Sunday with the Blockhaus, Ciccone observed special

The Abruzzese runs at home, he comes from a complicated spring but can do well. “It will be a battle already on the Passo Lanciano”

NAPOLI. «In 1820 Vittorio Emanuele II king of Italy was born. Before the 1960s it was the kingdom of flowers, now it is the kingdom of misery », says an engraving on a stone not far from the top of the Blockhaus, the Maielletta, a mountain that will return to the Giro d’Italia after five editions. The last time he won and took the pink jersey Nairo Quintanait was 2017, who’s up to today?

The Blockhaus is a magical place, a mountain with a German name that embellishes the Maiella massif and from which one almost has the sensation of touching the Adriatic Sea. After the unification of Italy between 1861 and 1867 up there the Savoy sent the army to defeat the bands of brigands. A fort was built on those blocks of stones that an officer of Austrian origins called Blockhaus.

It is a tough climb: 13.6 km with an average gradient of 8.4% and a vertical drop of 1,141 meters after two more ascents, the one at Roccaraso and above all at Passo Lanciano. Hard and noble.
First time at the 1967 Giro, victory by Eddy Merckx 22-year-old rookie in the pink race which he later won Felice Gimondi. Curiosity: 55 years ago the pink jersey was Spanish and it was called José Perez Frances. Just like the current leader of the ranking.
That Saturday 14 May in Naples, after having received a fine of 200 Swiss francs yesterday for misconduct in the final, he will have to suffer. The 24-year-old who arrives from Contador’s “cantera” and in the team a good friend, on several occasions roommate: Giulio Ciccone.

He will be one of the most anticipated riders. He is from Abruzzo, he runs at home, he knows that he will have the eyes of all the Italbici fans who reckless him as one of the few who can play in the stage races. He is twenty-first overall, about fifty seconds behind the favorites. They say he’s fine. Even if he comes, like many in the group, from a troubled spring.

“So far for the Trek Segafredo it has been a beautiful Giro – he explains – a stage close to Mollema, pink jersey for Juan, the Blockuaus is the first real test and a tough stage not comparable to Etna and then there have been hard climbs even before. on the Passo Lanciano there will be a tough race to do damage. Those who have it are looking forward to being seen. The Blockhaus is a long and steep climb, the classic climber’s climb that hurts, you can’t hide away. it can hide. I see Landa and Yates well. I expect a large audience on the streets. “

After the tenth place in the Tirreno-Adriatico, here is bronchitis in the Tour of Catalonia. No Arrow and Liege, but altitude training in Sierra Nevada. Will a week of “running-in” be enough for the 27-year-old, two-time stage winner at the Giro and the blue jersey in 2019 and one day in the yellow jersey at the 2019 Tour? “Italbici hopes so, otherwise who do you cling to for a good placement in the overall?

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