By Leone Belotti
Stage 17: Riva del Garda-Iseo, 155 km
"Are they crazy?"
The fact is that today everyone, fugitives and pursuers, are going full blast, with average speeds close to 50 km/h. From Riva del Garda to Iseo there are 155 km of Brescia valleys, Val di Ledro, Val Sabbia, Val Trompia and Val Camonica, with a “Tour di Franciacorta” at the end.
"They feel the air of home," says Gino.
With 100km to go, Marco Frapporti of Androni, a native of Val Sabbia, is in the breakaway. Not far away is his teammate Mattia Cattaneo, from Val Seriana. And the old men start talking about Brescians and Bergamaschi at the Giro, and my phone rings, it's her, I go out, I look at her name flashing, I decide not to answer, and when I come back Berlinguer is saying: « and where was Tone from, who was the first Bergamaschi to win the Giro? »
“The Tone?” I ask, but Berlinguer dismisses me: “I’ll tell you the Tone later.”
We are at 60 km, and in the 5 of the leading group there is Torres, in the Rosti jersey. On the descent from Polaveno to Lake Iseo they are going faster than the bikes. The “tour of Franciacorta” begins.
At the intermediate sprint at 35 km there are 4 in front, with 1 minute and a little more on the group. And in the group there are those like Viviani who change bikes in anticipation of the sprint.
"Today is the last chance for the sprinters." The sky clouds over. Last lap. A sports director, interviewed on the fly, says: "We don't make prognosis."
“But Tone?” I ask. “Tone who?” Berlinguer looks at me.
“The Tone who won a Giro d’Italia!” I say. Was he taking the piss out of me?
"Ah, Tone! Tone is Pesenti Antonio, the bricklayer from Zogno who was Binda's gregarious, but in 1932 he won. Then he opened a bike shop in the centre of Bergamo, which is still there, and sells Rosti clothing, if I'm not mistaken."
With 15 km to go, it starts to rain, you need a raincoat. At 11 km, it stops raining and the escapees are caught. At 10 km, it rains with the sun. At the finish line, it pours.
Gesink and Brambilla start, with them Benedetti. Henao and Stybar also arrive, who starts at 6km. At 4km the Dutchman Lammertink tries, gains 8 seconds. At 3km he is reabsorbed. Like Fantozzi, he runs to be caught by the cloud. Compact group. Yates is there. At 2km it rains, wet road. At 1km the sun comes out.
Very long sprint between Van Poppel, Bonifazio, Bennet and Viviani, who wins. A poker of stages for him at this Giro. Sixth Sbaragli, ninth our Vendrame. Yates still in pink.
Final overview from the helicopter of the hills, castles and vineyards of Franciacorta.
Gino: «And in any case, bubbles are better than champagne.»
Mery, acidly: «Of course, and Rovato is better than Paris».
On the screen now they are showing the sprint again in the rain and in the sun.
Gino, with a mischievous eye: "You've really combed your hair well today, Mery."
And they start laughing. Berlinguer, moved to pity, explains and translates a Bergamo saying: when witches comb their hair, it rains with the sun.