2.2 A Brick for a Heart
It wasn't the first time Andolini tasted cobblestones. His first experience with them was tough, but a year ago he had placed 13th at Gent - Wevelgem. Truth be told, though, that's the least cobbled cobbles-classic. Andolini would start in his first E3 - Harelbeke in 2018, eager to increase his all-round abilities to every type of terrain. He still hadn't conquered cobbles and mountains, and knowing Andolini, he'd want to change both.
E3 - Harelbeke 2018 was a formidable edition, and one that shows Andolini's great strength, will and what kind of person he really was. There's a saying in Italy and it goes something like this: Learn Antonio through his races, not his tv appearance. This is a perfect example.
For the first time, we saw an Andolini without much effort on the cobbled sections. He looked in top shape in E3.
He'd surprise us even more (if that was still possible) by staying at the head of the peloton on the Oude Kwaremont. He came to the top in fourth position.
It was the last cobbled section in E3 and by now Andolini was definitely a favorite to win the race, along with Peter Sagan. Both increased the pace on the final uphill section, to thin out the group even more.
The World Champion felt good and he has always been someone who can't hide the fact that he's good. He went to the front and dictated the pace.
However, when he heard his great friend and team mate Fontana was in a chasing group, he held the legs still for just long enough for Fontana to catch up.
The pace now skyrocketed under Andolini's impulse. Knowing Fontana's legendary sprint speed, Andolini completely emptied himself to bring Fontana to the finish.
They don't call Andolini Il Ghiottone for nothing. It is true he was a hungry beast on the bike. He never had enough and he barely left scraps for others. But on occasion, we saw a man with a big heart, having no problems to forfeit his own chances to help a fellow team mate or friend. He finished 4th, but it was obvious the riders for the Ronde Van Vlaanderen suddenly had a new rival, and not one they'd looked forward to competing.
Francesco Fontana won that E3. Like Andolini, Fontana would never leave Cattelan Italia and he, too, would blossom at the team, getting many and big wins all throughout his career.
2.3 Cobbles For Breakfast: First Successes
After a strong E3 - Harelbeke, Andolini would ride Gent - Wevelgem and the Ronde Van Vlaanderen as team leader, alongside Fontana. Right after the Ronde, here's what Andolini had to say about it himself:
I'm starting to take a real liking to these cobbled, small, twisty roads of Flanders. It takes a while getting used to, but once you get to know them, it's quite fun!
I had a fairly successful Flanders campaign this year and I'll definitely return next year to improve on that. Paris - Roubaix remains an iconic race and one of my personal favorites, but once again I'm afraid I won't be able to start in it. I desperately want to race this magnificant race, but I want to be in top shape for the Ardennes races and the Giro and riding San Remo all through the Giro is just not wise. So with pain in my heart I'll have to skip Paris - Roubaix again.
But I'm also telling you this: one day I'll ride Paris - Roubaix. Maybe next season I can alter my scheduel to fit it in. Because the race deserves to have the best riders of the world on the start line. Sorry the Rainbow Jersey won't be in Paris this year.
So what had Wevelgem and the Ronde brought?
In Gent - Wevelgem, Andolini proved his gaining experience on the Flemish roads by positioning himself well and being in the lead group of 8 in the finale.
In the final kilometers, Andolini decided to break away to avoid sprinting against Degenkolb, Kristoff, Sagan and Debusschere.
Kristoff was attentive and wouldn't be left behind. A two-man sprint would decide the race.
Even against Kristoff, the World Champion was superior. A first win on the cobblestones, a turning point in Andolini's career for his view on the spring classics!
Gent - Wevelgem 2018
1
Antonio Andolini
Cattelan Italia
5h33'53
2
Alexander Kristoff
Movistar Team
s.t.
3
Jürgen Roelandts
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 30
4
Jens Debusschere
Lotto Soudal
s.t.
5
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
6
Greg Van Avermaet
Orica-GreenEDGE
s.t.
7
John Degenkolb
Team Giant-Alpecin
s.t.
8
Peter Sagan
MTN-Qhubeka
s.t.
9
Niki Terpstra
Team LottoNL - Jumbo
+ 1'15
10
Gianni Moscon
Cattelan Italia
+ 3'52
That year's Ronde was a tough edition, with massive splits already happening at 120 km from the finish. Only the strongest riders would survive until the end!
Andolini took the lead on most of the cobbled climbs. According to him, to 'hide the fact I was not strong enough'.
About ten riders were equally strong that day. Neither would be left behind and despite many attacks, the finish was coming closer for the group of 10.
Andolini and Degenkolb started the sprint side by side, riding hard for a victory in the Ronde Van Vlaanderen!
Unfortunately, the World Champion had spent too much energy surviving those many cobbled climbs. He was not strong enough to beat the German. Andolini finished in third position in the Ronde 2018.
Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2018
1
John Degenkolb
Team Giant-Alpecin
6h20'01
2
Alexander Kristoff
Movistar Team
s.t.
3
Antonio Andolini
Cattelan Italia
s.t.
4
Peter Sagan
MTN-Qhubeka
s.t.
5
Sep Vanmarcke
Lotto Soudal
s.t.
6
Niki Terpstra
Team LottoNL - Jumbo
s.t.
7
Jürgen Roelandts
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
8
Florian Sénéchal
Team Sky
s.t.
9
Oliver Naesen
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
10
Greg Van Avermaet
Orica-GreenEDGE
+ 44
At this point in time, Andolini's dream of winning all five monuments truly became real. It's something every rider wishes, but you have to be realistic. Well, during the spring of 2018, Il Ghiottone figured he could do it. It was the start of an impressive objective. Here's what appeared in a column in La Gazetta in 2018:
Milan - San Remo: He's won the race twice already, so check! Ronde Van Vlaanderen: If you can finish 3rd, you can win, too! Paris - Roubaix: The big question mark. But it should be a race within Andolini's possibilities. Liège - Bastogne - Liège: We'd be surprised if he didn't win this one at least once in his career. Il Lombardia: Check!
What was next for the World Champion? The older readers might still remember it. An Ardennes Campaign to remember!
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
2.4 Antonio Andolini: Patron
The 2018 Ardennes campaign was an important one for Cattelan and Andolini. If not for the results, more so for Andolini's new role in the team. He was once quoted as finding it easier to win a monument than to lead a team. Yet Il Ghiottone was adjusting, and taking big steps. We've seen Andolini grow into the perfect patron, both in the peloton and in his team. As he became a true leader for his team mates, he also started to use all of their strengths to their advantage.
The Amstel Gold Race 2018 still rates as one of the best ever raced. Cattelan had increased the gap with 130 km to go, causing semi-favorites to get caught in surprise and have to return to the raging peloton. Andolini's troops had clear orders and it was in this Amstel Gold Race that Andolini showed another great talent for the first time: a talent to lead.
At 80 km from the finish, Andolini attacked! Wellens and Alaphilippe panicked and countered the move. It was a constant battle, going on for 20 km, with attack after attack from the World Champion. He seemed in amazing form.
But then he sat back up in the pack... and sent team mate Mollema up the road. The remaining domestiques had their hands full catching the Dutchman. With 20 km to go, everyone was at their limit. It was then that Andolini completed his masterpiece by showing his Ace. It was the plan all along. Moscon attacked out of the group, without reaction.
Moscon won the Amstel Gold Race after a brilliant display of tactics. Andolini finished 7th, but celebrated as he had won himself.
80 km to go, there goes the Patron.
Amstel Gold Race 2018
1
Gianni Moscon
Cattelan Italia
6h26'10
2
Tony Gallopin
Orica-GreenEDGE
+ 3'43
3
Loïc Vliegen
Orica-GreenEDGE
s.t.
4
Ben Swift
Orica-GreenEDGE
s.t.
5
Bauke Mollema
Cattelan Italia
+ 4'03
6
Romain Bardet
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
7
Antonio Andolini
Cattelan Italia
s.t.
8
Sergio Luis Henao
Lotto Soudal
+ 4'42
9
Tim Wellens
Lotto Soudal
s.t.
10
Daniel Martin
Etixx - Quick-step
s.t.
Flèche Wallonne was a completely different race. Cattelan kept quiet until the final 15 km, where they increased the pace. As usual, the race would end in a sprint up the Mur of Huy. On the final climb, Andolini couldn't manage better than a 4th place, with Wellens winning for the third consecutive time. Wellens, the king of Huy, remained unbeatable on a finish like this. Andolini was clear in his post-race analysis:
As long as Flèche Wallonne finishes on Mur of Huy, I'll always have a tough time winning this race. Wellens cannot be beaten on a finish like this. Next time,
I'll have to come up with a different plan because I can no longer just take Wellens to the sprint up a Mur like that.
Andolini's Troops setting up for the final climb up Huy.
Flèche Wallonne 2018
1
Tim Wellens
Lotto Soudal
4h48'13
2
Romain Bardet
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
3
Julian Alaphilippe
Team Katusha
+ 10
4
Antonio Andolini
Cattelan Italia
s.t.
5
Tiesj Benoot
Lotto Soudal
s.t.
6
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar Team
s.t.
7
Gianni Moscon
Cattelan Italia
s.t.
8
Pieter Serry
Lotto Soudal
s.t.
9
Adam Yates
Team Sky
s.t.
10
Michal Kwiatkowski
Team Sky
s.t.
All that remained was Liège, the fourth monument of the season. Like the Amstel, it was an important moment in Andolini's career. 40 km from the finish, Il Ghiottone attacked out of a group of favorites. He got company and a group of 5 worked hard together to keep off others like Gallopin, Martin and Valverde. A few attempted to attack, Andolini kept calling them back. When Wellens launched a powerful attack, Andolini found himself to be alone in the chase.
He then sat up. The images are still imprinted in the memory of many a people. The World Champion just sat up and looked at the riders sitting on his wheel. It was obvious why Benoot wasn't working, team mate Wellens was up the road. But Kwiatkowski and Bardet were simply letting the World Champion do all the dirty work. That is, until the World Champion refused to take it.
The gap grew, fast. The victory was gone, and nobody could believe how it happened. Andolini won the battle for place 2, but was merciless in his post-race interview about his companions. His first good chance to win Liège was gone, and it was a conscious decision.
Andolini opening the race from far out once again.
Liège - Bastogne - Liège 2018
1
Tim Wellens
Lotto Soudal
6h35'39
2
Antonio Andolini
Cattelan Italia
+ 1'03
3
Tiesj Benoot
Lotto Soudal
+ 1'16
4
Michal Kwiatkowski
Team Sky
s.t.
5
Romain Bardet
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 1'34
6
Daniel Martin
Etixx - Quick-step
+ 2'23
7
Tony Gallopin
Orica-GreenEDGE
+ 4'03
8
Julian Alaphilippe
Team Katusha
s.t.
9
Sergio Luis Henao
Lotto Soudal
+ 4'26
10
Bauke Mollema
Cattelan Italia
s.t.
It was an impressive Ardennes campaign from Cattelan, but no victory for Andolini. The memory of those races is still fresh in the memory of Il Ghiottone. Almost aged 70, this is was he remember of these events some 44 years ago:
I felt worthless after Liège 2018. The strain of racing competitively from Strade Bianche all the way through the cobbled classics, the ardennes and then the Giro was too much. I would have to review my planning next season. In the Ardennes, I had never been in top form yet, while I was already 25 years old.
I would never win Liège if I started to fight for the win in Strade Bianche and took no rest.
But I have fond memories of Gianni's race in the Amstel. I still remember Wellens' face when Gianni attacked. It was priceless, like a little boy just figuring out he has been punked. I see Tim occasionally and we get along great, so I never hesitate to throw that particular moment back in his face. Over fourty years later, it still gets a big laugh, even from Tim, he's that kind of guy.
Reveille wrote:
Cattelan Italia sure are turning into a juggernaut in the classics. Antonio, Moscon, Mollema, and Francesco all with some great form this year.
I assume Antonio will be quite tired during the Giro, hopefully he can still take a stage or two though.
Yeah, first week will be tough, but Andolini always has a way of pulling through on sheer talent
Cattelan really turning into a big classics team and I plan carefully to keep it like that. Moscon turning into a great contender on multiple terrain, Fontana sprinting and cobbles, Mollema can ride GTs but also the hilly classics well. And, of course, Antonio!
2.5 Home Turf
Antonio Andolini's debut in his home Grand Tour, the Giro d'Italia, had been a major success. With six stage wins and the points jersey, it was one of the most impressive Giro's by a non-climber ever. The fact that a non-climber and non-sprinter could win six stages was unheard of. However, he had gone deep for that jersey and Andolini had disappeared for months from the racing calendar (bar the National Championships) all the way up to September.
It was obvious from the start of the 2018 Giro that Andolini would avoid going too deep this time. He played things out more carefully, wasted less energy and used his head as much as his legs.
The opening prologue was an easy win and Andolini wore the Pink Jersey again, this time for two days, finally giving it up to team mate Amador.
An entire week, Andolini kept rather quiet. In the first mountain stage, he put himself in the service of 22-year old Palacios. The young Colombian was a major climbing talent and didn't disappoint: he would win four mountain stages in the Giro, only adding to Cattelan's counter!
On the eleventh stage, Andolini won his second stage. He was far behind in the Points Classification and didn't speak of making it an objective. He remembered how deep he had to go for it the year before. However, upon winning the time trial on stage 14, too, he came into a favorable position. Moreover, the course of the race wasn't as well suited to main competitor Danny Van Poppel as last year's, with two sprint stages nulled for points when big breakaway groups made it to the finish.
As icing on the cake, Andolini won one final stage, in a thinned out group sprint after a profile too tough for the pure sprinters, his fourth stage win this year and his 10th Giro stage win in total. In the end, it turned out to be enough for a second consecutive Red Jersey.
Palacios was protected well by Cattelan, where Andolini once again fulfilled his duties as Patron perfectly, and finished 2nd in the GC. While this was an amazing result for the Colombian and the team, it would remain to be seen if Cattelan could keep the big talent, bound for GT wins, while remaining a team centered around Andolini and focused on the classics.
