SAINT QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES. This time the British win, it happens every now and then. The Italian quartet of the chase with two out of four Friulians in the race, Jonathan Milan and Manlio Moro, lost the final for gold at the World Championships from Great Britain pushed to the side of the track by none other than Sir Bradley Wiggions.
There is, only 4-5 years ago a world silver would have been a triumph, but now, after the race on Thursday 13 October, after the Olympic and world gold of the “Fab4” even a second place may seem a disappointment.
The race was tough, we knew that. Great Britain, a recent history of triumphs, think of stars like Roy, Thomas or precisely “Wiggo”, tried to return to the greats of the specialty relying, among others, on Nathan Hayter and Dan Bigham, two of the Ineos that Ganna knows very well. Bigham is the runner-engineer who, in August, to test the materials useful for our TGV company, went ahead by beating the hour record. The English in qualifying had done a tenth better than the Azzurri and a little more in the semifinals.
The blue quartet had to settle for the silver medal
In short, they had always been strong. And the Italquartetto, with coach Marco Villa, clearly engaged in the construction of the most prestigious assault on the 2024 Games, had substantial news.
The first, honey for the big boy from Azzano Decimo Moro who was still chosen among the owners. This time it was the Olympian Francesco Lamon’s turn to stay out. His is a very delicate role, he has to launch the team in the first laps and put it at “cruising speed”, in short, make it spin over 65 per hour. This task, as it had already happened in a test at the 2021 World Cup, fell to the other Friulian cuirassier Milan. Starting on the edge of parity, the British then always ahead by two-three, four tenths. But more, but never less than two.
The GBR was a pleasure and after three of the 4 km it was immediately clear that the Azzurri had only the last card left to play, albeit the most precious one: Ganna’s final rush.
The hero of Tokyo, who alone in the final in 500 meters recovered more than half a second to the Danes, however, was a veteran of the monstrous efforts of not even a week ago in Grenchen when he smashed the hour record. «For the record I had to run at 95 rides per minute – said“ Pippo ”- here I had to do 117, so I started to suffer immediately at the start. Milan started very strong, I found it hard to catch up. Pity”.
British? “I broke the hour record from Bigham, he took the gold from me, but we must be happy. We know that we have another great opponent, but in these days we have included a great young man like Manlio Moro ».
Before going to the first of the two Friulian cuirassiers in the race some data: Great Britain won in 3’45 “829” (63.675 km / average), Italy coerced in 3’46 “033. To give an idea, the “Fab 4” in Tokyo won gold in 3’42 “032, but no comparison: that was the appointment of the year, here many riders arrived tired and not at their best.
Here he is Moro. You can see him a mile away: he would have preferred to take a lot of pats on the back for the great debut but with the gold medal around his neck. «I still haven’t realized what I’ve done, of course you always want to win, but we did everything possible to try. In my opinion we didn’t do heroes, this time only the rivals were better ».
Manlio has an Olympic dream. “Of course I believe in the 2024 Games, I fit well into this group, it is not easy to turn to these times with these phenomena”. Near Milan he laughs. We ask him: a few years ago a silver at the world championship with the quartet would have been the best, but now …. «We gave everything to keep Great Britain at bay, but they were stronger. Too bad, we wanted to win, but you don’t always win, you happen to finish second, ”he explains.
He says: «I also tried the start and I think I went well, thanks also to Lamon’s advice in the pits. In the end I still had energy, too bad here I was wrong not to pull half a lap more, throwing the boys better ».
Perhaps there was also a different approach between Great Britain and Italy. “They may have had more time to prepare, but it can be there,” reasons the 22-year-old from Buja.
Moro’s World Championship is over because today, Friday 14 October, the individual will not race, leaving space for Davide Plebani. Instead, Jonathan will defend the silver of a year ago, he will face Dan Bigham, who beat him with the quartet. “Ganna says he doesn’t run? I do not know. One thing is certain I will race to win ». Ganna, on the other hand, will run. In the evening he changed his mind.
There will be no American with a mustache Ashton Lambie, capable of beating the Friulian one year ago in the world final in Roubaix, the opportunity is greedy. Moreover. Defeated, but with their heads held high, Moro and Milan smile with silver around their necks.
Manlio will realize by the hour that starting like this for a high-level career is a dream, Jonny is expected to have another day on the verge of 60 per hour.
Then the girls think about avenging their friends-colleagues: Martina Fidanza (second gold for her after the scratch), Chiara Consonni, Vittoria Guazzini with Martina Alzini as well, to beat the English in the final. Overwhelming, historic victory and Mameli’s hymn playing. People move, PCs shut down.
Missing an hour until midnight, the velodrome is deserted. Perhaps waiting for other companies to talk about, let’s go back to the car. Reaching the hotel in that maze of streets and villages in the hinterland of Paris would be impossible without a navigator. We turn on.
The classic female voice with a French accent signals the first street: Rue Laurent Fignon. Yes, the road to the Olympic velodrome is named after the Parisian two-time Tour winner who left too early 50 years 12 years ago. Do you remember?
In 1989 on the Elysian Fields he lost a Grande Boucle to Lemond for 8 seconds. The Italy of the 50% Friulian quartet lost gold by 204 cents. But basically he did it with a smile.