It ended as it should have ended, as best it couldn’t have, with a world gold medal in the Elimination on the velodrome track in Santiago, Chile. Elia Viviani at 36 years old hangs up his bike and also hangs up yet another gold in the challenge he loves most, won sprint after sprint, putting all his opponents behind him until the last sprint with the New Zealander Campbell Stewart who had denied silver in the Omnium at the Paris Games.

And it’s the last triumph, the last golden catwalk for a champion as great as he is discreet who adds another gold to a gold, a silver and a bronze in three different editions of the Games which is added to another three golds, two silvers and five bronzes at the World Championships as well as a European title and many races, many stages won on the roads. It’s almost impossible to do better, it’s even difficult to imagine a career like this, to be celebrated, to be held up as an example, to be told about to children, grandchildren, to all those kids who cycle or dream of cycling.

“The last dance’ is written on the t-shirts of the Italian team who greet the gold and it is a celebration with many smiles, with many hugs and with many shining eyes. “It was the ending I dreamed of,” the Veronese champion, who in turn wears a white cloak with the same writing, tells ANSA. “I am grateful to cycling for everything it has given me and if I look back I see a 16-year career always at the top”. “For the first time today I found myself sensationally nervous, it had never happened to me – he confides – Then I concentrated on the race. I have to thank the Federation who allowed me to come to this world championship anyway. I finished as I had dreamed. I couldn’t expect more from myself, when you manage to obtain results and see first-hand the level I have reached it is something phenomenal. Thanks to everyone and to the entire cycling world”.

It seems like a fairy tale and maybe it is. With a happy ending dreamed of, desired and achieved because in sport, at all levels, nothing is free and nothing comes by chance, let alone at a world championship. “Since I was 8 years old the bike has been everything to me and it has given me so much – Viviani said a few weeks ago in a video published on social media announcing his farewell to racing – During the 16 years of my career I have achieved victories that I probably never even dreamed of. I have also had many dark moments, many defeats from which to get back up, but each of these has been a springboard to get higher and higher. Today I announce my retirement from professional cycling. Thank you everyone, it’s truly been an incredible journey. It’s been a fantastic 16 years that have flown by, but I’ve had fun and achieved everything I wanted! Thanks to all the people involved in these years!”. But above all thanks to Elia Viviani. Will be missed…