It was a punch to the heart, a blow that leaves you breathless and takes you away with your mind chasing everything and everyone. One year without Gianni Savio, who died at just 76 years old, after a long illness that had already taken him away from us. I still remember the little message that arrived on my cell phone from Annalisa and Nicoletta, Gianni's two daughters. "For many he was the Prince, for us he was always 'Pi', our rock, our point of reference, our example, our shelter, our life teacher, our hero, our courage, our enthusiasm, our heart, our great pride," they wrote to me. And I felt my blood freeze, even though I was prepared, but one is never prepared, you can't be.

Blessed is memory, which supports us, helps us not to forget, helps us make this absence less painful, but more full. Like in the conversations we've had in this year that has flown by. How many times have we found ourselves talking about Gianni with friends who appreciated his way of being. How many times we've lost ourselves in thoughts remembering that Gentleman who moved and spoke like a gentleman, with class that was education, never arrogance, as Paola, his wife, well knew.

"He taught us to face life with the same grit and determination that he always demanded from his riders... well, he didn't tell us to be 'mean', he did tell them so, but he always talked about sporting meanness, the kind that according to him was needed to attack races, to win them," Annalisa and Nicoletta wrote to me a year ago. He taught us that even placements have a meaning, if obtained with courage. He taught us that you can be a team even with a small team. He taught us that you can dream of winning important things and occasionally he did win something important, without ever giving himself too much importance. "Dear Pier...", was his opening to every phone call, which ended with a "I always thank you for your availability...", when he was the first to be available.

I miss his phone calls and his reports after a Giro stage. I miss his comments on the current state of cycling. I miss his chocolates from Croci, which made everything sweeter. He was making a lot of Christmas, even on that December 30th a year ago, before that message, loaded with love and that spoke of a farewell.