CYCLING. Mattia on the rest day: «Tired, but good legs. The last week will be very tough. Pogacar? We’re only fighting for second place».
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On Monday, July 20, on the rest day of the Tour de France, just to keep the engine revving, Mattia Cattaneo got on his bike to ride a few kilometers. The Grande Boucle will resume on Tuesday, July 21, with a 26 km time trial and, given that the only rider from Bergamo present at the 2026 Tour is good at time trials, it will be a crucial day for Mattia.
Will he try? Cattaneo (48th at 2h12’38”) replies with a smile: «It depends on the mood I wake up in, but – jokes aside – before deciding at this point it’s essential to evaluate the situation that has arisen in the team. Let me explain: if the decision is to go for the result, I’ll give it my all, but if they tell me to do the time trial without killing myself to save energy for the last week for obvious reasons, I will act accordingly. At the beginning of the Tour, we set ourselves up as stage hunters with an eye on the general classification; placing Evenepoel in the top three would have been an excellent result for us».
«Sorry for Vingegaard»
With Vingegaard’s withdrawal, however, a further opportunity opens up for Red Bull – Cattaneo’s team, with Evenepoel as captain: «Honestly, I’m sorry for what happened to Vingegaard and the consequences we know (fractured collarbone, ed.). His is certainly an important loss for the Tour de France, even if – given the extraordinary feats Pogacar is achieving, who never ceases to amaze, he is truly extraordinary – I don’t think Vingegaard would have had the strength to overturn the situation. Certainly, Vingegaard’s forced withdrawal frees up a spot on the podium, assuming the top step is already taken. A battle opens up involving at least four riders: Evenepoel, Lipowitz, Del Toro, and Seixas».
«The victory was needed»
And Evenepoel, his captain, is gaining momentum: «Remco’s victory on Sunday was needed, it brought euphoria to the team, especially it allowed our captain to regain confidence in his abilities. Tomorrow (Tuesday, July 21, ed.) should be his day, but more than my words, the 26 km will decide. However, Pogacar aside, capable of truly achieving any feat, there are the young Frenchman Seixas who, until Sunday, despite being 19, held his own against the big names, and Del Toro. The Tour should still have some surprises in store for us, but only for the second and third steps of the podium…».
Towards Paris
Cattaneo, 35, naturally also talks about himself: «This is my fourth Tour de France; on my debut in 2021, I finished 12th; in 2022, I was less fortunate (95th, ed.), but even worse was last season when I had to withdraw due to a fall (in the 7th stage, ed.). This time I hope to reach Paris. To be honest, my legs feel good, but I’m tired, and the week ahead, the third and final one, is the hardest to complete, so much so that I’m intimidated by looking at the altimetries; I have to give it my all to stay close to the two guys we have in the general classification, Evenepoel and Lipowitz. There’s a lot to do». So, the time trial: all out or… Mattia gives another smile «Well, I’ll tell you».
