If we had to describe in detail what Stefano Oldani he passed the Giro d’Italia, a book wouldn’t be enough. The Cofidis rider from Lombardy left the pink race early and now hopefully he can be at the start of the Tour de France, his goal since the beginning of the season.
Oldani has just left his retreat in Livigno, where he worked really hard at the 1,800 meters in the Valtellina area. Among other things, he is a regular here, knows the routes well and has his contacts. All the more reason to believe him when he says he finally feels good.
Stefano, let’s start from the Giro, a withdrawal due to tendonitis…
I arrived at the Giro having not prepared it as I wanted, as always. It wasn’t in the plans, but I was there anyway and that’s good. It happened that in the first three days I had intestinal problems. I thought it was a question of the gels, as I hadn’t taken them for a few days, maybe they had hurt me. And instead it was a virus. After the dirt road stage I had some problems with my Achilles tendon, but I’m used to it now.
In what sense?
Yes, I live with it and all in all I know how to keep it at bay. Even the year I won the stage I was fighting it. But moving forward, after a few days a sports director got sick. He traveled with us and I caught another virus: tracheitis. On the rest day I even started antibiotics, I was in such bad shape. In the end the tendon was affected again and at that point I retired. I did it 2-3 stages early, since I would have stopped at the end of the second week anyway.
Of course, hold on for what?
I would have just run out. Better to think about the Tour at that point, which was in the plans instead.
So you came home and what did you do?
Three days of absolute rest and then for a week I did 3 quiet hours to completely eliminate the tracheitis and maintain my muscles and everything else. At that point I went up to Livigno.
A lot’…
Yes I just came down yesterday. I did three full weeks. I had already improved that week at home but after I went up to Livigno it was really better. I redid the right base, the one I was missing after the scaphoid fracture in the spring. I trained with my methods, my habits, I see that the numbers are good and for this reason I am very confident.
Will you compete in the Italian championship?
Yes, now in the meantime I will compete in the Italian championship and then we need to understand if I will go to the Tour de France. I did the Giro to meet the team, I’m sorry that my participation was questioned until the end.
It’s not easy to face the Italian coming directly from the heights…
Let’s say that I get off in time to be able to do well and be ready, but it certainly isn’t easy, because you also need a bit of luck in a one-day race. I prepared very well, I say I’m in shape and at the same time I know what the level of the Tour is. So if I say it it’s because it can be good for me and for the team. Otherwise I would be the first not to go. Otherwise it would be a boomerang.
When will you know if you will be part of the team for the Grande Boucle?
I think after Italian.
Do you already have a “plan B”?
Not yet, but in that period there is the Tour of Slovakia. I imagine that could be the alternative, but we will evaluate it. I hope to go to the Tour because I know how I feel. Then it’s also true that the Tour is a great experience, but at that point the important thing is to race.
Stefano denotes confidence, you talked about methods at altitude, references…
I did my best work and more. I usually came to the altitude for two weeks, this time for three. I had a masseur with me who treated me every single day. I did a great deal of work, ate well… I really can’t do more than that and that’s why I’m calm.
