Back in Italy again, here we see why some Italian riders prefer to race at home, as well as their family and friends to cheer them on and bring their favourite desserts for the team after dinner (grazie Signora Tafi), as riders, we are particularly well looked after as riders, with good race organisation, nice food and hotels. Mingling with the Tuscan aristocracy in one of the nicer hotels of Montacatini Terme is a little more pleasant than a high way motel anytime.
We opened our legs up for the first of five days with a 8km Team Time Trial, In the seaside tourist city of Rimini, I was a bit concerned about the short distance, are we going to be tasting our breakfast before crossing the finish line? Or after? Or both?
Include the opening kilometre of relatively friendly Pave, potholes everywhere and a stiff sea breeze. This is going to be fun. Holding the wheel in a TTT is one thing, but with the rear disc roaring over the pave, and struggling to keep the front wheel on the ground at 50+km/h, trying to stay out of the wind and the potholes led to an interesting experience.
We went flat out, managed to stay together and sprint for the line to average 53km/h. After watching a few other teams come in missing a couple of riders, it looked like we had done well, it turned out to be very rewarding to win the stage by one second and take the jersey. A morale booster when it comes to the team as a whole and the first pro victory for some of the guys on the team. It was a good start to the week.
The afternoon's circuit race was a bit of a hair-raiser. A "piano" (easy/consistent) start led to a gnarly bunch finish on the windy, tight, twisty and undulating circuit. A few crashes aside, Fassa managed to get their Man Petacchi to the finish within striking distance to take the stage, along with the 5 second bonus to take the leader's jersey as well.
Stage two, and some more narrow winding roads with even more wind. There was some panic for some teams after 75 km when our guys put in some solid work in the cross winds to momentarily split the field to pieces. Finishing on a circuit with a seemingly harmless 6km ascent to cover four times, it looked like a very strong Fassa Bortolo were going to keep it together for their man Petacchi again, all good for them. I was very frustrated to get caught behind a split and lose 15 seconds to most of the GC favourites.
Petacchi, Petacchi, and Petacchi - The third stage was more to my liking. The wind made the 16.5 km circuit really selective, it is both physically and taxing mentally having to concentrate 100% of the time on position, just after the start/finish we passed ten times through a stretch of road less than 2m wide - sounds easy but when you consider that all of the 120 riders left in the race want to be at the front for the following climb and crosswinds, it makes for a little pushing and shoving, leaving only some 15 riders left to contest the finish, but Fassa and Petacchi showed their strength to win yet again.
Stage four was one of the most scenic courses I have raced on for a while. But the old narrow winding mountain roads leading to the cobbled finish don't equate to a gentile roll through the Tuscan countryside. The 3.8km climb repeated ten times and a little wind left only few riders to contest the final climb up to the beautiful old walled castle village of Montecarlo.
I could not keep the rubber side down on one of the off - camber switchbacks. I hate those sort of crashes - riding along one moment and next thing I knew I was cleaning oil off the road with my jersey, shorts and skin: At least if I am going to crash I want to be able to experience the thrill of flying through the air and prepare myself for the nasty part...landing.
In the finale Ruggero Marzoli (Mobilvetta) hit out right at the bottom of the hill, I tried to follow his move but Casagrande jumped on my wheel, I backed off knowing I would need to save something for the next attack, sure enough, Figueras countered. Coming into the finish I left my run a bit late, staying on the wheel of Figures and Casagrande was not too much of a problem but to come around on the final 200m of cobbles was beyond me. We all finished a few seconds down on Marzoli with only ones and twos coming in behind us. It was an impressive ride by Marzoli solo to his first pro victory. Casagrande was in enough time to get the leader's jersey though.
The final stage is not what everyone likes but it is my kind of race; passing over four 4 x 6km climbs. We got off to a good start covering 47 km in the first hour, then after 64 km it was time for the first climb. Passing through "Vinci", the birthplace of Leonardo de Vinci (Leonardo of Vinci). I appreciate the opportunity to be able to pass through an environment of somebody who has had such an effect of society. Fortunately, I have previously had the time to visit the museum in his memory, it is amazing what that guy invented, there is a wooden replica of his bicycle in the museum among many other creations. Plus samples of what I can only describe as "reflective" handwriting - he wrote everything in reverse, you need to hold a mirror to it to read it as the rest of us are used to writing.
Today though I was a bit more focused on getting some time on Casagrande. All looked good when Figueras and I got away on the second last climb with 25km to go, all good until we came in a very sharp corner when Figueras lost it. I had to jump on the brakes which led me to the soft landing place of a friendly blackberry bush: Soft but scratchy.
Lying helplessly on my back with one lone cameraman staring at me through his lens. I could only think to yell the first abusive word that came to mind. I will not repeat it here and I hope they did not on TV or there will be some offended Italians. Cat scratches and all, I got out of the mess and back into Casagrande’s group to put it to him again on last climb, I got some good time on him but two crashes in two days did not do my descending confidence any good - I got caught on the descent to contest the small group sprint to end up in some lousy position for the stage, but 3rd on GC, the mountains and young rider jersey will help my wounds heal.
I hope the to keep the rubber side down in my next battle - Pays Basque.
CadelEvans.com - Cadel's own website