Among the protagonists of the Giro d'Italia there is also a Sardinian. Since yesterday Giorgio Carta, a mechanic originally from Villacidro, has been part of the caravan in the role of Shimano technical assistant. For him, it is his debut in the spectacular ninth stage starting from Gubbio and arriving in Piazza del Campo in Siena. A race of 180 kilometers with 2346 meters of altitude difference won by Wout Van Aert (Team Visma) who in the sprint preceded Isaac Del Toro (UAE), the new pink jersey.

"Given the particularity of the stage," Carta recounts his experience, "with five dirt sections, a second motorbike was needed to change wheels." Massimo Rava, NRS operational resource manager, was at the helm, with the Sardinian technician on board, making his debut in this role. "Right away, emotions skyrocketed and tension was high, given the very important role entrusted to me. From the first dirt section, it was clear that the riders could have great difficulty, from the large cloud of dust to the poor grip of the bikes on the curves, both downhill and uphill. And so it was. We intervened immediately," he continues, "at the first fall of the first small group chasing the leading riders, which occurred on a dirt curve. Numerous other assistance interventions followed. One after the other. A succession of situations that were nothing short of epic. On one occasion, six wheels were replaced, again following a fall on a curve. Finally, a final intervention, even less than three kilometres from the finish line. I replaced the front wheel of Davide Formolo (Movistar Team). Then straight to the finish line", he concludes, "we received the warm applause of many fans".

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