A gentleman on the pedals

VAN AERT
They are part of the same team, but friendship does not always lead to certain choices. The 28-year-old Belgian Wout Van Aert dominates the 85th edition of Ghent-Wevelgem, but does not miss the opportunity to favor a teammate from the same formation: Jumbo-Visma. In fact, he lets French breakaway partner Christophe Laporte win, according to an agreement made during the race. It's not the first time this has happened, but it's news nonetheless. SELFLESS.

QUINTET
We are the European champions, and it had never happened before, in the general artistic gymnastics team competition. The blue "Fantastic Five" are called Abbadini, Casali, Levantesi, Lodadio and Macchiati, directed by coach Cocciaro. The success obtained in Turkey, in Antalya, had been prepared by 2 companies: fourth place in the World Cup in Liverpool, and second place in the European Championships in Munich. HISTORIC

FUR
Romolo Pelliccia, an 87-year-old from Orvieto, has covered at least 250,000 kilometers in his life as an athlete. In his own category, which goes from 80 years of age upwards, he set new world records at 3,000 and 10,000 metres. In half a century of racing, he has finished second only once, collecting dozens of national and European titles. His next goal, perhaps in the summer, is to obtain the world record of 5,000 meters. LONG LIFE

ACADEMY
On the pitch without a coach. A complete football self-management, which goes from substitutions to the most delicate moments of the match. The initiative was taken by Juventus, at the Under 10 and Under 12 level, during the first "Torneo dello Strait - Juventus Academy Italia", held in Messina. The technical manager of the club's grassroots activity, the former player De Ceglie, intends to develop children's sense of responsibility. INDEPENDENT

FERALPISALÒ
It is the tale of a town of 10,000 inhabitants, which rises for the first time in Serie B football. We are talking about Feralpisalò, born in 2009 from the merger between Salò Valsabbia and Feralpi Lonato, and taken off from the fourth division. The owner is Giuseppe Pasini, at the top of the Feralpi Group, the iron and steel leader in Europe. It's a club that combines the old, a robust defense, with the new, at least 15 players capable of scoring. FIABESCHI

AUTISTIC
World Autism Awareness Day was celebrated on April 2. Paola Severini Melograni, consultant to the Serie A football league on these issues, said: «Autism affects 700,000 people in Italy, and football is the language of the Italians, a sentiment that knows how to reach everywhere, because they play football everyone, even the most disadvantaged. The dream is a Serie A with 20 clubs, equipped with a team of disabled people, from the Panini album». SPECIAL

MINA
As in the spirit of the previous editions of this column, Sport that is good is also the memory of those who are no longer with us, but remain a model forever. Gianni Minà: the journalist friend of Maradona, Mennea and Mohamed Ali. He taught us to escape clichés, to interview the characters in a human key, even before a competitive one. He is a witness of time and of the soul, who used microphones to vivisect the hearts of champions. DEEP


Carlo Nesti
NP May 2023