Friday, March 29, 2024

Giro d’Italia 2015 – Stage 17, Aprica – Lugano; Modolo’s Second

-

HomeDiariesGiro d'Italia 2015 - Stage 17, Aprica - Lugano; Modolo's Second

Bassano del Grappa

If you’re working the race it’s really hard to see a stage finish – the best spots get grabbed hours before.

The answer is to find a good bar with a big tele, order a beer and enjoy the racing.

That’s what we did today, we were at the start then on the big climb and that was about all we could cram in.

The traffic around Milan/Como/Lugano is absolutely horrible and to get from points A to B takes forever.

Modolo
Como-side bar with a beer and the TV tuned to the Giro. Photo©Martin Williamson

There was no way we could make the finish, so a bar it was – on lovely Lake Como side, Bellana with cool beer and a nice TV.

This has been Sacha Modolo’s breakthrough race; it was 2010 when he grabbed fourth place in Milano-Sanremo as a neo pro – since then there have been wins but two Grand Tour stages are confirmation, he’s no longer a second string sprinter, he’s Big League.

In Ferrari and Richeze he has two very fast – but not Bouhani/Cav/Kittel quick – men who, have taken to the role of ‘pilot fish’ with aplomb.

Ferrari in particular is fearless and with Richeze, Modolo has a great ultimo kilometro squadra.

And a great Giro for Lampre; now on four stage wins.

Modolo
Ferrari is a great lead-out man for Modolo. Photo©Martin Williamson

We stayed up in Aprica last night, in the same digs as CCC – VeloVeritas‘s East European expert, Ivan would have been in clover.

CCC is ‘only’ Pro Continental but is very well presented, just about everything is orange and/or black.

CCC are a well turned-out squadra. Photo©Martin Williamson
CCC are a well turned-out squadra. Photo©Martin Williamson

The stage start was in Tirano where we headed to get some pre-race ‘sound bites.’

En route we spied Garmin-Cannondale’s DS Charly Wegelius, one of the ‘good guys.’

Polite, approachable, grounded and with a good line in humour.

Modolo
Charly Wegelius always has time for a chat with us. Photo©Martin Williamson

It was an ‘off the record’ chat but when we asked him if the new Twitter/Facebook/bearded generation of pros ‘live the life’ of a professional rider, he told us;

“Some think they do but they don’t – when ex-pros like me explain things to them they think we’re being old fashioned.

“But the same rules still apply; train lots, sleep well, eat well – but stay skinny.”

When you’ve not been to a Giro partenza for a while, you forget how noisy it all is – the kids, the dancers, the speaker, the band…

Modolo
The sign-on is a good place to see the riders relaxing and catching up with friends. Photo©Martin Williamson

And there was a guy there demonstrating wooden bikes – I don’t think they’d be the answer in damp old Scotia.

Modolo
A wooden bike – it might just catch on. Photo©Ed Hood

In GB we have Wiggo’s personal photographer who’s trying to be a Paul Weller tribute act.

In stylish Italia you’d think the photogs would maybe go for a Giorgio Armani look – or maybe to emulate a famous sportsman.

Nope.

Modolo
It’s the ‘Hair Bear Bunch’ look that does it for this boy. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
In the Giro you have stylish photographers too… Photo©Martin Williamson

The entrance to the sign on is a cool place to lurk for pictures, every rider will have to pass, sooner or later – from Trek’s Marco Coledan last @ 4:31:53 (which is a whole stage down) to the Capo himself.

Modolo
The sign-on stage – a great place to catch riders. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
Adam Hansen told us at the start that he would try to get in the break of the day. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
Fabio Aru signs on to huge cheers and applause.. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
BMC’s Atapuma at the start. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
Contador is all smiles at the start, and rightly so. Photo©Martin Williamson

Contador isn’t a big man but he has aura and presence which perhaps doesn’t manifest itself in the magazines or TV; but when you’re near him, there’s an air of respect and reverence around with the young pros – no one invades Alberto’s space.

Modolo
Stone last and out the back at this early stage, Lotto’s Moreno Hoffland. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
Elia Viviani at the start. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
We chat to Simon Clarke at his bus. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
Dima Konyshev teases Paolo Bettini about his ‘skid lid’. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
A soundbite from auld pal, Sky’s Dario Cioni. Photo©Martin Williamson

Next up we headed up on to the Teglio climb, ‘only’ third cat but a beast of a thing.

Modolo
The leading three pass us. Photo©Martin Williamson

Six Day star, Iljo Keisse was with Italians Berlato and Bandiera – with Uran’s race well and truly sunk the sponsors will want to see some sort of show…

We’d learn later that Iljo & Co. stayed clear until 30 K to. – so not a bad effort.

Modolo
Iljo Keisse keeps the wheel. Photo©Martin Williamson
Modolo
Bert’s troops keep the move pegged. Photo©Martin Williamson

When we entered our wee bar it was Lotto’s Adam Hansen on the promised solo mission but with Mezgec, Nizzolo, Viviani and Modolo still there in the peloton he was always doomed.

Paolini tried a late flyer but when those sprinters are hungry…

We’re in Suisse tonight, be nice to bump into some FiFA boys needing some good press – but we’d be above that…

How much did you say, pal?

Modolo
The view as we awaited the race today. Photo©Martin Williamson
Ed Hood and Martin Williamson
Ed Hood and Martin Williamson
Ed and Martin, our top team! They try to do the local Time Trials, the Grand Tours and the Classics together to get the great stories written, the quality photos taken, the driving done and the wifi wrestled with.

Related Articles

Grenoble Six Days 2011 – Third Night

Grenoble Six Days 2011... One day, I'd like to come here and sit at one of the big tables with friends and family, watch the cabaret, and the racing, chat, eat and drink too much. It's good value at 63 euros per head: that gets you in, allows you to attack the beautiful buffet and provides you a bottle of wine, mineral water and a coffee as you watch the racing and the cabaret - one day...

Grenoble Six Days 2011 – Second Night

It takes a few days to find the rhythm of a six-day - usually for me it's the sixth day. My feet stop hurting and I get a proper sleep. Last night I slept ok 'til around 06:00 am but after that it was disjointed, the sound of the traffic and the drone of the refrigeration units on the restaurant supply tucks saw to that - not to mention the bizarre dreams.

Giro d’Italia 2008 – Day 4: Stage 16, San Vigilio di Marebbe – Plan de Corones (Individual Time Trial)

The balcony from our digs has the most perfect views you can imagine. It was a hassle to find, but now that we're here it's simply magnificent, it's like looking out of a plane, we're so high and the view across the valley is so spectacular. The Plan de Corones stage made for great TV and if we'd had mountain bikes with us and no deadlines to worry about it would have been great to be up there on the dirt section.

La Vuelta 2019 – Stage 2; Nairo Quintana Escapes into Calpe

Today’s stage started in Benidorm, not beside the sea but on the north side of town, away from the football strip clad, burnt red, stag and hen madness and the karaoke bars. We caught the action at three spots before Nairo Quintana stormed into Calpe for a tremendous win.

At Random

Into The Bumps: Eneco 2010 Stage 3

Into The Bumps. Stage 3 saw the profile go from pancake flat to very lumpy. It was bound to be a day where things were shaken up somewhat on the over all standings, but Canadian hardman/topbloke Svein Tuft is a quality athlete, so we were quite excited about still being in the mix.

The VV View: Cervélo , Contracts and Consumerism

Cervélo , Contracts and Consumerism. It’s not until you go to a big Fondo, Marca or Sportiv that you’re able to figure out how the likes of Cervélo can sponsor a pro team. On the start line you’ll see hundreds of Looks, Colnagos, Treks and — Cervélos; all sold at full price.

The Namen Round of the GVA Series – 13th!

Hey folks, first round of the GVA series - it's one of the big three (World Cup, Superprestige and GVA) top 20's at these races were my aim for the year, I got 13th at Namen.

Mike McCarthy – World Champion on “carrots and peas”

Continuing our series of pre-Track Worlds interviews with riders who came from the 'left field' of the velodrome, in this second part we talk to Mike McCarthy. Mike didn't quite come from nowhere to win the 1992 World Professional Pursuit Championship but certainly shocked the world of the Euro Pros to take what was arguably then, the most prestigious of all the track titles.