Moser: Italy has good riders but lacks a leading man for the big stage races

Italian cycling has good riders, but it still lacks a man capable of aiming for the top in the big stage races. It is the photograph traced by Francesco Moser in Pescara, where the Trentino champion was the protagonist of the presentation of the 78th edition of the Matteotti Trophy, scheduled for Sunday 13 September.

“We have some good runners,” Moser said, pointing to Jonathan Milan and Filippo Ganna among others, as well as the speed specialists. But, according to the winner of the 1984 Giro d'Italia, "we are perhaps missing the top rider for stage races".

Moser also focused on Giulio Ciccone, who "seemed like he could be the point man" after wearing the mountain jersey at the Giro d'Italia. "Instead, that's where we hope he gets to the end, but he has some difficulty finishing the races in front," observed the Trentino rider, referring to the Abruzzo native's difficulties in the Giro, Tour and Vuelta.

The problem, according to Moser, is also the level reached by international cycling today. "When you have monsters like Pogacar and Van der Poel it is difficult to win the important races", observed the Trentino champion, highlighting the distance that separates the best Italian riders from the men capable of dominating the great classics and stage races.

Words that come from the presentation of a race, the Matteotti Trophy, which Moser knows very well. The Trentino player won it three times and retains a particular memory of the Pescara classic, also because in 1975 the Matteotti was valid as an Italian championship and gave him the first national title of his career.