The terrible crash at the Tour of Poland last year, the fractures and the coma, the long rehabilitation, his return to the peloton in March and then, with diabolical precision, misfortune struck Filippo Baroncini again, forcing him into another tumble (at the Tro Bro Leon in early May) and another break.

It is inevitable that, given what has happened to him over the past eleven months, the native of Massa Lombarda cannot help but be frustrated by being a consistent target of bad luck and finding himself, every time, having to lick his wounds and get back in the saddle. Yet once again, the Under 23 World Champion from Leuven gritted his teeth and, relying on his patience and also on a different way of understanding his sport compared to the past, made his comeback by pinning on his number first at the Italian Championships in Piedmont and then at the Sibiu Tour.

It was precisely here, in what was his first stage race since the Vuelta Asturias in April (a race where he has so far achieved his best result of the season with 2nd place in the third stage), that we met Baroncini to take stock of his fitness, his mood, and his plans for the final part of the season.

Filippo, after the crash at Tro Bro Leon and your return at the Italian Championships, how are you doing and what is your overall condition?

"I'm really tired of all these injuries. Apart from that, I'm doing well, the sensations in general are good and the form, which was certainly a bit better before the crash, we'll gradually get it back".

Well, setbacks aside, are the results you've achieved this year since your return to racing overall positive?

"Yes, I'm already satisfied because I feel more or less at the level of last year. Now I'm just waiting for a good result: I've already shown something at the Asturias, hopefully in the races over the next few weeks I can get a full result".

How will your second part of the season be structured? Do you plan to reach a peak of form at a specific moment?

"No, I'm not someone who looks at these things. I always try to arrive ready for every race and try to get the best possible result. With this approach, after the Sibiu Tour I'll go to Ordizia at the end of the month and then I'll do the Renewi Tour and Hamburg before the Italian classics in September".

So you won't be taking part in the Vuelta?

"Not for now, but that's fine. This is a year where I need to try to regain the feeling with the results I had last year, so I'm happy with this calendar where opportunities to seize, if the condition is good, are not lacking".

With everything you've been through and are going through, has your way of seeing and living cycling changed a bit?

"Definitely I stress less, I live a bit more day by day and maybe I regret not doing it before because it's nice this way".

A thought for Del Toro, a guy who travels the same roads as you in San Marino and just a few hours ago managed to win for the first time at the Tour de France?

"I'm really happy for him because I saw him two or three days before he left and he was thrilled. I can imagine what he's going through right now and he deserves it because he's really a great guy".

In your opinion, how far can he go?

"He can certainly aim for the podium, but the important thing is that he doesn't have the stress and pressure of reaching it by force. He's already started very well and should already be happy with that, but certainly at the same time he must have hunger and continue down this road".

Photo credit: hila.ro