself be persuaded and go to the flagship. As soon as they leave the building, they open the throttle again... and I'm left alone. At the finish line, I was furious, but this tells us how important it is not to slide backwards with the fans.
Is there a better pace to keep in these situations?
It depends on the rider. In those moments, you just push. If anything, going slowly helps you save some money first, to put that coin in your pocket, which you'll need later.
Do you train for fans?
No, at least in my time. I was good at it because I was gifted, but in fact I saw and learned my first fans as a professional. As an amateur in Veneto, it never happened, maybe a few times when we raced in the Venetian area, but it wasn't much. It's not like the Belgians and Dutch, who have it in their DNA.
However, Deceuninck-Quick Step opened up the Giro, in the Brindisi stage, without many specialists. In short, without the "heavy cavalry from the North"...
In that case, motivation matters a lot. The first one to open the fan makes a sacrifice, sprints ahead, and leaves the others in single file. Then of course they also have great team management and they will have had technicians preceding the race who informed the riders and the team car in detail.
