Time is a tyrant, but so is space. In fact, the two are accomplices: time saturates space. And with Covid or summer, comes the moment of cleanup. You start by aiming to clear the attic, you settle for liquidating a box. And among envelopes, folders and files, indispensable clippings emerge. Like this article of mine still about Antonio Maspes: "La Gazzetta dello Sport", October 21, 2000, two days after his death (the first article was published yesterday!).

His voice, thundering, seemed to echo from the depths of the locker rooms. His open "e" declared itself Milanese: cotoletta, bicicletta, schiscetta. His waistline, immense, was inspired by the Vigorelli track – 397 meters and change – long and sinuous. His hands, animated, accompanied his thundering voice, and diminished his immense waistline. Then his surname, a mix of Latin, Venetian and Spanish, probably Esperanto. So much so that Maspes means, in all languages, track, speed, seven world titles.

It was Tuesday, September 19. Morning. The newsroom of "La Gazzetta dello Sport" was waking up after the first, long, sweet and thrilling Olympic night. Antonio Maspes, with his voice, his "e", his waistline and his hands, and Sante Gaiardoni, who in voice, waistline and also hands was second to him, but only slightly, had been invited to recall their Olympics and comment on those of 2000 for a program in collaboration with RaiSportSat. They sat down, solemn and monumental like two kings, next to our Pier Bergonzi, who seemed swallowed up, sucked in, freeze-dried by the wave of stories, adventures, secrets, tricks, legends and testimonies.

“First race at the Vigorelli and first victory. 'Primo Maspes', crackled the loudspeaker. My father jumped to his feet with his arms raised. 'Sono qui, sono mi'. His name was Primo, Primo Maspes”.

“I had a passion for gambling. Until the passion became a disease and ate away at my money. First emptied, then in the red. One day I wrote a letter to all the casinos in Italy and surroundings: 'I ask you not to let me in anymore. Signed: Antonio Maspes'. It was my salvation”.

“The surplace? Neither easy nor difficult. Even certain kids do it, on the street, with a freewheel. It's like walking on a rope, at the circus: a bit forward, a bit backward”.