Twenty-second place in the current stage, a 169-kilometer path between Castelreimondo and Lido di Fermo, Holly, is the best cyclist in the Astana team, ahead of his Italian teammate Fabio Fellin. A 10-kilometer trial on Tuesday will end the event in San Benedetto del Tronto.

“There, I am in very good shape,” Hall said Monday evening. I was a little anxious after the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var (41st) where I did well. I had a cold, a common cold, but it took two weeks to get over it. Quietly, it’s back but I don’t have the best feelings. I was a little disappointed that I worked so hard. I thought I might have trained a lot.

In the Strade Bianche race, he wasn’t cool yet. But in Terreno, two days later, things have dried up. I felt reassured and yesterday ran well so he bodes well for the rest of the race. It motivated me and gave me some confidence in the races coming to Belgium in ten days or so.

The Sainte-Perpétue athlete will participate in three one-day races in the country of Jacques Brel, including Classique Brugge-De Panne, on March 24. Without seeking victory, he is optimistic about the quality of performance he can deliver.

Holly said: If you put in a good place and do well, he will be in the top 10. I would have won, but honestly, I don’t expect that. I’m not at that level yet. This is not impossible, but it will take a set of circumstances to make everything go smoothly.

I’m getting stronger and stronger and can’t wait to see what I can do this year. After that, it got more difficult for me. With Astana, we don’t have a big classic team in Belgium. It’s hard to stay put if you’re on your own when Quickstep has eight contestants. They get more respect and influence. With the top 10, I can say: “Mission accomplished”.

This year, the 30-year-old is scheduled to compete in the Tour de France and then move to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

But even then, there are still many kilometers to cover. There are also many uncertainties left due to the epidemic that continues to complicate the lives of cyclists. Curfews still apply in France, Italy and Monaco, where he resides.

For three weeks, the entire Alpes-Maritimes region remained confined to the weekends. We are not permitted to go outside and physical activity is restricted to five kilometers from your home. I am a professional, I can do whatever I want but my girlfriend cannot bike to Monaco.

She can run but everything is closed. There are still many instances when the virus is active. There are many controls when moving from one country to another. You have to do tests every week. I do an average of two a week. After the second wave, the English substitute stalled what had been expected. It is stable but still many limitations.