Colbrelli claims Coppa Agostoni

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Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani-CSF) won the Coppa Agostoni after he beat Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) and Francesco Gavazzi (Androni Sidermec) in a reduced bunch sprint in Lissone.

Both Colbrelli and Ulissi are among the riders who will feature for Italy in Sunday’s European Championships road race in Plumelec, and the Bardiani-CSF man will also hope to earn selection for the squadra azzurra at the Worlds in Doha next month.

After launching a surprise attack in the finale of the Coppa Bernocchi twenty-four hours earlier, Colbrelli decided to keep his powder dry for an eventual bunch sprint in Lissone on Thursday, and he was vindicated by the powerful finish he produced to see off Ulissi and Gavazzi.

“Yesterday I wanted to try something new by attacking from distance and that’s how it went,” Colbrelli said. “I wanted to fight back today. I was feeling well and after my teammates were second and third yesterday, we needed a win.”

The race was animated by an early break of 13 riders, which included Alexander Kolobnev (Gazprom-Rusvelo) and Miguel Angel Benito (Caja Rural-RGA Seguros). The baker’s dozen gained a maximum advantage of almost six minutes before the margin was reduced on the circuit over the Colle Brianza midway through the race.

The Italian national selection – including Giovanni Visconti, who would eventually place 4th – was prominent in whittling down the break’s lead. Kolobnev and five fellow survivors had just 1:30 in hand by the time they hit the climb of Lissolo, where Fabio Aru (Astana) led a chasing group of four off the front of the bunch.

Aru et al were swept up inside the final 20 kilometres, but the break’s lead was south of 30 seconds by that juncture. With Androni Sidermec leading the chase, the bulk of break was pegged back with 8 kilometres remaining, though a defiant Benito managed to extend his day off the front all the way to the final kilometre before he, too, was caught.

Despite Androni’s efforts in setting up the sprint, it was Colbrelli who benefited most from their work, claiming his fifth victory of a season that also saw him place third at Amstel Gold Race. The 26-year-old will race for the new Bahrain Merida team in 2017, though for now, his thoughts are on Sunday’s race in Brittany.

“It’s not easy. There’s a climb that both Diego [Ulissi] and I could be able to manage. We’ll go and see it, but it will be the national coach who’ll decide our roles for Sunday,” Colbrelli said.

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