Simone Velasco and his first Tour de France: “A dream comes true”
The joy of taking part in a GT for a rider is indescrivable and the dream of a life comes true: three weeks of intense emotions and in the end, everlasting memories will stay for all life. We asked to Simone Velasco how he felt in his first Tour de France where he uphold with all of his heart and stranght the colors of Astana team.
He worked fot his leader Aleksei Lutsenko but at the same time, he was looking for personal glory with breakways from afar.
We liked so much the way he told us his experience that we completely report it, trying to live together his first “Grande Boucle”:
“It had been years that I dreamed of participating in a great tour – Simone explayned us – and I started with a “bang”, the Tour de France…. and what a race !!! According to many people, this “Tour” was very tight and probably one of the most demanding ever and I can assure that having completed it, it’s a reason of pride.
For me it was a new experience, I did not know anything yet, I tried to follow the advice of the staff and teammates, and then I managed to finish it quite well. Starting from Copenhagen at the presentation of the teams, I immediately understood the importance of the Tour not only in sport but expecially at media level.
Let’s say that the presentation gave me gooseflesh in the midst of an immense crowd and even the first days in Denmark along the road, except along the 20 km bridge over the sea where people was forbidden to go, were was a lot of people cheering: it was so beautiful and really motivating.
As soon as we arrived in France after two days, there was already the cobblestones. In those conditions, I immediately understood the sense of pressure and the importance of “being a team”. Among crashes, punctures and incidents we came out quite well and we hit a incredible top 10 with oul leader Alexei Lutsenko.
Talking about myself, I have a bit of regret for not being able to achieve the result in the two breakaways but unfortunately I suffered for 10 days with colds and bronchitis and the legs were not the best but I ended up in a growing condition, in fact, also in San Sebastian the legs turned well.
I am really happy to have finished the Tour in the best possible way and to have overcome the most difficult moments, such as the days following the breakaways or the most tough stages”
