This Monday, the riders of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert were at the start of their fifth race in one week in the north of Italy, on the occasion of the Coppa Agostoni (1.1, 11/10). Just like in the previous races, Lorenzo Rota showed audacity by closing the gap of 2’30 to the seven leaders on his own in the first hilly lap around Lissolo, halfway through the race.
Behind, the peloton was reduced to 30 riders, with Norwegian rider Odd Christian Eiking and Estonian rider Rein Taaramäe, who took 2nd place in the Coppa Agostoni in 2018. The three remaining leaders and the peloton melted together with 50 kilometer to go, reuniting the three riders from the team directed by Valerio Piva. The pace remained high in the final, despite the downhill slope of the final 25 kilometer towards the finish in Lissone. In the end, the three riders from Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert sprinted for 3rd place, 12 seconds after Alexey Lutsenko and Matteo Trentin. Lorenzo Rota was the first rider of the team to cross the finish line, in 7th place.
« I approached this period of end of the season classics with a lot of motivation. That’s why I adopted an aggressive racing style, attacking each race, hoping that one day one of my attempts succeeds. Last Saturday in Il Lombardia I didn’t have the legs I hoped for, but today I felt good again. I accelerated in the climbs around Lecco, but unfortunately nobody followed me. Contrary to the Tre Valli Varesine, an early breakaway wasn’t the successful strategy. But our motivation to shine in the final two Italian classics remains unchanged! »
