Savio finds another young talent as Sosa leads Tour of the Alps
(Cyclingnews.com)

Androni Giocattoli team manager Gianni Savio celebrated his 70th birthday on Monday, with 20-year-old Ivan Sosa giving him a belated present on Tuesday by finishing ahead of Chris Froome on the steep mountain finish to Alpe di Pampeago on stage 2 of the Tour of the Alps, and taking the overall lead in the process. Savio is known as the savviest team manager amongst the Professional Continental ranks and has kept his team alive for over two decades by fishing for new young talent and then letting go after helping them develop and win stages at the Giro d´Italia or elsewhere. In lean years he also signs older riders, perhaps after doping suspensions, securing their services cheaply but also giving them a chance of redemption. His budget may be less than a tenth of the WorldTour super teams but he forgoes expensive marginal gains for simple Italian know-how and experience.   Savio helped Egan Bernal develop in 2016 and 2017, cashing in his investment when Team Sky offered to buy out the Colombian´s contract for 2018. He immediately won the Colombia Oro y Paz stage race in Team Sky colours and was second to Valverde at the Volta a Catalunya before crashing out on the final stage.   Savio was never worried about letting Bernal move to Team Sky for 2018 because he already had other riders in the pipeline that could replace him. Sosa is his next young Colombian rough diamond. Sosa revealed he is a close friend of Bernal, and they seem very similar. He is a 60kg pure climber but also has the steely determination and hunger needed to survive and even strive in Europe.   `It was difficult to move to Italy, to be far from home but I knew I had to do it to build my future in Europe,` Sosa said as he sat alongside Savio in the post-race press conference.    `I never hoped to take the leader´s jersey but I went well yesterday and today went even better at Alpe di Pampeago. On the climb other riders were gradually spat out the back but I was up there and able to race ...