The story would have been perfect. Too perfect maybe. Native of Padova, Italian sprinter Alberto Dainese had his eyes on the 18th stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia since the route was released in October last year.
23.05.2024
Many factors pointed to an excellent performance from Daino. Firstly, the stage was promised to the sprinters: 180 kilometers, mainly downhill, taking the peloton from the mountains to the city of Padova in the Venice region. Secondly, the stage was happening in the third week of the Grand Tour, exactly when Alberto took stage wins in the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana in 2022 and 2023. And finally, Alberto had a team fully committed around him, ready to protect and bring him to the best position until the finishing straight.
After a superb team effort, Alberto sprinted to 4th which leaves him with mixed feelings. “The team did a very great job. Florian pulled at the front of the peloton the whole day, Kampi did a great effort at the front and Trento pulled so strong for two kilometers in the final. We wanted to control the last two bends and take the last one at 900m in front, which we did. When Theuns and Consonni passed me, I was at their wheel and when they realized Milan was not there, they stopped pulling. So I took Hofstetter’s wheel and started the sprint, but the wind was stronger than expected. I tried to be the most aerodynamic possible, but I was eventually overtaken in the final 50m.”
Despite his disappointment, Alberto will keep special memories of this stage: “This was a special day for me. My school was right here, I started racing on track exactly in this velodrome, so I knew the route very well, every bend, every hole and manhole. It hurts a lot now, but we’ll try again in Rome.”
With his family and friends cheering him on from the team bus this evening, there is no doubt that Daino will find the resources to try his luck on Sunday, on the last stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia finishing in Rome.
Comments