The Feltrino takes care of the muscles of the Trek Segafredo dell’azzurro Ciccone. “We also prepare the cyclists’ room, everyone has their own pillow”
THE INTERVIEW
Ilario Tancon
The third week of the Giro also begins for Thomas Rech.
The Feltre, born in 1985, with a past as a good amateur racer and a present as a highly appreciated masseur (in recent years also by a certain Alberto Contador), is one of the members of the staff of Trek Segafredo, the formation that in this Giro d’Italia has dressed in the pink jersey for about ten days with the young Spaniard Juan Pedro López and who on Sunday took the finish line in Cogne with Giulio Ciccone, the Abruzzese from Brecciarola who returned to success after three years of fasting.
Thomas, let’s start right from Ciccone. A good shot in Val d’Aosta?
«It was necessary. She was now. After a dark period and after the defaillance in the hamlet of the house, that of the Blockhaus, Giulio went back to scratching. Now morale is high and this week, full of climbs, he offers many possibilities to do well ».
What type is the Abruzzese?
“Extravagant, impulsive, explosive. Sometimes he jumps into the fray with excessive generosity and then pays off in terms of results. But he is certainly one who gives his soul on a bicycle. Without pressure it makes more and this has been seen in Cogne ».
And what about Lopez?
«First of all, I say that despite having lost the pink jersey, he is still in the standings, ninth after just over four minutes. From a human point of view, he is a brilliant, smiling boy, he makes himself loved in a team and in a group ».
Unbalanced in some predictions. Who wins the Giro?
“Carapaz can lose him, but it won’t be easy. Also because he has a team of great value around him ».
Let’s talk a little about you and your work. You are now a veteran of the Grand Tours. Have you taken into account how many in the facts you have?
“Honestly no. I think five or six of Giri d’Italia ”.
What is your assignment this year?
«At this year’s Giro I am, as we say in the jargon, the hotel. In the sense that I anticipate the riders and after the start I go directly to the hotel to ensure that when they arrive they will find everything arranged in the best possible way ».
Let’s imagine that in a cycling where the details make the difference it is necessary to take care of everything in an exaggerated manner to guarantee what Sky – today Ineos – defined as “marginal gains”.
«Undoubtedly it is so. Among the tasks that the masseurs who do the hotel have there is also that of preparing the room and, in particular, the bed of the runners. While it has been common practice for years for an athlete to bring their own pillow, for some time now the teams have also brought mattresses to their runners. To ensure a rest that is as relaxing as possible ».
Race you see little, therefore. In fact, you don’t really see any.
“It’s really like this. When the athletes were in Cogne, I was already in Brescia to prepare the hotel that hosts us in view of Salò – Aprica ».
The Giro is approaching home.
“Yes, although not too much. In the stages that will take place between Treviso and Bellunese I will be in a hotel in Trento and Codogné ».
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