It has a special flavor, like the cry that accompanied it at the finish line in Myre, the victory that Giovanni Lonardi managed to achieve in the first stage of the Arctic Race of Norway 2026. The Verona-based sprinter, in fact, hadn't put his wheel ahead of everyone since last September, and listening to him speak after the success achieved in Norway, this situation was beginning to weigh on him a bit.

"It was certainly a long period and even more so, I believe, for a sprinter like me because, you know, we need to win more than climbers. I was always one step away from getting it and when you come that close so often and you know you have the legs but you're always missing that something to achieve it, sometimes just a bit of luck, it's tough, especially mentally" confessed to our microphones the rider of Polti VisitMalta, who appeared truly relieved to have managed to reconnect with the long-awaited personal success.

"I'm very happy because I've been looking for it for a while, we can say since last year. Today it finally came and I'm thrilled. The level here isn't the highest but there are good riders and teams of a certain caliber so it's really a great satisfaction to have managed to win. It's truly beautiful. It happens to me too rarely, but when I manage it, it's an indescribable emotion. Where do I place this achievement? Quite high because, as I said, it's been a long time since I won and here there was a starting field of a certain type and it wasn't easy to finish ahead of everyone, even though now it's not simple to manage it anywhere".

Lonardi had the opportunity to verify this impression personally several times over the last eleven months when, as demonstrated by the eleven top-5 finishes achieved since last September until now, on more than one occasion he found himself caressing first place only to see it slip through his fingers to someone else. Despite this, the twenty-nine-year-old from Veneto continued to do his job, to believe in it and, thanks also to the positive atmosphere that always accompanied his team, he eventually found the right opportunity to make his mark.

"In the team there's always a lot of enthusiasm, we're always optimistic, at every race we go to we always try to do our best. Managing to do it here, in what is the first race where we're invited by A.S.O., is not bad at all for us" Lonardi declared regarding this, skillfully interpreting, together with those who supported him, the finish line of the first stage in the best possible way.

"We were able to see and study the circuit well. We knew there was quite a headwind and it was also blowing slightly uphill so I let TotalEnergies go, who perhaps launched a bit long given how the finish was configured, and I waited for the right moment to attack".

The choice for him and for Polti VisitMalta proved to be spot-on, bringing a result that confirmed the good things the Verona sprinter had shown at the Tour of Denmark a few days earlier: "In Denmark I didn't think I'd arrive in such good condition because after the Italian Championship I was quite tired and I really switched off. So for these races I prepared well but without overdoing it because, also with the final perspective of the season, I wanted to arrive quite "fresh". In this way I believe I landed in Norway also a bit lighter in my head and more serene".

With this lightness, once the curse was broken, it's not excluded that Lonardi could soon get new satisfactions starting as early as tomorrow when he'll face another stage designed, at least on paper, for the fast wheels.

"Tomorrow is another good stage to try to pull off a nice sprint and we'll definitely try. We'll also see how to score points at the intermediate sprints now that we have the jersey. After the Arctic Race? I should race Istanbul where I won last year, but we haven't decided yet. Certainly from here to October there's no shortage of races so we'll race somewhere. Objectives? That was certainly the Giro but, once it was over, I told myself "whatever comes, comes" so until mid-October we'll race trying to do well and seizing the opportunities we have".

Before thinking about tomorrow, however, the present rightfully demands compliments, celebrations and a dedication to those who have always stood by Giovanni during these months of near-misses and successes that never came until today: "This victory is first and foremost for my family who has always supported me, but also for the team and everyone who follows me" concluded a finally victorious Lonardi.