Time is near for the first big race of the year.
https://www.tuttobiciweb.it/article...-trek-segafredo-poggio-cipressa-classicissima
"The Classicissima is the race that, because of its charm and history, I have always wanted to ride, even if it is one of those that I see as less suitable for my characteristics. For me it's still a race for the fast men."
"Despite this I've always tried to invent something, with attacks from afar or near the finish line, attacking uphill or downhill. After so many placings, I had almost put my mind at rest. The year I didn't look for her, she came to me. When I won, I crossed the finish line laughing. She came as an unexpected gift."
"The new route, honestly, I just looked at it on paper, but I'm not studying it. By Saturday I'll treasure the advice of the team and the trusted people who have seen it. My approach won't change. There remains a race of almost 300 km in which I want to do well, where it is important to take care of every detail. From feeding in the race to managing the positions in the group at key moments, a fundamental element to save as much energy as possible. The rest are unpredictable factors, even more so this year given the period."
No place for Antonio in the team which will be Giulio Ciccone, Gianluca Brambilla, Koen de Kort, Nicola Conci and Jacopo Mosca.
DS will be Slongo and Adriano Baffi who says:
"We no longer find some historical passages of the race, but in substance I think it remains a classic very suitable for sprinters. With the climb of Niella Belbo with 140km to go the riders' legs will be more tired than in the past, while the descent from Colle di Nava is technical and tricky. The fight for the best positions will be more intense. It's possible that this will make the Cipressa and Poggio the ideal terrain for a sharper selection than we've been used to in recent editions".