Often cycling races manage to create truly special encounters, those that television doesn't show, but that gift unique stories. It all happened by chance, in a quiet post-stage moment between press conferences and interviews, we were in Aprica and Anna Henderson had just finished telling us about her emotion for the victory and the honor of wearing the pink jersey. We were ready to pick up our bags and leave when we were attracted by the new general classification leader's attempt to reach the other side of the barriers. Someone was on the other side, a man and a woman applauding and congratulating her, two particularly emotional fans, but it was enough for us to get closer to enter a truly special world.

Janet and John Henderson are madly in love with Italy and for these Giro Women days they specifically requested time off to be able to follow their daughter through various stages. They were overwhelmed with emotion, seeing Anna in the pink jersey is something truly special and even with a barrier between them, they congratulate her and receive two flower bouquets as a gift. Yet to enjoy the victory, they had to settle for a streaming broadcast on their mobile phone due to traffic on the entire climb. Then, by bike, they rode back to the finish just as the award ceremony had just ended. "We love Italy and this year we decided to follow the various stages, we go by car where we can and then continue by bike. Unfortunately, we were blocked just before the finish, there was so much chaos and we missed her victory, but it doesn't matter, it was still beautiful" - they tell us together - "we are extremely happy, she really deserves it, especially because last year was a very unfortunate season, she fractured her collarbone and raced little. She worked hard to be in good form at the Giro, it's her first time here, an experience she absolutely wanted to try. She went into a breakaway and made it to the end, it's beautiful."

The English couple is incredibly friendly, we immediately understand they love to joke, but the detail that strikes us most is one: John understands Italian very well and speaks it quite decently. A somewhat unusual fact, but just one question about the reason for his bilingualism takes us on a journey through the new pink jersey's past. "She started as a skier, following her older brother, who then became a musician. Anna was always incredibly strong, participated in high-level international competitions and to follow her we started traveling in Italy and falling in love with this country. We visited beautiful places like Trentino and Abetone, but especially Mottolino, these are areas we know very well. Then one day during the national championship, it all ended. Anna had won the first race heat, but then in the second she fell, broke her leg, it was truly terrible. During rehabilitation, she started cycling in a London velodrome, a coach noticed her, advised her to try, and from there a new adventure began," dad John tells us, explaining how at first both he and his wife were incredulous about their daughter's cycling abilities. From the track, she moved to the road and from there found her first agent, first team, and never stopped.

Janet and John have always followed their daughter everywhere, first skiing, now cycling, and race after race, they themselves became passionate. They accompanied her to her first competitions, then Tour de France, even to the Olympics where the greatest emotion of all was her silver medal in the time trial. "We went to Paris, we couldn't miss it - John continues - We were on the finish line and I was trying to make videos with my mobile phone, we were extremely excited. When we saw her climb on the podium and wear the silver medal, we burst into tears. It was a special and unforgettable adventure, too bad we had to return to England immediately, the next day I was already at work." It's beautiful to hear the stories of these two proud English parents of their second daughter growing as an athlete and now finally getting some personal satisfaction. In the last 4 seasons, she had raced alongside Marianne Vos in Visma Lease a bike, a real powerhouse team, where, as Janet and John tell us, Anna was working solely for her opponents, it was time to change. "At Lidl Trek, everything is different, it's a special environment, it's like a real family and no athlete wants to impose themselves. Elisa Balsamo is really strong, but she is truly nice, a good person."

We reluctantly say goodbye to the Hendersons, given their friendliness we could talk to them all afternoon, but more work awaits us. For them, the Giro journey has just begun, from today they will be at the finish line in Trento to support Anna, then in Veneto, Emilia Romagna and Marche, there are many beautiful places to visit under the pretext of cycling. John, for example, can't wait to see Bologna, he can do so on Monday after the race and then maybe there will be time for some other detour. Meanwhile, we make a promise: see each other in Imola, in the champions' racetrack, ready to cheer for everyone and get emotional. There's one last secret that John wants to reveal to us. "Do you know why Anna is so strong? - he tells us - she got it all from her mom"