If one tracks the contenders for this year’s rainbow jersey simply on momentum and form then Italy would have several riders among the favourites. Whether it’s Matteo Trentin, Elia Viviani or Diego Ulissi, their riders simply haven’t stopped wining in recent weeks. It’s little wonder that Trentin believes that the Italian team can go head-to-head with the likes of Belgium in Sunday’s elite men’s road race at the World Championships.
Two years ago in Richmond, upon crossing the finish line and regaining his composure after a long and difficult race, Trentin explained to Cyclingnews how the Italian squad was one in transition. The show-stopping names from the mid-2000s had slowly faded from the limelight and a new crop was slowly finding their feet on the international stage. On that day in 2015 the Italians raced to 18th place through Giacomo Nizzolo. It was a result that perhaps didn’t do their collective ride justice, but two years on from that experience, the team are in a different place. They’ve not just gelled as a squad but they’ve matured as riders.
Trentin, Viviani and Ulissi are all winning races and Italy finds itself with three genuine contenders for what looks like an open race on Sunday.
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“We’re more or less the same as that team in Richmond,” Trentin told Cyclingnews late on Friday evening at the team’s hotel.
“I was there, [Daniele] Bennati, [Sonny] Colbrelli as a reserve, Ulissi and Elia. We had the hole between two generations but we’re around our 30s now and we’re still growing.”
Sunday’s main event will illustrate how far Italy has come in the last two years. Their team meeting takes place on Saturday night, at which point they will be told of their roles and responsibilities, but few would argue that Trentin doesn’t deserve a leading part.
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