Filippo Ganna saved the Tirreno-Adriatico race chief’s blue jersey on Tuesday as his buddy and fellow Italian monitor rider Jonathan Milan received the dash stage in Follonica. It was a second day of success from the 2 most profitable and most admired Italian riders within the peloton and a second day of race management for Ineos Grenadiers.
With the peloton using regular southward close to the Tuscan coast, Ganna may get pleasure from his day as race chief. A yr in the past he misplaced the opening time trial to Juan Ayuso after a troubled winter of sickness. This yr he’s leaner, happier and fitter, arguably reflecting the environment inside Ineos Grenadiers.
“Winning the time trial was good for my morale, for the week forward and the month forward. I’ve received some massive targets arising and a few massive races,” Ganna defined.
“We’ve began on the proper foot, now we’ve to maneuver ahead, speed up after which begin working.
“Last yr I had an unfortunate winter, I used to be sick, I had an ear an infection and took antibiotics for greater than a month. I went to the Tour Down Under however then struggled to get again to my finest. That solely occurred in the summertime on the Olympics after I did a good time trial to win a silver medal earlier than taking bronze within the workforce pursuit.”
Ineos Grenadiers have shaken up their Performance employees for 2025, let Tom Pidcock transfer to Q36.5 and tried to reboot for 2025. Ganna is now coached by Dajo Sanders, whereas Dario Cioni stays his trusted time trial and aerodynamics information.
Whatever occurs within the British workforce within the months and years to return, Ganna has a contract till 2027 and is a workforce chief and cornerstone of the squad. This yr he’ll goal Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix after which the time trial levels on the Tour de France.
Ganna is attempting to guide Ineos Grenadiers’ return to success after the issues of 2024
“For positive we’re improved. We’ve tried to make the step up that did not occur final yr,” he defined.
“We’ve already received 5 races this yr and it is solely the beginning. We’ve received to get again to being the good Ineos workforce we as soon as had been.”
Ganna spent lengthy spells within the heat of Gran Canaria this winter as an alternative of the chilly and rain of his house in northern Italy.
He revealed that he and Ineos Grenadiers have labored on his time trial place, taking a step again in wind tunnel assessments to discover a extra snug and aerodynamically environment friendly place.
“I’m additionally doing extra particular coaching and that is additionally made a distinction,” Ganna confirmed.
“I will not race on the monitor for some time however I’ve executed some monitor coaching periods for the time trial and that made a distinction on Monday within the time trial.”
For Ganna, the remaining 5 days of Tirreno-Adriatico might be an important block of racing and a take a look at for Milan-San Remo.
He completed second in La Classicissima in 2023 after Mathieu van der Poel received away alone on the Poggio, beating Wout Van Aert and Tadej Pogačar within the Via Roma. He once more fancies his probabilities on the Poggio on March 22.
Ganna at all times tries to keep away from making predictions and guarantees however faces ten days of vital racing in Italy.
“It may very well be an excellent week of exhausting work but additionally provide extra alternatives,” he mentioned.
“For positive it’ll be an insane week, the climate might be an enormous issue and Wednesday is a troublesome, lengthy stage at 240km within the dangerous climate. I’m going to undergo, like at all times.”
