Ulissi wins Coppa Sabatini

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Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) continued to show his end of season form and potential as one of the next generation of Italian Classics riders, winning the Coppa Sabatini race in Peccioli, Tuscany.

Ulissi won Milan-Turin exactly a week ago and hopes to end the season with further success at the Giro dell'Emilia and GP Beghelli at the weekend.

Ulissi finished off some excellent team work by the Lampre-Merida team. The pink and blue jersey-clad squad rode on the front for almost all of the race and chased down the six-rider break of the race that included South Africa's Jacques Janse van Rensburg (MTN-Qhubeka). Lampre-Merida brought everything back together with two laps of the finishing circuit remaining.

Michele Scarponi protected Ulissi during the final lap and then the 24 year-old Tuscan surged out of the final corner on the uphill finish to beat Andrea Pasqualon (Bardiani Valvole- CSF Inox) and talented Italian stagiaire Davide Villella (Cannondale).

It was Ulissi's fifth win of the season.

"We controlled the race because we knew this finish suited me perfectly. The team rode for me all day and then it was up to me at the finish," Ulissi said in the post-race press conference.

"I went early because I was worried that some one might surprise us and or I'd get blocked in.

“I think I did a good sprint but I saw them coming up near the line and that's why I kept going all the way, to make sure I won. I didn’t want to lose after the work the lads did and in a race that is so close to my home."

Ulissi promised to work for Scarponi at the Giro dell'Emilia that ends with a similar uphill finish near Bologna on Saturday. The following day’s GP Beghelli will be his last race of the 2013 season.

"My season will end at about five o'clock on Sunday. I'm on form and it's been a good end of season but I've ridden about 80 days of racing and it's time to take a break."