The exponential growth of the 2000 class continues Vittoria Guazzini of Valcar – Travel & Service who conquers an excellent fourth place at the Dwars Door Vlaanderen, a great classic on the international calendar that takes place a few days before the Tour of Flanders.
The race was won by the European champion Annemiek Van Vleuten who in the two-man sprint beat her escape companion Katarzyna Niewadoma. A few seconds after the fugitives, the group of the best arrived; in the sprint Vittoria Guazzini lost the podium by a whisker to the detriment of Alexis Ryan, third.
“Until the end I hoped that the group would be able to catch the fugitives, but unfortunately it did not happen – commented Vittoria Guazzini at the end of the race – in the first kilometers of today’s race I tried to run to save to protect myself, because these races in Belgium are very expensive, then after the second wall and before the cobblestone section I moved into the top positions, because I knew the race would’ve been decided there. In fact, the escape started in that moment and, having found myself alone, I could not help but wait and prepare for a possible sprint “.
Vittoria Guazzini’s first races of the season were not lucky: falls and punctures negatively influenced the performance. But after the 2nd place obtained at the Gold Trophy in Euro everything seems to have changed and the world has noticed, for once, the reigning madison European champion (paired with Elisa Balsamo).
“Both at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and at the Strade Bianche I was unlucky with the falls – says Vittoria – but you have to create luck. The goal was to do well at this time of the year and already at GP Oetingen the sensations were good. Now I feel very good physically”.
A growing state of form, a mental predisposition to sacrifice and great tactical acumen: these are the characteristics of a rising star like Vittoria Guazzini who thus concludes her lucid analysis on the moment of the season, maintaining a well-considered balance between ambitions and a sense of reality.
“As mentioned, I feel good and there are a few days left for the Tour of Flanders, but it is a different race. At Gent-Wevelgem we saw it: there was wind, the race was stressful from the first kilometers with many fans and then there was selection on the walls. On that occasion I gave my all in the final to try to bring my partner Elisa Balsamo to the best positions. At the Tour of Flanders it will be just as tough, because the level of the athletes will be very high and also the long mileage can affect my performance. We will see what happens. As always, I will do my best to have a good race ”.
