This Wednesday, the selection under the direction of Valerio Piva started its triptych in Venice. After animating the hilly races in Lombardia, the riders of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert could rely on the fast legs of Andrea Pasqualon on the occasion of the Giro del Veneto (1.1, 13/10), organized for the first time since 2012.
It was again Lorenzo Rota, 7th two days before in the Coppa Agostoni, who showed his great form on the final climb of the parcours of 168 kilometer between Cittadella and Padova. He was part of a ten rider group leading the race after this final difficulty, 30 kilometer before the finish. The final flat part enabled Odd Christian Eiking, Andrea Pasqualon and Simone Petilli to make the junction with the first group.
In the final kilometers, three riders managed to escape from this group of around twenty riders and avoid the sprint on the Prato della Valle. Xandro Meurisse took the victory, with Andrea Pasqualon sprinting to 8th place.
« Thanks to good tactics and a very strong Lorenzo Rota we were well represented in the final. Odd and Simone did a fantastic job to bring me back in the mix for the victory after the final climb. But just when we managed to join the leaders, Trentin and Meurisse attacked. My teammates had to chase again, together with Lorenzo. Unfortunately, we just came too short to sprint for the victory. All of us went all out and it is with this spirit that we’ll line up next Sunday! »
