«The Giro lit by Almeida. In my day water and cold, unless there was Moser…- Corriere.it

CAORLE «It also happens in football: a late goal can inflame the game. This Giro is like this: it made us wait, but now we’re having fun». Giuseppe Saronni known as Beppe, the patience to wait for the right moment to put two Giros (’79 and ’83) in his pocket. The roster, with three riders in 29” (Thomas, Almeida, Roglic) with three stages to go (plus the big party in Rome), was browsed by him.

Saronni who wins?
«Oh God, predictions are made to be wrong but certainly, with three finishes in a row uphill, you can no longer hide».

Who is the best equipped between Thomas, Almeida and Roglic?
“I stick to what I see. On the Cappuccinos, the man to beat seemed to me to be Roglic, instead on the Bondone he accused, and I’m a little sorry. The facts say that the most solid was Thomas
, who took back the leader’s jersey, the more generous Almeida, who lit the fuse, and the more conservative Roglic, who defended well. Val di Zoldo, today, will not be decisive, but on the Tre Cime and Monte Lussari we will see some beautiful ones».

What if the surprise was Almeida capable of teaching the two veterans a lesson?


«Well, it would be wonderful news for the Giro to have a 24-year-old king: young people always write interesting stories. But Joao has to show us that he has made the leap in quality and that he knows how to hold on to real climbs. The shots are good but now we need solidity ».

Very open ride.

«In the cycling of the phenomenal generation, and it’s a pity about Evenepoel’s Covid, everything can change every day in the Giro. Thomas, Almeida and Roglic go on the podium, it’s clear: the order will tell us from Saturday’s uphill time trial».

As a former cyclist, faced with the shortened stage due to the protest of the riders, what did you think?
«We’ve always caught the water in the head, it happens. In my day we caught cold with different, primitive technologies and materials. May I tell you an anecdote?’

Certain.

«Departure of the stage for Bormio, I don’t remember the year. In between is the Gavia in bad weather. The captains, including me, meet with the legendary director Torriani. Patron, can we do it or will we die of cold? And he, looking us straight in the eye: everything is normal, go, it’s your job. There was no negotiation, there was no union. Well, it was already snowing in Aprica, we caught a lot of that cold… It was the second time that both Gavia and Stelvio did:
Moser was not in the group. When it was there, coincidentally, they never gave us the usability…
».

Enough controversy. But Merckx is somewhat right.
«If you don’t want to get water and wind, play cards, says the legend. Here it is, if he’s right. With all due respect to those who make sacrifices and effort, cycling is also made up of the weather and the variables that make the difference».

On Saturday, Monte Lussari will be climbed for the first time. Does novelty motivate or scare?
«The first time I climbed the Tre Cime I was restless but I also had enormous curiosity. I knew I was writing some of my racing history up there, and I wanted to do well. But today, you see, two thirds of the group is foreign: they care less about respect for the Italian fans, they are only interested in the final result and how to get it. We had self-respect, feeling. Thomas, Almeida and Roglic are fantastic but where is the Italian for the grand tour?».