He waited for Matteo Renzi even beyond the scheduled time for the swim-marathon challenge. Then, at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, October 17th, Roberto Vannacci dived alone into the fairytale sea of Costa Rei.

"I don't like winning like this, but Renzi wasn't there. Besides, he had launched the challenge." Four strokes, to the last buoy marking the lane of the Chaplin factory, not far from Peppino's Rock.

Then came selfies with onlookers—at least fifty of them—who enlivened the beach. "Renzi," Vannacci concluded, "said that if he lost the referendum, he would quit politics. He hasn't changed in 10 years."

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