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Clasica San Sebastian

Lorenzo Rota wants to repeat last year’s performance

This Saturday, Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux will participâte to the Clásica San Sebastian (1.UWT, 30/07) for the second time. Last year, the World Team shone during its first appearance thanks to among others Lorenzo Rota, who finished fourth.

The parcours of this edition will be identical to the previous one. The course of 224 kilometer around San Sebastian contains three categorized hills in the first race half: Azkarate (4.4km at 7.6%), Urraki (8.8km at 6.7%) and Alkiza (4.5 km at 5.8 %). 

In the final 70 kilometer, three other categorized climbs have to be covered, starting with the Alto de Jaizkibel (7.4km at 5.8%) almost immediately followed by Puerto de Erlaitz (4km at 10.4%).

Last season, Lorenzo Rota escaped in the downhill of Erlaitz with a group of five riders, heading towards the last climb Murgil (2.1 km at 9,8%) in the lead of the race. Rota battled for the victory until he was involved in a crash of Mikkel Honoré in the downhill towards the finish.

The vice Italian champion returns to the event after a solid Tour de Wallonie, in which he finished fourth. He will be accompanied by Jan Bakelants, winner of the last stage in Wallonie and participating for the seventh time in San Sebastian (11th in 2017, 12th in 2013).

Simone Petilli participates for the second consecutive year. It will be the first participation for Théo Delacroix, Domenico Pozzovivo and Corné Van Kessel, who complete the roster directed by Valerio Piva and Jean-Marc Rossignon.

« I absolutely wanted to return to the Clásica San Sebastian, because this was the first race in which I showed myself on the highest level last year. The parcours suits me as it is challenging and as the climbs have a perfect length. I'd like to repeat last year's performance. But the circumstances are completely different compared to last season. I feel fresh, I have an altitude camp and a solid Tour de Wallonie behind my back. Last year, I could benefit from my form after my first Tour de France. Also, the weather conditions will probably be a lot better than the rain and wet roads of last year. » « No matter what, we're determined to race aggressively. I like this racing style, to follow my instinct when I feel that it is the right moment, no matter how far it is to the finish. At the Tour de Wallonie, it is thanks to an audacious acceleration in the queen stage that Loïc Vliegen and I finished second and fourth in the final classification. I accelerated on the Col de La Redoute, 56 kilometer before the finish. The victory of Jan Bakelants in the final stage crowned our teamwork. He worked for us all week and wanted to do a lead out for me in the final kilometer. But he came to me with such a high speed that I decided to leave a gap and nobody managed to close it. Jan is also part of our solid team here in San Sebastian. »

RESULTS

General Classification

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