Stefano Aldani had two Alpecin Phoenix teammates with him for the Giro d'Italia stage 12 victory.

Mathieu Van Der Pol and most of the team selected for the Giro d'Italia spent part of April at the Hotel Sinclosfera in Denia.

However, Aldani was unable to join his teammates in Denia. As Lotto discovered when his high altitude tent was confiscated by police at the 2005 Giro, not only is the use of low-pressure chambers by athletes prohibited in Italy, but Italian athletes are also prohibited from using this practice outside their own country.

"I'm a little disappointed because it's an old question," Aldani said after scoring a stage win in Genoa. There are only one or two countries in the world, like Italy and Norway, where you can't train using high-altitude simulations."

"It's upsetting to be reminded how far behind the rest of the world Italy is. More than three-quarters of the peloton, maybe nearly 90%, uses this type of training aids. It would be useful if someone would think about this so that Italian cycling is not at such a disadvantage.

In 2006, the World Anti-Doping Agency discussed adding the use of hypoxic chambers to its list of prohibited activities, but ultimately decided not to ban them. Dick Pound, then WADA president, stated, "The overwhelming consensus of our Health, Medicine and Research Committee was that it was not appropriate to do so at this time."

The so-called "hypoxic rooms" (commonly known as high altitude tents) in Denia were the brainchild of former Russian professional athlete Alexander Kolobnev, who prepared for the Classic with an extended stay at a Spanish hotel in February. Van der Poel returned to train for the Giro, but Aldani instead embarked on a sealed camp on the side of a volcano.

"It was not easy to go to Etna for two weeks alone for high altitude training when the rest of the team was training together and creating a group dynamic. They had their mechanics and soigneurs with them." I was basically alone in Etna. I think this is something that needs to be reviewed."

On Thursday's stage from Parma to Genoa, Aldani, along with Alpecin Phoenix teammates Van der Pol and Oscar Riesebeck, escaped after an early 60-km breakaway. Last weekend in Naples, Van der Poel was isolated and frustrated by the day's big break. The Alpecin Phoenix's first objective on Thursday was for the Dutchman to get his teammates onside when the early moves were clear.

"The plan was to have more than one player there if a big breakaway was cleared. We didn't want to make the same mistake we made in Naples. 'In the end, we were the only three in the breakaway. Mathieu was the leader of the day and you saw me bringing him bottles, ice and gels.

"When I followed Lorenzo Rota and Jumbo Visma [Gijs Leemreize - ed], I just tried to pull away from them and keep a high pace.

On the approach to Genoa over Ponte Morandi, which was rebuilt after a tragic collapse in 2018, Aldani spoke with his friend and compatriot Rota, and each agreed to try their luck on the uphill sprint up Via XX Settembre. After the twin attacks of Reem Rise were stopped in the final kilometer, Aldani had the strength to sprint to fend off Lhota.

Past the finish line in the shadow of the impressive Palazzo della Bolsa, Aldani sat on the ground. The 24-year-old from Milan, who turned pro in 2020 with Lotto Soudal, has had a few near misses in the past, finishing fourth in the Foligno stage of last year's Giro and second in the Volta Limburg Classic last month.

"I always have a winning mentality, but for the last four years I haven't had a win. 'My last win was by a rider under 23. If I had won a stage of the Giro, it would be ....... But I didn't want to think about it too much, I didn't want to get ahead of myself."