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Twentieth upon arrival, the fans around him begin to recognize him and are already asking him the impossible: win in the mountainssomeone yells at him to aim for the pink sweater. A boy, more lucid, simply asks him Well done and to tell him that from today on he will wait for him. In just 140 kilometres, the image of Giulio Pellizzari took on different contours.
«Open the Coca-Cola for me, please» he asks Pellizzaria little tired and a little dazed.
Give a pat to De Marchi («I had cramps» Alessandro replies. And passing outside the Ineos bus, he lets himself go in a «good boy” to Gannalike any enthusiast.
«I wish I had seen how fast it went uphill».
Giulio, you went fast up the climb too though.
«I found myself in front, I saw that Pogacar didn’t have many men with him, the opportunity had arisen and why shouldn’t I have entered it? It was a beautiful day, indeed».
At a certain point, Pogacar came back from behind.
«I knew that by following him I would be putting myself on the cross, but am I or am I not a young man who must discover his own limits? So I didn’t think twice and followed him, at least I hope to have a photo of him at the wheel. It’s not often you get to be at the Pogacar wheel going uphill».
How did you spend the night before your debut?
«Serena, I slept without problems. I had nothing to lose, no one was asking me anything, I was just excited. Maybe just a half fear».
Which?
«I hoped not to make anyone fall, when you are young and in a context like the Giro you have to be careful. You know, all it takes is a more risky approach to make an omelette. Instead, as the kilometers passed, I melted and didn’t think about it anymore».
And this evening?
«Now in the hotel, massages, dinner and I will try not to think about cycling for a few hours, because knowing how to distract yourself is equally fundamental».
Who do you sleep with?
«With Zanoncello, the best companion I could wish for. I’d go and eat a pizza even outside of the races, just to give you an idea».
And tomorrow there is Oropa.
«It will be another battle, let’s see, I’m curious. I repeat, I have nothing to lose at this Giro d’Italia: I have a lot to learn, but if I have the opportunity to throw myself in, I certainly won’t back down.».
