Giada Borgato in 2012 she was Italian champion in Valsugana, then once she hung up her bike in 2014 she discovered herself as a technical voice for the women’s races broadcast by RAI, until she also commented on men’s cycling. At the Giro d’Italia we met her on the Rai motorbike following the pink caravan in which she followed the race dominated by the Slovenian Pogacar as a true insider (after last year’s experience too – ed.): “Last year I took measurements and this year it went well. We were quite lucky with the weather, we only got water in Livigno and Sappada, it’s a Giro that I definitely enjoyed more than last year. It’s always a good experience, from the bike you can have more contact with the riders and the sports directors and therefore it’s easier to create a relationship and therefore easier to discuss. One day we fell on our motorbike in the stage of the Marche walls, but fortunately we didn’t get hurt, but there were moments of tension because with our fall we blocked all the flagships behind“.
In your opinion, what percentage did Pogacar race at the Giro d’Italia?
“Good question. In my opinion, at the beginning he worked hard to create the right space with his opponents and then take control where he could, with the exception of the Mottolino stage and the Desenzano time trial in which he opened the throttle. I think that during the first ten days of racing he felt more pressure and in my opinion he saved 15% in view of the Tour.”
Considering the unknowns linked to Vingegaard, do you think Pogacar could have no rivals at the Tour too?
“I have always had the feeling that Vingegaard will be in good shape at the Tour, the team has always kept everything hidden from the injury until his recovery and I believe that keeping him so in the shade is to avoid giving information to his opponents”.
Could Pogacar be planning to win Giro-Tour-Vuelta in the same year?
“It all depends on how the Tour goes, on the wave of enthusiasm, if he wins the Grande Boucle he could try. but it is also true that the Olympics are in the middle and therefore it would become very hard and stressful to keep up with four commitments of this level”.
Is Evenepoel ready to battle Pogacar or do you think the gap remains important uphill?
“At the Dauphiné, apart from the time trial, he didn’t give great signs, but he has already started working at altitude to refine his condition, also on the basis of what he understood at the Dauphiné”.
In this era of phenomena, do you think Tiberi can carve out his space and, perhaps, win a Grand Tour in his career?
“I certainly hope so, Tiberi has shown at the Giro that he is doing well and improving in the last week. There was a problem in Oropa which he managed well, bringing home a good placing and recovering along the way. Due to his physical characteristics he could try to win a Grand Tour, but he still has to grow a lot and gain experience.”
What idea do you have of Giulio Pellizzari from a future perspective?
“He’s a good runner, he has a lot of determination and a good physique. He will change team next year and therefore he will try to improve so much in the time trial that in the Grand Tours he remains a fundamental point. Pellizzari has a lot of room for growth and in a team like Bora-Hansgrohe he will find the right environment to emerge without haste.”
In your opinion, since he started becoming a one-day racing man, has Ganna lost something in time trials?
“I don’t think so, this year he has the Olympics as his main objective and therefore he started the season calmly to reach peak form close to the five-round event. Clearly the years are passing for him too and behind him there are some youngsters who are going very fast in the time trial, like Tarling.”
Who is the strongest sprinter at the moment?
“There is a good team of sprinters, among all of them I would say Milan who are growing well, still have room for improvement and in a couple of years they can become number one overall. Merlier and Philipsen are also two good sprinters.”
What do you expect from Ciccone between Tour de France and Vuelta?
“The Tour is difficult, it will be necessary to understand whether he will go with the ranks of captain together with Geoghegan Hart and then the road will decide or whether he will support Tao and he will go with the ambition of some stages which perhaps could be the best choice right. At the Vuelta, however, he will certainly have more space and more opportunities to try to take care of the overall, but clearly we always have to see what the team decides to do, both at the Tour and at the Vuelta.”
