Filippo Ganna added his identify to the lengthy checklist of riders to fall unwell earlier than Milan-San Remo, revealing he has been sick and even struggled to experience this week.
Nevertheless, like each Italian who actually ‘feels’ the significance, status and the magic of Milan-San Remo, he promised to present his all, with a carpe diem technique and with out excluding any end result to his race.
“I can breathe now, that is a very good factor,” Ganna mentioned on Friday afternoon through a video name, his nostril nonetheless barely blocked however his morale seemingly nonetheless excessive.
“I had a excessive fever on Sunday after Tirreno-Adriatico and Monday. I didn’t experience on Monday or Tuesday both and struggled on Wednesday, even on the rollers. I rode for 2 hours on Thursday and felt somewhat higher within the second hour of the experience. It was the identical as we speak. I hope that after seven hours of driving at Milan San Remo my physique will get used to it and helps me out.
“I feel 85-90 per cent of the bunch have had the identical issues, so whoever has been somewhat luckier maybe has higher situation. It’s not good to be unwell for anybody, all of us need to be in good form and really feel good, however my mentality and my legs are prepared.
“I should be mentally stronger and attempt to keep centered for the finale of the race. Being unwell doesn’t matter; we keep centered. If we get a end result, that’s unbelievable. If we don’t get something, it doesn’t change a factor.”
Bettering year-on-year, attacking after the Poggio
Ganna is driving Milan-San Remo for the fifth time in his profession. Like reducing his pursuit instances on the observe, he hopes to enhance his outcomes year-on-year.
In 2021, he dragged the peloton up the a lot of the Poggio at velocity to arrange his Ineos Grenadiers teammates. That sparked a scandal in Italy, with the tifosi and the Italian media angered that Ganna, a world time trial and observe champion needed to sacrifice his likelihood in an Italian traditional and work as a easy domestique. He needed to clarify post-race that he had been unwell however the polemica continued.
Ganna’s spectacular profession trajectory and multitude of racing abilities signifies that this yr he has workforce management at Ineos Grenadiers alongside Tom Pidock, Michal Kwiatkowski and Elia Viviani, and the liberty to attempt his playing cards regardless of his latest sickness.
With the likes of Tadej Pogačar anticipated to make a tough race to attempt to distance the sprinters, and Wout van Aert seemingly on nice type and capable of assault on the Poggio and win a dash within the Through Roma, Ganna has to observe a distinct technique that performs to his strengths.
He can maybe survive a excessive tempo over the Cipressa climb with 25km to go however has to additionally maintain onto any Poggio assaults from Pogačar, Van Aert and anybody else. Solely then does he have an opportunity to go solo and time trial to the end.
Ganna quietly admitted that his finest likelihood may very well be an assault within the last two kilometres after the descent of the Poggio, as Jasper Stuyven did final yr and as fellow time trial world champion Fabian Cancellara pulled off in 2008.
“I’ve ridden Milan-San Remo 4 instances. The primary time I made it to Imperia and was dropped on the Cipressa, the second time I made it over the Cipressa however then was dropped on the Poggio. The third time final yr, I pulled for half of the Poggio and was dropped. This yr if I make it over the Poggio, I might be comfortable,” Ganna mentioned, laying out his technique with honesty.
“For positive I can’t dash and I can’t actually observe Tadej and Wout van Aert on the climbs as a result of we simply have completely different physique sorts. Yeah, an assault like Fabian Cancellara did can be good for me. However it will not be simple.
“There are some sturdy riders within the race, who can assault on the climbs however the finale begins after 280km, when there’s not a lot left within the legs, so the distinction might be small by then. It is going to all be about who has saved as little as vitality as potential, who has stayed on the wheels and fueled properly all race.
“We have to race carpe diem,” he added, making use of the oft-used latin phrase, that means seize the day, to Milan-San Remo.
“It’s important to sense the second to make an enormous effort. Milan-San Remo is an odd race; you may have unbelievable legs earlier than the Poggio after which after two corners you may tighten up and never know why.
“It’s exhausting to assault earlier than the Cipressa, and too late to assault after the Poggio as a result of you must be up entrance on the climbs. I don’t have the crystal ball to see the long run. We’ll see what occurs within the race.”
