Tuscan stone forces lengthy absence for Garofoli: “Necessary to prevent the rest of my career from being put at risk”

Garofoli shared on Instagram what happened in the Tuscan gravel classic, where he still managed to finish 28th despite the blow. “Luck is blind, but bad luck sees very clearly... and this time it hit me full on,” he wrote. As Garofoli explained, the impact initially did not seem too serious.

“During Strade Bianche, my knee was hit hard by a stone in a sensitive spot. At the time it seemed like nothing, just one of those knocks that passes quickly.”

But the aftermath proved far more serious than expected. “Instead, I’m facing a long break, one that is necessary to prevent the rest of my career from being put at risk.” The setback is a painful one for the 22-year-old, who had shown encouraging form in the early weeks of the season and had already finished second in the Giro di Sardegna.

Garofoli admitted that the timing makes the situation especially hard to accept. “I want to be honest: it’s not easy to take. When you feel good and feel like you’re building something, such an abrupt stop hurts. Mentally more than physically. But that’s also part of the sport.” He nevertheless tried to strike a determined tone about the recovery period ahead. “Sport is not only about the moments when everything is going well. It is also about this: stopping, being patient, putting the pieces back together and not losing your mind. Everything changes now: no races, no adrenaline. Just calm work, therapy, long days and a clear mind. I’m going to use this period to work on every detail and come back even hungrier.”

This is already the second serious piece of misfortune Garofoli has suffered this year. In early February, he said he had been hit from behind by a car travelling at around 100 kilometres per hour. At the time, he described not only the impact itself, but also the shock of the driver leaving the scene. Remarkably, Garofoli escaped that earlier incident without any fractures and was able to race again within a matter of days, although he admitted he had been badly shaken by what happened.