E Mi Alzo Sui Pedali

And I Rise on the Pedals

I'm a champion, I know it
It's just a matter of perspective
In this place where I am
They call me Marco, Marco the cyclist
But sometimes you lose your way
Because sooner or later there are tough moments
I don't even know if I was a pirate
I tore through life with my heart and teeth
And if I made mistakes, I didn't realize
I took things too seriously
I even took the fact that sometimes
I exaggerated to feel more real

And now I rise on the pedals like when I was a child
After a while, I took flight from the garden gate
And my grandfather waited for me without saying a word
Because me and the bicycle are one
And I rise on the pedals, start the effort again
Then I embrace my teammates, pass at the top of the climb
Because people like us want to dream
And from the Pordoi pass, I close my eyes and see the sea
And I see you... and wait for you...

Now everything seems distant to me
The pink jersey and those happy years
And the Giro d'Italia and then the Tour de France
And even the friends who weren't really friends
Then of that day I only remember
A hotel room and a messy bed
And I'm sure I cried too
But I disappeared in that exact moment

And now I rise on the pedals at the beginning of the climb
While a handful of opponents have planted themselves in the middle of the group
Because ultimately a climb is something normal too
It's a bit like life, you always have to fight a bit
And I rise on the pedals with the sun on my face
And I push up my glasses at the finish line of the stage
But when I get off the saddle, I feel melancholy
A skinny elephant that wrote poems
Just for you... just for you...

I'm a champion, I know it
Like everyone, I wait for tomorrow
In this place where I am
Ask for Marco, Marco Pantani.