«He is developing an unmanageable leg, which goes away on its own. It slips away from him. But if I were the older brother I would tell Taddeo to save money because from a general classification perspective it is not so convenient to burn a lot of energy for the sprints and the bonuses at the Intergiro”.
Oh yes, because it’s okay that at the end of the third stage of the Giro, the one with the finish line in Fossano, there was a small break, on paper a trap for the sprinters, but Pogacar is hungry, he wants to win everything and always. He takes advantage of a shot from Honorè, then starts again: he attacks, tries to win again and by detachment. Already in Cherasco, Intergiro, he launched himself to scrape together two seconds.
Okay, but do you think this is normal? No, because cycling will have changed but I remember that already in Saronni’s time – we were in 1979, a lifetime or maybe two ago – it was said that those who aim for the rose are better off not sprinting also to avoid a waste of energy extra
« But you know, in Saronni’s time the bonuses were 30 seconds, another story that perhaps can’t even be compared. We know well that Pogacar is a talented and instinctive runner and that his actions are spectacular. They do well in the Giro. But, as I was telling you, if I were close to him I would advise him to manage himself more. He is certainly in top condition again. But he goes so fast that he can’t control himself.”
Thomas took his wheel and didn’t even give him a change. Did he do well?
«Thomas was at full speed and couldn’t relieve him. But the fact that he contained him means that he is in excellent condition because he is not an explosive runner. He is a regularist.”
In the sprint everyone expected Milan, but they lost in the photo finish.
«It seems to me that, as always more or less, when he leaves he uses gears that are too agile. He’s fine, he’s strong and powerful, his agility is a skill he honed on the track but in the sprint you have to let your teeth down. Look at him, he is always the most agile of all. To me, his riding seems unprofitable. I believe that, as happened already last year, he is throwing away golden opportunities. I also think that he would need a real last man and a team with 2-3 dedicated elements who can put him in the best conditions because he always makes incredible comebacks but then doesn’t always win. But his technicians certainly have knowledge that I don’t I have. For me, the more agile ratio is fine, perhaps the sprints at the Intergiro. But those are other sprints compared to those of the finish line. When I ran, I didn’t like intermediate sprints. I couldn’t even express myself to the fullest.”
Maybe you missed the thrill of victory, the taste of blood in your mouth, the ferocious taste of the decisive thrust.
“No doubt”.
Mario, before saying goodbye, I wanted to hook up with Pogacar, who is the testimonial of a supplement company, to ask you for another opinion. Fructose is back in fashion, which decades ago seemed like the perfect fuel for a cyclist, but then disappeared. What idea did you have?
«It would be better to ask this opinion from a scholar of the subject, from a luminary above the parties. What I think we all know is that fructose, in high and repeated quantities over time, has liver toxicity recognized on a scientific level. However, knowledge has changed about what the human body can use and about the needs of top-level cyclists. Now the main path is that of very high doses of carbohydrates, even reaching 120 up to 160 grams/hour. A very high value that was unthinkable until recently. Fructose is used for this very reason, to concentrate a significant amount of sugar in a small product. Performance improves. If it’s good for you in the long run, because let’s not forget that it should be taken both while racing and during training, I repeat, it’s better to ask a good human nutrition specialist.”
