Invited this Sunday on the very first edition of the Veneto Classic (1.1, 17/10), Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert lined up for its third race in the region of Venice in five days. The selection lead by Valerio Piva also participated in the last race on Italian soil this season. On the program: a hilly parcours of 206 kilometer between Venice and the native locality of Andrea Pasqualon, Bassano del Grappa.
Accustomed to the spotlights when the race goes uphill in recent weeks, Lorenzo Rota again distinguished himself in the final featuring the climbs of La Rosina, La Tisa and the Muro di Contra Soarda. After a strong work of support from his teammates, he battled in the chasing group of ten riders behind lone leader Battistella. Just like Tre Valle Varesine and Coppa Agostoni, Rota took 7th place after five hours of racing. He concluded his first season with the Belgian team with a fifth top 10 in seven races on Italian roads.
“I like to race with an attacking style and that mindset earned me yet another top 10 today. I am thrilled that, together with the team, we could deliver good results to the sponsors this year by offering an attractive style of racing. Personally, the Tour de France was a trigger. I came out of this race a better rider, and following crashes on the Tour and the Clasica San-Sebastian, I gained momentum. I raced following my gut feeling, which taught me a lot about my abilities. These are valuable lessons that I will carry with me for my winter preparation, as I plan to take a new step next season in terms of results. But before meeting up with this fantastic group of riders and staff, I will observe a well-deserved rest and enjoy the time with my family! "
