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Portuguese Rúben Guerreiro (Education First) assures that the Tour of Italy by bicycle, in which he won a stage and practically guaranteed the mountain classification, is “a dream” and that “improving was almost impossible”
“In the last three days I have prioritized the mountain. As I had a stage in my pocket … it is a dream of a great Volta. Better was almost impossible,” explained Rúben Guerreiro (Education First), the 26-year-old Portuguese cyclist.
Guerreiro, who triumphed in Roccaraso, in the ninth stage, something that “I really wanted”, began to aim for the fight on the mountain, having to invest in escapes from a very young age, to catch the punctuated climbs of the first halves of the stage, and choose between the blue shirt or “get another”.
The Portuguese native of Pegões, in the municipality of Montijo, highlighted the “very tough battle” fought with the Italian Giovanni Visconti (Vini Zabù-KTM), who today left before the start for the 18th stage, in which the Portuguese confirmed the victory.
With 98 points at stake, Guerreiro’s advantage, which adds 234 points, to Belgian Thomas de Gendt (Lotto Soudal), second with 122, is 112 points, so victory is assured for the Portuguese, in a feat without precedents. for Portugal in secondary classifications of returns to Italy, France and Spain.
“I was already quite strong, tired, but I managed to catch the first break and score some points, but it was difficult to beat De Gendt. The points I had gave me some margin and I kept thinking about the stage, but with the effort [que tinha de fazer], what came from the last days … has been very big, I had no legs, “he shot.
On a day spent on the Stelvio stage, the “Cima Coppi” of this edition, the words are simple: “Today, it was really to ‘blow up’ everything. It was the hardest day of the Giro.”
On Friday he wants to “try to recover”, because on Saturday, the last day in the mountains before Sunday’s time trial, he wants to “try a stage and compete for a good place on the stage”, always looking for a second victory.
“Enjoying the jersey to Milan”, without tiring of saying that it is necessary to get there to achieve the feat, unprecedented in Portuguese cycling, he still admits that it is “a great, great pride” to be the first Portuguese to win a classification in great tours .
“This jersey is not mine, it belongs to the team, the masseurs, the mechanics, the directors and the Portuguese as well. Cycling goes beyond the strength in the legs, and the forces that can be sought come from the head and the motivation of the people around us, and of our country. So many people to support on social networks can only be a source of inspiration, “he commented.
Guerreiro does not hide, however, the confidence that “after such a difficult year”, in 2019, “he was counting on having a great year”, especially “after that Tour of Spain”, in which he was 17th overall and twice he was close to winning a stage.
“I was at home quite anxious and frustrated, let’s say. […] I focused on doing a good Tirreno-Adriatico, a good World Championship and a good Giro. I was not 100% in the first races, I was also a little anxious, but everything went well. We still have to get to Milan, right? But what I believe now is that it is a very successful season, “he reinforced.
In addition to the victory on the mountain, he made the escape in Roccaraso’s revenge, ending a Portuguese fast of 31-year stage victories, since the last of the five for Acácio da Silva, but also lent a hand, in several days, to the compatriot in the race, João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep).
The 103rd edition of the Volta a Itália by bicycle, with the Dutch Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) as the general leader, with João Almeida in fifth place and Ruben Guerreiro with the mathematically guaranteed mountain classification, runs until Sunday.
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