An unforgettable Giro d’Italia ends
The eternal city, Rome. With its history popping up at every street corner, with its ability to amaze those who see it for the first time and at the same time those who live it every day, with its unique beauty in the world.
Truly, the most beautiful way to close this Giro d’Italia: which ended with Cavendish’s fairytale victory, which ended with Roglic’s triumph in the pink jersey, which ended and is already sorely missed. We tried again today, with Albanese who sprinted but failed to get into the top 10 and with Maestri who with 4 km to go tried to get ahead of everyone along with Gee with the peloton, however, leaving no escape.
This is a Giro that will remain. It will remain for a long time in the hearts and memories of us at EOLO KOMETA: of every rider, every staff member, our three leaders Alberto, Ivan and Fran.
It will remain as the Giro in which we won a stage. And perhaps we have not yet realized the greatness of what Davide Bais did at the finish line in Campo Imperatore: for a team like ours it is an achievement to be invited to the Giro, to win even a stage is something to be celebrated for its exceptionality. Very few, going back through the years, are the professionals who have made it: we have done it twice in three years.
It will remain as the Giro in which we always tried. Eleven times in the top10, with Vincenzo Albanese but also with Maestri and with Mattia Bais. Almost always protagonists in the day’s breakaways, with that desire to dream and to show off for a while in front of the cameras.
It will remain as the Giro in which Davide Bais not only won, but had the strength to wear the climbers’ blue jersey and defend it with his teeth by honoring it every day. Because Giro jerseys are honored, always.
It will remain as Francesco Gavazzi‘s Giro: his last, after eighteen years as a professional, the last three of which he put all his experience at the service of the EOLO KOMETA boys. At the end of the season “Gava” will stop racing, and we all stand up and tip our hats to him to say thank you. Captain.
There will remain the words spoken and heard, those of our boys after each stage and those of ds Stefano Zanatta with his ever-ready and ever-timely reports. Do you want the last one? Here it is: “Today was a quiet day until the final circuit, when three riders went on the attack with Sevilla trying to catch them without succeeding. Then Maestri tried to surprise everyone with 4 km to go and then sprinted to Albanese who, however, arrived a bit tired. Giro finished, and Giro more than positive for us: we started well right away, we did an honorable Giro trying to make this team grow every day. For sure, every rider gave his best: I’m sorry for Fetter who was forced to retire because he was sick, but I’m very happy for the answers we got from everyone.”
And the words of our Vincenzo Albanese, who chased victory every day and did it with his head held high. Because he is only capable of that. “It ends this Giro, and it was a fantastic experience: a beautiful Giro, I am very happy with what I did. Maybe it lacked a bit of luck in some stages, I made a lot of placings but I always struggle to find the victory. But one thing is certain: from here to the end of the season, I will try again. And again, and again, and again.”
It will remain as the Giro, understood as the most beautiful and at the same time the most important race in our calendar: the third in the history of this team, all beautiful in different ways and all unforgettable. Thank you, for every meter made together.
