Mirco Maestri enjoys brutal but dream-like day at Giro d'Italia: "It was wonderful to be able to face this breakaway with a champion like Alaphilippe"
Cycling
Julian Alaphilippe took a stupendous victory to return to the top step this Thursday at the Giro d'Italia, but his victory would not have been possible without Mirco Maestri - the unlikely outside for the day who rode with Alaphilippe for 115 kilometers before watching the Frenchman go on the final climb of the day.
“It was wonderful to be able to face this breakaway with a champion like Alaphilippe, whom I admire a lot," Maestri said in a press release issued by the team. "I will always remember him. We agreed not to attack each other, to understand each other and to make our way. I would have loved to have won a stage that we had marked out, although it was difficult because there were many riders who were looking to win."
Maestri's chances of taking the win were always slim against the former World Champion, but the Team Polti Kometa rider had strong resistance to work with Alaphilippe for several hours as the two kept the almost three dozen riders who also made it into the breakaway of the day. "I gave everything I had, it was a very hard day, possibly the hardest of my life," the Italian described. But he enjoyed a day out with one of his idols which will live on in his career:
"Alaphilippe helped me and encouraged me to keep going, although on the last wall I couldn’t follow him. I think it was really difficult to beat him, but we got the best possible result," he says. At the end of the day he was still satisfied with what he considered to be the best possible outcome on the day: "When he came to thank me at the finish line, I congratulated him on his victory”.
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- This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
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The emotions of a great day of cycling, of a great day of #GirodItalia 🇮🇹💞 Thanks @mircomaestri9, so proud of you ❤️ And thanks also to you, @alafpolak1 🫡
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