Fortunato, Piganzoli, Bais: a Giro di Lombardia to remember

At the end there remain the hugs, sincere and true, which have the flavor of saying goodbye and thank you. And perhaps it is really right to start from here, from the end, to recount this Giro di Lombardia. The hugs with which Lorenzo Fortunato said goodbye to everyone after he honored in the most beautiful way the last race with the EOLO KOMETA jersey, an 18th place finish together with the greatest. Fortunato will race somewhere else next year, but one cannot and should not forget these three wonderful years in which we grew up together starting with the unforgettable day of the victory on Zoncolan. Things that remain, and always will. 

Lombardia, then: as mentioned Fortunato was very good at holding on with the second chasing group that tried until the last to resist the overwhelming power of a phenomenal Pogacar who went on to take a historic third consecutive victory. Very good at holding on when the race exploded on the Passo Ganda climb, very good at sticking with his teeth to a group made up of strong riders. “I cared too much,” Fortu said at the end, “and I am happy because I wanted to thank EOLO KOMETA for these three wonderful years. I was welcomed like in a family and I want to thank everyone: Ivan, Alberto and Fran, sponsors Spada and Pedranzini, all my teammates and all the staff from the masseurs to the mechanics. Thanks to everyone, it was wonderful.”

But it wasn’t just Fortunato today. Piganzoli continued to show that he is stronger and more mature every day, also very good at resisting the hellish pace of the last kilometers to take a 28th place that is a beautiful result. “I think,” Piga said, “that this year was very important for me, to still be in front of a race like today together with these riders is beautiful. I thank this team that is allowing me to experience these things and grow every day.” And then Mattia Bais, who once again couldn’t resist his desire to go in the breakaway, managing to hit the day’s attack: he and nine others went away immediately and built up a lead of over 4 minutes. “That was my goal for the day,” he said, “and I’m glad I hit it. I was caught when the strongest riders moved, and I tried to hang on as long as I could to help Fortunato. I think we can be satisfied with the race we had today.”