Milano - Sanremo 2000: the myth of "Classicissima"

It's the oldest and most well-known cycling competition in Italy. Each year the best professional cyclists fight to win the "Classicissima" (literally: the "most classical" race) that connect the cities of Milan to the seaside center of Sanremo, located close to Monaco's French border. The race is 300 km length and there are several uphills on the route... Those years I was fond of running mountain bike competitions and, for that reason, I was very well trained. When I've started thinking to run the Milano-Sanremo, that race mainly represented a challenge within myself, in fact, I never tried to run before so many kilometres, neither in race nor in training. Maybe for recklessness, maybe for the desire to discover my limits I decided to participate to the amateurial Milano-Sanremo in October and I had no idea about what I had to face for the following months... I had to train myself especially during the cold season but I felt very strong at the end of May, with more than 4500 km cycled from January and a 64 kilos weight. When the day of the race arrived I felt too excited, the moment I was waiting for many months was there, but I wasn't sure to be able to cycle for 300 km... During the race I was ok, I felt no pain and I had no cramps: I easily climbed the uphills on the route and kilometres passed by and by quickly under my wheels... After 260 km of race I understood I was close to reach the finish line, that my challenge was near to be won. In that moment, when some people from the edge of the road clapped to us I felt an happiness feeling I tried just few times in my life; I was too happy, I betted on myself for an extreme race and I was there to reach the finish... I understood that everything would have been possible in my life and fighting for my own dreams they sooner or later would have become true... That feelings gave me the strength enough to cycle for the 40 km left, with the tough uphills of "Cipressa" and "Poggio of Sanremo". Up on the last climbing I had no more water and I became dehydrated; my average speed have fallen down but I managed the same the finish line where I met the eyes of my mom and dad. I covered the 300 km in a total time of 9 hours and an average speed of 32 km/h. It was an exceptionally good result for me, and the cup I received on end keep my memories alive to that experience which I consider one of the best in my lifetime.