'Time helps to heal wounds' - Colbrelli to watch Paris-Roubaix for first time since 2021 win

Sonny Colbrelli hasn't watched Paris–Roubaix live since he won it in 2021. The Italian, who suffered a heart attack after the opening stage of the 2022 Volta a Catalunya, was forced into retirement after being diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia and having a subcutaneous defibrillator implanted. He told La Gazzetta dello Sport that seeing former teammates and rivals race without him was simply too painful.

“In the years that followed, I never managed to watch it live, but this time I intend to,” Colbrelli told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Time helps to heal wounds. On the Sunday of the Tour of Flanders, I didn’t miss a single kilometre.”

The process of acceptance, he admitted, was slower than he'd hoped. He initially expected to move on quickly, but found it didn't work that way. He has stayed in touch with footballer Edoardo Bove, who suffered a similar cardiac episode while playing for Serie A side Fiorentina and eventually resumed his career abroad, where he plays for English side Watford.

“Let's just say it still hurts. Or rather, it’s hard for me to see my former teammates, or the riders who used to race with me, competing against the top champions and I haven’t been able to do that anymore,” Colbrelli said.

The 36-year-old's memories of that famous October victory at Paris-Roubaix, which changed from its traditional date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, remain intact. 

“I remember everything, from A to Z, from the moment I woke up to when I went to bed. What stands out most in my mind is the moment I stepped onto the podium and saw the trophy – that piece of cobblestone – waiting for me,” Colbrelli said. “Perhaps that was the moment I realised what I had achieved. The fulfilment of a dream.”

As for Sunday's favourites, Colbrelli gave the nod to Mathieu van der Poel, arguing the parcours suits the Dutchman better than the Tour of Flanders, where he placed second behind Tadej Pogacar. The motivation of a record fourth consecutive victory, he added, only strengthens Van der Poel's case.

He was also bullish on Filippo Ganna's chances following the Italian's Dwars door Vlaanderen win. 

“After Van der Poel and Pogacar, someone like Filippo slots in perfectly alongside Van Aert and Pedersen,” Colbrelli said. “It seems to me that he’s managed his preparation well. He’s got the physique, the power – in short, everything it takes to be competitive.”