Mattia Cattaneo's Giro di Lombardia victories are so numerous that he's lost count by now. The classic of the dead leaves means racing on home roads for him, climbs he knows by heart, but also the responsibility of guiding a team that has all the favorites' odds in its favor. Remco Evenepoel has never hidden that the Bergamo native is one of his most trusted lieutenants, so much so that he wanted him with him in his move to Red Bull Bora. Cattaneo will be a fundamental piece today for a formation that could have multiple cards to play.

Without Tadej Pogacar at the start, Remco Evenepoel is undoubtedly the number one favorite. The European champion will have at his disposal a real powerhouse squad in which Cattaneo is called upon to play the role of strategist. «Tadej's absence certainly makes a difference, it's always nice to race with champions like him, but today after so long we'll have the chance to fight not just for second place. We have a very competitive team, when you have Remco at the start it's automatic to have all eyes on you, but by now we're used to it, we'll try to race with the other teams that are better equipped without letting ourselves be crushed» Cattaneo explains to us, listing the names fielded by the German powerhouse. If Evenepoel is the designated captain, attention must also be paid to his lieutenants: Primoz Roglic, Giulio Pellizzari and Jai Hindley could become fundamental pieces within the race and perhaps pull off the decisive move.

It's not just the absence of the winner of the last 5 editions that makes this Lombardia wide open. This year RCS decided to bet on a very particular route that could make the race uncertain until the very end. But then what could be the key point of the classic of the dead leaves? We asked Cattaneo himself, who knows these roads like the back of his hand. «I admit that this year they chose a somewhat particular route, it's very open, but I'm convinced that the Ghisallo will represent an important watershed and it will be fundamental to stay united until that point. Then on the Civiglio the race will already be underway and only the captains will be up front. Watch out for UAE Team Emirates XRG, Decathlon and Visma Lease a Bike, there are very fierce teams» he says.

Just a handful of days ago Mattia Cattaneo experienced a truly special and unique emotion in his career: wearing the rainbow jersey at the European championships. The world title in the mixed relay was not only the achievement of a long-pursued objective with the National team, but a special reward in a career very often in service of others. «I still have so many emotions thinking about that gold medal, we chased it for so long and managing to do it is wonderful. I don't know if it was the same for my national teammates, but I see it as a small personal reward too after so many years of making sacrifices and working for the captains. It was strange seeing myself in the rainbow jersey, I received so many messages and even Remco himself was very happy about this achievement of mine because he knows very well what that title means to me.»