Where were we? A cry of joy and a bicycle to the sky. The Paris-Roubaix 2021 was marked by this Sonny colbrelli he knew how to do it and the moment of triumph represents a jewel in the Italian sporting firmament. It starts from the velodrome Jean-Stabinski for something that promises to be just as exciting: the world track cycling championships from October 20 to 24.

Italy wants to be ready to strike and arrows in their bow are not uncommon. The beacon of the movement can only be him, Philippe Ganna, on the strength of his six world titles (4 in pursuit and 2 in time trial) and back from a very long season which began inStar of Bessèges in France (February 6). Head and legs used in 66 races, covering 9,600 kilometers at breakneck speed and making history: gold at the Tokyo Olympics in the track team pursuit, bringing Italy back to Olympus in this specialty 61 years later; on top of the world in the Belgian road show time trial, preceding home idol Wout Van Aert. And now the last act in Roubaix.

A somewhat chaotic approach: a fall forces him to reschedule his season finale, having to give up the time trial won yesterday in France by the Swiss Stefan Küng. The worst, however, seems to be over: “Filippo is doing better, he had a good test at Montichiari on Friday and he seemed to be in good shape. He is not at all tired from the long season, he knows how to plan very well and has shown it on several occasions“, The words of the CT Villa Marco at the Gazzetta dello Sport.

After all, Ganna is also known for her endless thirst for success, for gasoline in her special tank. And so, in this context, we dream of a completely Italian confrontation to the test of individual pursuit with Jonathan Milan (it also crashed in recent days, but apparently without major damage), gold medal at the European Track Championships in Grenchen (Switzerland) in which Pippo did not participate. But beware of the American Ashton Lambie, capable of breaking the world record of our standard bearer and of becoming the first man to break down the wall 4 ‘in individual pursuit even in favorable conditions (high ground). And then the dream of the quartet which, after the joy at Cinque Cerchi, wants to redouble with a world gold which it had lacked for 24 years.

We understand that there are many reasons.

Photo: LaPresse