«How am I? Good, but a little pissed off. Very pissed off. Two second places in two days…”. Andrea Vendrame is about to reach his hotel after the Marecottes stage which saw him come close to winning, which instead went to the Flemish Lidl-Trek, Thibau Nys.
Vendrame has had a mixed season so far. Very good at times, much less in others, such as the fall at La Roue Tourangelle where you suffered a head injury. But now, on the roads of the Tour de Romandie, the rider of the Decathlon-AG2R La Difesa seems to be on the right track. Two days ago he was second behind his teammate Godon and yesterday behind Nys. On the first day they were looking for points and bonuses, on the second they were looking for victory.
Andrea, let’s start from today’s sprint (yesterday for those reading)…
I didn’t do anything wrong: neither during the sprint nor during the stage. We were in front covering Godon’s leader’s jersey and then I went on the break. The ending went exactly as I imagined, also because I had seen it and was well guided by the flagship.
Even though the curve was different, it was vaguely reminiscent of the chaotic finale of the Castelmonte stage of the 2022 Giro…
And in fact this is also why I got into it, I didn’t want to remain closed in any way. I approached the sprint in the best way possible. I still got a second place, but I showed that the condition is there. I’m here to finish the work for the Tour of Italy.
Looking at the results, you had a good spring: second at Laigueglia, two top 10s at Tirreno and precisely these two podiums…
I actually had some good problems, sort of after the fall at the Roue Tourangelle: I suffered a head injury and by protocol I couldn’t get on a bike for a week. The team wanted me at Freccia del Brabant, but I didn’t know how it would go after a week’s break. Instead I did a good job for Godon and Cosnefroy, placing them well for the finale, so much so that we managed to bring home the race (with Cosnefroy, ed.). There is a good atmosphere in the team this year, we collaborate well.
This winter did you work more on the gaps or did you insist on the strong points?
Let’s say I did my good job at home. Just two evenings ago I was talking about it with my trainer and we said that we are there with the numbers. We’re doing great… And in fact this is why I’m pissed off at not having been able to get the result. I was the one who asked to go on a breakaway, also to complete the work in view of the Giro. The team gave me carte blanche and I threw myself into the attack. I repeat, shame about second place, but the condition is there. And I didn’t take the high ground.
How come?
Because between the stop due to the head injury and the Brabant Arrow, there wouldn’t have been too much time. I would have had to do seven days, then go down for two and go to Belgium, then go up again and come directly to Romandie. So two days at home and off to the Giro. Too much stress at that point. I had thought about making a tent (the hypoxic tent, ed.), since now it is possible. But my partner jokingly told me that with the noise of the scooter she wouldn’t be able to sleep: it was either me or the tent machine! In short, in the end I didn’t make either the hill or the tent! But I’m confident because the volume of hours has been good.
Earlier you said that there is a good atmosphere in the team: why, what has changed?
Maybe before there were elements with more individualism, but now we help each other more. I also believe that it also depends on whether the materials work well. Now we are competitive and today it is important to have valid materials. The jerseys are new, the bikes are new. All this helps to relax the climate and create harmony. We are friends.
Let’s look at the Giro: there are many moving stages, perfect for Vendrame. Have you studied them?
Not much, to be honest. And in fact even the directors are starting to put pressure on me to let them know what I want to do, what intentions I have. But I haven’t circled anything at the moment. Basically, however, I am not someone who likes to make long-term plans and proclamations. In the meantime, let’s finish this Romandie well, then from Monday I’ll focus well on the Giro.
Does finishing the Romandie well mean also thinking about the general championship or is it too much given that you are second?
Tomorrow (today, ed.) there is the 15 kilometer time trial and it is not my specialty: it penalizes me. Yes, I work at home. It is now an indispensable exercise and the route is also hilly, but it is too much. Maybe I’ll take it as a “rest” day. Then the day after tomorrow there is an uphill finish similar to today’s (yesterday, ed.), but I imagine the men in the ranking will want to compete for it. And on Sunday the classic sprint finish in Geneva. Since I am the leader of the points classification, I will try to bring this jersey home. And in the meantime I continue to work for the Giro.
Speaking of Giro, will O’Connor be your leader?
O’Connor will be our leader and in second place will be Aurelien Paret-Peintre. I think we have a really good team for the Giro. Strong, balanced and overall a well organized team.
