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Joe Dombrowski is one in all simply three American riders at this yr’s Giro d’Italia, and in an unique diary for Cyclingnews, he has been sharing his ideas on the racing, revealing what goes on contained in the peloton, and sharing his personal feelings of using the Corsa Rosa
He received a troublesome stage to Sestola within the 2021 Corsa Rosa and is using the Italian Grand Tour as a part of the Astana Qazaqstan workforce led by Vincenzo Nibali. Nonetheless, Dombrowski hopes to have an opportunity for one more stage victory whereas additionally serving to Nibali in his last Grand Tour.
We’ve already raced 16 levels on the Giro d’Italia and we’re into the excessive mountains of the third week however as we joke within the pre-race workforce assembly every single day, this yr’s Giro has solely simply began, particularly for Astana Qazaqstan.
We’re all drained and barely cooked from the warmth of the second week however with the ultimate weekend together with a mountain end to the foot of the Marmolada glacier after which Sunday’s decisive time trial round Verona, there’s a whole lot of racing and particularly a whole lot of GC racing to come back. With Vincenzo using so effectively, it’ll imply a whole lot of laborious work and laborious racing for me and the workforce too however we’re glad to do all of it for Vincenzo’s final dance and his final resurrection and farewell.
I in contrast him in an interview to Kobe Bryant earlier this yr and after he revealed in his hometown of Messina that he’ll retire on the finish of 2022, and so by no means experience the Giro once more, there’s been a singular ambiance within the workforce.
He’s a peaceful man, I’ve by no means seen him confused, however with the load of expectation fallen away from his shoulders he appears free to race on intuition, in a form of final present of his Grand Tour abilities.
Everybody within the workforce would like to see him do one thing particular on this final week. He has come again from huge time deficits earlier than, comparable to in 2016, the place he received his second Giro, so there’s a way that something might occur between now and Verona on Sunday.
Vincenzo has a protracted historical past of turning races the other way up. He’s as much as fifth general after the stage to Aprica, indicating he’s on an increase. He will likely be marked now and he can’t actually surrender the struggle for the GC however I feel he’d like a giant stage win too and so will exit swinging. That’s his model. If I can assist be part of that, it’d be enjoyable for me too. I’ve a sense of optimism about our probabilities.
My position has been fluid all through the Giro and it actually hasn’t been a quiet race for me. The unique focus was to assist Miguel Ángel López within the GC and Vincenzo had a free position. Then once we misplaced Miguel, I additionally obtained some probabilities and went on the assault and made it into the breakaway on the stage to Blockhaus, and once more on the stage 14 circuit round Turin. Luck hasn’t been on my facet when it comes to these breakaways surviving to the end, but when I’ve the liberty to strive once more, I’ll.
I fought for the breakaway on stage 15 however didn’t make it. After a giant early effort it made for an additional laborious day after an already powerful day across the Turin hills on Saturday. However I’m not complaining as a result of I’d like to land a stage win like I did final yr. I spent 80km combating for the break on Sunday after which stayed with Vincenzo on the ultimate climbs. And on stage 16, it was good to be pulling on Mortirolo, and exhibiting ourselves within the race, even when it didn’t make a big effect on the results of the day.
In a means, a number of of us within the peloton are collaborating in each races of the day at this Giro: there’s the struggle for the stage win after which a extra of a domestique position for our chief. Up to now I’m recovering fairly effectively however as we depend down the levels of the ultimate week, fatigue does start to set in, in a number of other ways. You see it in how the bunch races and on a private stage, small issues could make you grumpy.
My private gripes embrace riders who throw bottles at partitions so that they return into the bunch and lodge rooms with no actual mattress however a settee pull-out mattress. Once I’m grumpy, even the pink practice that follows the race on some levels and continually honks its horn subsequent to us is annoying.
Fortuitously there are some particular issues that assist you overlook the fatigue and cease me being a Giro grouch.
It was very nice to see my spouse and mates from Good as they adopted the race within the Alps. I noticed my title painted on the street on Sunday and having a giant cheering part was a pleasant contact. My mother and pa will likely be on the Giro all of the final week and I’d love to indicate myself and provides them one thing to cheer for. I owe them a lot and it’s particular to share my Giro with them.
My spouse and mates met a gaggle of Colombian followers the place they have been camped out alongside the stage on Sunday they usually have additionally promised to comply with me for all the final week. My private Giro fan membership is rising on a regular basis and that can solely assist me within the last levels as we struggle for Vincenzo and maybe even a stage win.
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