Filippo Ganna finished second to Remco Evenepoel at both the Olympic Games and World Championships. For most this would be a disappointing result and a frustrating one as well; but the Italian was very happy with what he was able to achieve this Sunday in Zurich as his past month was a very complicated one.
"It's clear that I'm happier than last year. A month ago, after the Renewi Tour, I really didn't feel good, I was destroyed mentally and physically. I had to do a week without cycling to recharge my batteries," the Italian admits. After the Olympics Ganna began both the Deutschland Tour and the Renewi Tour but this was at a moment where he should've been resting and slowly building up towards the Worlds again.
He abandoned the Renewi Tour right before the time-trial and his form was worrying. Whilst Italy finished first and third at the European time-trial Championships, question were even asked if Ganna had a spot for the World Championships. But the national team put their trust on the INEOS Grenadiers rider and Ganna soared to a second place behind only the defending champion.
Ganna even came close, passing the third intermediate point 19 seconds behind the Belgian but finishing only 6 seconds behind the gold medal. "So finishing today 7 seconds (correction, 6 seconds, ed.) behind Remco can only make me happy. So I take this result as a victory, especially since it wasn't a great course for me. I had a magnificent race and it's another silver medal,"
Ganna filled the spot that Mattia Cattaneo would've had, but both Italians thrived as Edoardo Affini joined Ganna in the final podium after a tremendous time-trial that saw him take the bronze medal ahead of Joshua Tarling. Ganna can be indeed an outsider then for the road race if he is able to show the same legs.
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