Pozzato claims Coppa Agostoni victory
Italian beats Ponzi and Zamparella in sprint
Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) claimed victory at the Coppa Agostoni, the opening race of the Trittico Lombardo, with a well-timed sprint in Lissone. The Italian saw off the challenge of Simone Ponzi (Astana) and Marco Zamparella (Utensilnord) to claim his second victory of the season.
“It was about time,” said Pozzato, who won the Trofeo Laigueglia in February but then fell well short of expectations in the spring classics. “I messed up the spring completely, but for the past two months I’ve been working very well.”
Traffic tailbacks in Monza meant that the start of the race was delayed by some 45 minutes and the race distance was reduced by 29 kilometres in order to maintain the original finishing schedule. The day’s early break featured Irish champion Matt Brammeier (Champion System), Nicola Dal Santo (Ceramica Flaminia), Alberto Cecchin (Nippo-De Rosa), Tim Mertens (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Louis Meintjes (MTN-Qhubeka), who built up a maximum advantage of four minutes before the three WorldTour teams in the race – Lampre, Astana and Katusha – began chasing in earnest.
They would be swept up on the finishing circuit, however, as the impressive Fabio Aru (Astana) sprang into action with a fierce acceleration on the climb of Colle Brianza with 47km to go. The young Sardinian was again on the offensive on the Giovenzana, ultimately helping to form an eight-man group on the front that also featured Davide Rebellin (CCC Polsat), Davide Mucelli, Ivan Rovny (Ceramica Flaminia), Kritjian Durasek (Lampre-Merida), Edoardo Zardini (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox), Patrick Facchini (Androni-Venezuela) and Patrik Sinkewitz (Meridiana).
Aru’s fireworks were not quite finished, however, and the 23-year-old delivered another smart attack on the final climb of the Lissolo, punching his way clear of his fellow escapees. With 27km still to race, however, he quickly realised that it was impossible to stay clear alone and he duly waited for his breakaway companions on the technical descent.
At that point, it appeared as though the eight leaders would dispute the win as they held an advantage of almost two minutes over the main peloton, but a concerted chase from Vini Fantini-Selle Italia and Lampre-Merida helped to bring the gruppo back into contention on the approach to the finish.
With four kilometres remaining, the gap was down to just ten seconds, and while Facchini and Mucelli put up fierce resistance as far as the red kite, the race ultimately came down to a sprint finish, where Pozzato emerged to take the win and – perhaps – make a case for a spot on the Italian national team at the world championships in Florence. “I’m certainly interested, but Paolo Bettini will decide,” he said.
The Trittico Lombardo, the trio of races in Lombardy that has traditionally served as an important stepping stone towards the Worlds, continues on Thursday with the Coppa Bernocchi at Legnano, before the Tre Valli Varesine on Friday.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-Merida | 4:58:15 |
2 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
3 | Marco Zamparella (Ita) Utensilnord Ora24.eu | |
4 | Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
5 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
6 | Angelo Pagani (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
7 | Davide Mucelli (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
8 | Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
9 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha | |
10 | Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar | |
11 | Riccardo Chiarini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
12 | Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
13 | Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
14 | Fabio Taborre (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
15 | Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Col) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
16 | Sergey Firsanov (Rus) RusVelo | |
17 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
18 | Jan Hirt (Cze) Leopard Trek Continental Team | |
19 | Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
20 | Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Sojasun | |
21 | Patrick Facchini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
22 | Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
23 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:19 |
24 | Francesco Failli (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
25 | Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre-Merida | 0:00:26 |
26 | Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-Merida | 0:01:00 |
27 | Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Colombia | 0:03:30 |
28 | Alessandro Proni (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
29 | Robbie Squire (USA) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
30 | Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) RusVelo | |
31 | Gianfranco Zilioli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
32 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
33 | Emanuel Kiserlovski (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
34 | Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Utensilnord Ora24.eu | |
35 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
36 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
37 | Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
38 | Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 0:03:32 |
39 | Alexander Vdovin (Rus) Russian Federation | 0:05:59 |
40 | Sergey Shilov (Rus) Lokosphinx | |
41 | Mikhail Antonov (Rus) Lokosphinx | |
42 | Aleksey Rybalrin (Rus) Russian Federation | |
43 | Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
44 | Jan Polanc (Slo) Radenska | |
45 | Alessio Camilli (Ita) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
46 | Leonardo Pinizzotto (Ita) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
47 | Dalivier Ospina Navarro (Col) Colombia | |
48 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
49 | Arthur Vanoverberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
50 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Sojasun | |
51 | Hideto Nakane (Jpn) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
52 | Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
53 | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha | |
54 | Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha | |
55 | Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
56 | Fabien Schmidt (Fra) Sojasun | |
57 | Julien El Fares (Fra) Sojasun | |
58 | Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
59 | Natnael Berhane (Eri) Team Europcar | |
60 | Ferekalsi Debesay Abrha (Eri) MTN-Qhubeka | |
61 | Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
62 | Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
63 | Duber Armando Quintero Artunduaga (Col) Colombia | |
64 | Alexander Foliforov (Rus) Helicopters | |
65 | Eugeny Shalunov (Rus) Russian Federation | |
66 | Federico Rocchetti (Ita) Utensilnord Ora24.eu | |
67 | Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
68 | Antonio Santoro (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
69 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha | |
70 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
71 | Andrea Zordan (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 0:07:18 |
72 | Matteo Fedi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | 0:07:53 |
73 | Etienne Tortelier (Fra) Sojasun | 0:12:58 |
74 | Juan Pablo Valencia (Col) Colombia | |
75 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar | |
76 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
77 | Nicola Dal Santo (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
78 | Jérémie Galland (Fra) Sojasun | |
79 | Arkimedes Arguelyes Rodriges (Rus) Lokosphinx | |
80 | Matteo Di Serafino (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
81 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
82 | Fortunato Baliani (Ita) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
83 | Sergey Vdovin (Rus) Russian Federation | |
84 | Andrea Fedi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
85 | Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
86 | Andrea Manfredi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest | |
87 | Viktor Manakov (Rus) RusVelo | 0:16:07 |
88 | Alexander Serov (Rus) RusVelo | |
89 | Sergey Chernetski (Rus) Katusha | |
90 | Simone Masciarelli (Ita) Utensilnord Ora24.eu | |
91 | Yonathan Monsalve (Ven) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
92 | Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar | |
93 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar | |
94 | Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
95 | Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (Eth) MTN-Qhubeka | |
96 | Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
97 | Josef Cerny (Cze) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
98 | Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
99 | Dion Smith (NZl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
100 | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka | |
101 | Alberto Cecchin (Ita) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
102 | David Lelay (Fra) Sojasun | |
103 | Jim Songezo (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
104 | Volodymyr Starchyk (Ukr) Amore & Vita | |
105 | Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Leopard Trek Continental Team | |
106 | Alex Kirsch (Lux) Leopard Trek Continental Team | |
107 | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox | |
108 | Tom Thill (Lux) Leopard Trek Continental Team | |
109 | Pit Schlechter (Lux) Leopard Trek Continental Team | |
110 | Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
111 | Emanuele Sella (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
112 | Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
113 | Jang Chan Jae (Kor) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 16',22" | |
114 | Wilson Alexander Marentes Torres (Col) Colombia | |
115 | Meron Russom (Eri) MTN-Qhubeka | |
116 | Bradley Potgieter (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
117 | Antonio Testa (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
118 | Alexander Mironov (Rus) RusVelo | |
119 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
120 | Mikhall Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha | |
121 | Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team | |
122 | Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Katusha | |
123 | Mateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
124 | Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise 19',43" | |
125 | Maxwell Stuart Durtshi (USA) Leopard Trek Continental Team | |
126 | Christophe Kern (Fra) Team Europcar | |
127 | Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar | |
128 | Daniel Klemme (Ger) Leopard Trek Continental Team | |
DNS | Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
DNS | Dmitry Sokolov (Rus) Lokosphinx | |
AB | Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
AB | Luca Wackermann (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
AB | Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar | |
AB | Carlos Julian Quintero (Col) Colombia | |
AB | Jeffry Johan Romero Corredor (Col) Colombia | |
AB | Bartolomiej Matysiak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
AB | Mateusz Novak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
AB | Mikhail Akimov (Rus) Helicopters | |
AB | Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Sojasun | |
AB | Gennady Tatarinov (Rus) RusVelo | |
AB | Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
AB | Matt Brammeier (Irl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
AB | Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
AB | Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
AB | Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman (Mas) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
AB | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
AB | Kin San Wu (HKg) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
AB | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
AB | Simone Campagnaro (Ita) Team Nippo-De Rosa | |
AB | Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) Utensilnord Ora24.eu | |
AB | Anton Mikailov (Isr) Amore & Vita | |
AB | Battista, Antonio Di (Ita) Amore & Vita | |
AB | Daniel Holloway (USA) Amore & Vita | |
AB | Alessandro Mazzi (Ita) Utensilnord Ora24.eu | |
AB | Niv Libner (Isr) Amore & Vita | |
AB | Viesturs Lukesevics (Lat) Amore & Vita | |
AB | Marco Zanotti (Ita) Utensilnord Ora24.eu | |
AB | Eugenio Bani (Ita) Amore & Vita | |
AB | Enrico Rossi (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
AB | Massimo Demarin (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
AB | Alberto Di Lorenzo (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
AB | Luka Grubic (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
AB | Pavel Ptashkin (Rus) Lokosphinx | |
AB | Endi Sirol (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team | 0:19:43 |
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