Ever closer to the start of the Giro d’Italia. From next May 4th in Venaria Reale we will start the fight against pink jersey, which however seems to have already been assigned ‘ex officio’ to Tadej Pogacar. There doesn’t seem to be, barring cataclysms, a chance of seeing a different winner at the Imperial Forums in Rome, but behind him the fight is open. And he will try to fit in too Damiano Caruso.
The Sicilian from Bahrain-Victorious is now very fond of the Corsa Rosa, the one that three years ago sent him into another dimension, that of a rider capable of making the rankings. We are still moved by the success three years ago on Alpe Motta which allowed him to finish second in the overall behind Egan Bernal. And in recent times, thanks to his regularity, he has been the only light at the end of the Italian tunnel in the big stage races.
Even last year, at the age of thirty-six, he was the only Italian capable of making a real ranking, arriving at the foot of the podium, more than three minutes away from Joao Almeida’s third place, but always without overdoing it, going at his own pace and confirming himself among the best uphill. At the moment, however, there is a question mark over him. Not on the performances, which in any case were not too positive between Tirreno-Adriatico and Volta a Catalunya (he is currently competing at Romandia), but for the fact of have Antonio Tiberi as a teammate.
The twenty-two year old from Ciociaro gave excellent signs both at Catalunya and in the latest Tour of the Alps, collecting an eighth and a third place in the general classification. Especially in Trentino Tiberi also showed the courage to attack and try to run with the head, not adapting to the standards of his opponents. But as we know, the Giro d’Italia is still something else: it’s three weeks of high pace, and you pay for every little ‘crush’. What happened to the Tirreno Adriatico on Monte Petrano cannot be repeated.
So, returning to Caruso, what could be his objective in this Giro d’Italia? He could probably start as a ‘mentor’ of the young Tiberi, to be able to help him understand his limits, also acting as a faithful squire on the climb. But if the signs were to be more positive for the old Sicilian lion, it is not excluded that the hierarchies could be overturned. For a new men’s stage racing ride. He who held the tricolor flag high, awaiting the growth of the Tiberi and Pellizzari.
