ROME – The Gallery of Presidents is full of faces from cycling. In a corner, the slightly embarrassed smiles of Tiberi and Pellizzari shine and there is also Pozzato, who has recovered greatly from his ailments. When the President of the Chamber arrives, the ushers push anyone in the corridor to free his passage. Fontana is a 44 year old from Verona and he accepted the invitation of Roberto Pella, also a member of parliament, who wanted to celebrate his role as President of the Cycling League.
And Fontana tells of when in 1994 he found himself in hospital due to serious health problems and, unable to move, he followed every step of that Giro. He was discharged the day Marco Pantani won his first stagethat of Merano, on the eve of Aprica’s masterpiece.
«I never met him – he says – but I was linked to him by a feeling that was something superior. Why his challenges and his victory for me were the rebirth after a very hard period. Cycling shows how athletes are committed, their effort in overcoming all difficulties. You are only against yourself before against your opponent. The beauty is in seeing this effort and also this fight. Overcome the mountains, have the courage to face them. Being alone, often and willingly, even when there are moments of crisis and always trying to recover day after day. Cycling is also a training for life».
The reasons for the Dauphiné
Tiberi listens to him and thinks (and then says) that he came to Montecitorio for the first time on a visit with the school. Having returned now as an invitee for fifth place in the Giro d’Italia is an honor he would never have thought of. The Bahrain Victorious rider recognized his white jersey, lined up together with the others that decorate the morning in Parliament. After retiring from the Dauphiné, his summer is mainly about recovery, before returning to the mountains to prepare for the Vuelta. Who knows why they wanted to bring him to the French race, after such a challenging Giro for him.
More head than legs
«And to tell the truth – she smiles in the impeccable black dress – mentally it was almost as if he never went there. It wasn’t so much a physical problem, but rather a mental one. It’s not as if everything begins and ends with the first and last stages of the Giro. There were two months of preparation. First the hill and then from the hill direct to the Tour of the Alps. From there to Liège and then 100 percent focus on the Giro. So those 21 days and then when you switch off for a week and completely shut down your head and body, having to start again is hard.
«I thought I would go to the Dauphiné with a good condition, which would have allowed me to get some results, get some points for the team and maybe even something for myself. However, when we saw that I was there mostly suffering mentally and being in the race was weighing on me a lot, the team opted for the best choice. To send me home to rest. Load up on energy to start preparing for the Vuelta again, like that for the Giro».
Was the Giro more tiring for the legs or for the head?
Since it was the first major stage race as captain, it was a new experience mentally too. It was the right compromise, in the sense that I didn’t find it too harsh. On the other hand it wasn’t even too simple, mostly due to the mental part. Being in Italy helped me a lot. Of having many stops with acquaintances or friends along the way, which gave me energy. So I felt the effort less or in any case, by running on roads I knew, I was able to put in more determination. Physically however, having done excellent preparation and already having two Vueltas under my belt, I didn’t come away exhausted like at the end of the first time in Spain.
And after fifth place in the Giro, in what spirit do you go to the Vuelta?
Certainly with the ambition to do well. I will try to prepare as best as possible, hoping that there are no unexpected events. We’ll see how the sensations will be at the beginning. My ambition is to go there to try to make the rankings. Why in July I will go to Andorra with some companionsso I’ll do the Vuelta Burgos and after a week we’ll attack the Vuelta.
