By Leone Belotti
Stage 18: Abbiategrasso-Prato Nevoso, 196 km
«From Abbiategrasso to lose weight.»
This is how “Ganassì” (Berlinguer: “a little ganassa”) shows up at the Rosti Bar, in a fluorescent green racing suit, with the fuchsia logo of “AAA - Amatori Autoctoni Associati” on his bib.
A sort of talking cricket, small and thin, all nerves. He strangely resembles an aged Yates. He didn’t leave his bike outside. He brought it inside.
“So? What’s happening today, guys?” (aside from me, the “guys” are in their 70s and 80s).
From Abbiategrasso to Prato Nevoso there are almost 200km of plain, passing through Vigevano, Asti, Alba, Mondovì: and then 15km of final climbing to Prato Nevoso.
Since the beginning of the Giro we see breakaways of Androni men in the Rosti jersey always recovered. Today there are Cattaneo and Ballerini in a group of 12 escapees,
with 12 minutes on the group at 80 km from the finish, which become 14 at 60 km.
"Will this be the right time?" Berlinguer wonders.
«Of course guys, today Rosti will get to the end, I didn't get through for nothing!»
Mery smiles. “What are you drinking, Ganassì?”
And he: "But is the Rosti Bar also a deli, or is it just a rumor? Because I'm 7-800 calories down, I could use a good energy boost. And who are you?", and he looks at me.
Mery replies: "Leave him alone, his girlfriend dumped him."
"Look, brother," he says to me, "I ended up in heroin for a woman, and if I got out of it, who do I have to thank?" I have no idea, but Ganassì points to his bike:
"One hundred km a day, and you'll get rid of the pussy."
“You know you’re right, Ganassì,” says Gino.
"Of course, first of all you're so deranged that you can't even..."
“I’m talking about escape, not f...”
At the short climb of the GPM of Novello, the black jersey Fonzi (4h from Yates!) takes off in front of our Ballerini, who then wins the intermediate sprint of Mondovì.
With 20km to go, the 12 breakaway riders have a 15 minute lead over the peloton. Van Poppel tries to go it alone. With 15km to go, the final climb to 1600m of Prato Nevoso begins,
and the race within the race among the 12 breakaway riders begins, with Va Boppel ahead of the others by 30 seconds.
At 12km Van Poppel's attempt ends, he falls behind. At 10km the slope fragments the group. In front remain: Cattaneo, Schachmann, Kuznetsov, Marcato, Plaza, Pfingsten and Markov. At 7km Cattaneo starts, with the 2 Germans Schachmann and Pfingsten.
“Go Mattia!” Marelli begs.
Mattia Cattaneo, a climber from Bergamo wearing the Rosti jersey, is our man. At 4km Plaza reaches the three in the lead. Cattaneo is still there. At 2km the only one behind him is Schachmann,
and between the two of them the classic duelist maneuvers begin, they sniff each other out, touch each other, look at each other. Mattia tries, but the German doesn't give up. Last km, last two hairpin bends,
and the Spaniard Plaza reaches the two leaders. The German sprints, 500 meters, Plaza on his wheel, Mattia third. We were so convinced that the disappointment almost takes away our satisfaction for the podium.
“You were good, Mattia,” says Gino.
"You just had to tell me" says Ganassì "that you wanted the stage, I asked for the podium"
Mery: «We'll be waiting for you tomorrow, Ganassì»