For him the Giro d'Italia was truly like the ultimate test. Nine, like the days he spent in the pink jersey on the roads of our country: from Potenza to Pila, when he handed over the leader's insignia to Jonas Vingegaard. Nine days in pink for this twenty-four-year-old Portuguese rocket born in Figueira da Foz, in the Beiras region, among beaches and waves that still cradle his memories.

«I come from the sea, but where I'm from there's a race, the Figueira Champions Classic - Afonso Eulalio recounted during those days as the race's maximum leader -. I loved mountain biking. Then some friends started saying: “Let's do a race, let's do another one”, and that's how I started. We'd throw ourselves into the woods with our bikes. In 2019 I also started trying road racing. And I never looked back».

Eulalio surprised everyone with his friendliness, his sunny disposition, his way of being a rider. He even surprised himself, although he knew many things and wasn't the only one: a year ago, right at the Giro, he passed first over the Mortirolo and then finished ninth at the Kigali World Championships, the hardest in history. Of course, he still lacks his first victory in the top category. And to think that Afonso, the joker that he is, had made a bet with Caruso on the eve of the "pink race": «If I win two stages, you race another year». If that's the case, given how things went, Damiano would be better off continuing anyway.

That said, he hasn't won yet. He came very close in Potenza, when he was beaten by Arrieta. And on that occasion he let himself go in a sparkling post-race interview: «I like to suffer, I like difficult, terrible days. When the race isn't too hard, others know better how to race thanks to their greater experience. But when it becomes really hard, then you need legs, physique, condition. And that's where I have fun. In Potenza, in that breakaway, maybe some were stronger than me on the climbs, but after such a hard day I went very strong. I like rain, wet conditions, long descents. I like all of this. It's a fun experience. Not for everyone».

In short, a manifesto of cycling. The bicycle and passion for cycling came in 2013, the day of Rui Costa's world triumph (who by the way was the first to congratulate him on the pink jersey, ed. note).

«I also received a call from an unknown number and didn't answer: I never answer unknown numbers - the Bahrain Victorius rider recounted -. Then from the same number came a voice message: it was the President of the Republic António Seguro. I wanted to bang my head against the wall. Did I call him back? Of course I did. We were on the phone for a good ten minutes: he followed the entire Giro. He congratulated me on winning the pink jersey, he urged me to defend it, he gave me a great boost».

Many thought he would lose his feathers in the time trial from Viareggio to Massa: better to say that everyone, on the eve, gave him up for lost. He remained true to himself: optimistic as always.

«I told myself: I'll try to resist, whatever I collect, I collect. That time trial didn't help me at all: completely flat, no curves, all speed. As far as I'm concerned, the worst time trial for skinny riders like myself. But Vingegaard is also lightweight and you saw he didn't do well at all.... Me, instead, contrary to everyone, I defended myself great and continued my journey in pink».

He loves reggaeton, his favorite genre, and doesn't hide his passion for cooking: «I adore risotto», he specifies. Other sports? «I support the national team, Cristiano Ronaldo and a bit for Benfica. Did CR7 send me a message? No...».

Ronaldo doesn't consider him, but in Portugal the consideration for him has risen like dough for a good cake. «Keeping the jersey gave me extra strength. This year we worked a lot on time trials and the work done on my Bianchi bore fruit. The sports directors asked me if I wanted to aim for the general classification or stages. I preferred to keep insisting on the general: come on, I managed it. Getting on the podium in Rome to wear the white jersey was for me a truly extraordinary emotion, the worthy conclusion of a beautiful adventure. The next step? Simple, improve even more».

The art of making do is the gift of this talented young man: it's no coincidence that he also ended up in the hands of brothers Jhonny and Alex Carera. «They are very good, they have great passion and expertise. They have great champions and I'm proud to be part of their team».

They are clearly proud of him, they assured me of that.