"Losing is part of the job" - Filippo Ganna

Filippo Ganna has had a blasting start to his career in INEOS Grenadiers, but has in 2022 stabilized within the role, losing the dominant position he had in the time-trials throughout the past years. He talks of the situation alongside his main goals for 2023 which include the Giro d'Italia.

“I'll start in Argentina then Europeans on the track in Grenchen, Volta ao Algarve and a short period at high altitude," Ganna said in a recent interview. "Then Tirreno-Adriatico, [Milano] Sanremo, Gent-Wevelgem before Roubaix. And then the Giro d'Italia. Every year we need to find new stimuli: these are clearly two beautiful suggestions".

A powerhouse rider, Ganna tries to replicate the path of the likes of Tony Martin who had the goal of thriving in the cobbled classics after consolidating himself as a world-class time-trialist. He will be aiming at Roubaix once again this spring, then resting and preparing for a return to the Giro d'Italia where he's won six stages in two editions.

There however he will have to face the likes of Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel in the three time-trials. About the latter he commented: "It will be nice and I will do my best to give it my all. And if he beats me, it won't be the end of the world. Losing is part of the job."

Ganna will also have a supporting role for Geraint Thomas however in Italy. "The Corsa Rosa will be a great goal for our team. Geraint Thomas will be our tip, our point of reference. He's fine. He is motivated and is also thinner than last year: Mr. G believes in it a lot."

As for his own success outside of the time-trials, Ganna is aware that changes need to be done to his training and he is not shy of dealing with the problem. “I will have to work on intensity after several hours, to be ready at key moments. We've already talked about it with [Dario] Cioni, my coach," he concluded.