Nizzolo wins Gran Piemonte
By Barry Ryan
Trek-Segafredo rider beats Gaviria and Bennati in sprint
Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) claimed victory at Gran Piemonte, beating Fernando Gaviria (Etixx-QuickStep) and Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff) in a sprint finish in Agliè.
The victory was Nizzolo’s sixth of the current season and his second in recent weeks following his triumph at the Coppa Bernocchi. Nizzolo will be part of the Italian team at the UCI Road World Championships in Doha next month, where he will split leadership duties with Elia Viviani (Sky).
"It's a great victory because it comes at the end of a race contested at a very high tempo. I'm also happy because I felt great on the climbs,” Nizzolo said. “To be honest, this morning, I didn't feel well – I had fever or something like that but once I started racing, I felt normal. I couldn't ask for better timing, winning a race ahead of the World Championships. Now I know that I can go to Doha with great motivation."
Some 40 riders were still in contention come the slightly uphill finishing sprint in Agliè, where Nizzolo produced a fine acceleration inside the last 200 metres to lead into the gentle final curves to claim the honours ahead of Gaviria and Bennati.
Juan José Lobato (Movistar) took fourth place, while the on-form Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani-CSF) – winner of the Tre Valli Varesine, Coppa Agostoni and Coppa Sabatini in recent weeks – had to settle for fifth.
Philippe Gilbert (BMC), Ben Swift (Sky) and Filippo Pozzato (Wilier-Southeast) all placed in the top ten but were never in a position to discommode Nizzolo and Gaviria.
The race got off to a rapid opening on leaving the start in Diano d’Alba, with a group of 38 riders – including Gilbert, Swift and Bennati – breaking clear in the early kilometres, with the Italian national team and Wilier-Southeast forced to lead the chase behind once the gap nudged towards two minutes.
After two hours of racing, the average speed was a brisk 48.95kph, but the break’s lead was inside 40 seconds, and the unity of the group fragmented soon afterwards. After a spate of attacking, Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis) went clear at the end of the race, and opted to press on alone rather than wait for company with a shade under 100 kilometres remaining.
There was a détente in the peloton as the remnants of the early break were caught, and Rossetto was able to stretch his advantage out to a maximum of 4:40 before the sprinters’ teams began to wind the pace up once again on the run-in towards Agliè.
By the climb of Alice Superiore, Rossetto’s lead was already down to just two minutes, and the work of BMC on the ascent made further inroads into his advantage, and also reduced the main peloton to just 40 or so riders.
Rossetto stuck gamely to his task in the final 20 kilometres even though there was a sense of inevitability about his fate. 10 kilometres from home, his lead was just 19 seconds, but it wasn’t until Etixx-QuickStep took up the reins on the approach to Agliè that the gap was eventually snapped shut.
After Rossetto was swept up with two kilometres remaining, the scene was set for a sprint finish, and it Nizzolo, riding for the Italian national team, who conjured up the winning effort.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 4:25:21 |
2 | Fernando Gaviria (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
3 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff Team | |
4 | Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Movistar Team | |
5 | Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
6 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
7 | Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky | |
8 | Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
9 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
10 | Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
11 | Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
12 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
13 | Kristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale-Drapac | |
14 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | |
15 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
16 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
17 | Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
18 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
19 | Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha | |
20 | Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:00:06 |
21 | Jon Irisarri Rincon (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
22 | Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team | 0:00:09 |
23 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:12 |
24 | Jorge Arcas Pena (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:00:19 |
25 | Ric Carapaz Montenegro (Ecu) Movistar Team | |
26 | Alessio Taliani (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | 0:00:21 |
27 | Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
28 | Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team | |
29 | Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre - Merida | 0:00:25 |
30 | David Arroyo (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:00:29 |
31 | Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
32 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
33 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:36 |
34 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:40 |
35 | Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:01:02 |
36 | Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:01:12 |
37 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
38 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | 0:01:23 |
39 | Simone Velasco (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 0:02:24 |
40 | Alexander Kolobnev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
41 | Rémy Rochas (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
42 | Andrea Fedi (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
43 | Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) Tinkoff Team | |
44 | Eduard Prades (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:02:26 |
45 | Zhandos Bizhigitov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
46 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
47 | Alberto Nardin (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | |
48 | Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar Team | |
49 | Davide Ballerini (Ita) Tinkoff Team | |
50 | Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
51 | Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
52 | Grega Bole (Slo) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
53 | Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
54 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
55 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
56 | Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre - Merida | |
57 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
58 | Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
59 | Victor De La Parte (Spa) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
60 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | |
61 | Andre Amador Bikkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team | |
62 | Mirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
63 | Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team | |
64 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky | |
65 | Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
66 | Simone Consonni (Ita) Italy | |
67 | Filippo Ganna (Ita) Italy | |
68 | Eduard Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo - Vini Fantini | 0:06:16 |
69 | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
70 | Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
71 | Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
72 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team | |
73 | Rafae Andriato Demattos (Bra) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | 0:08:15 |
74 | Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
75 | Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
76 | Paolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
77 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | |
78 | Minali Riccardo (Ita) Italy | |
79 | Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
80 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
81 | Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale-Drapac | |
82 | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
83 | Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team | |
84 | Daniele Ratto (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | |
85 | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
86 | Ricardo Vilela (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
87 | Michael Bresciani (Ita) Italy | |
88 | Andre Cardoso (Por) Cannondale-Drapac | |
89 | Matti Breschel (Den) Cannondale-Drapac | |
90 | Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
91 | Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
92 | Angel Vicioso (Spa) Team Katusha | |
93 | Alberto Losada (Spa) Team Katusha | |
94 | Edoardo Affini (Ita) Italy | |
95 | Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky | |
96 | Sergio Pardilla (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
97 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | 0:08:36 |
98 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:16:38 |
99 | Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
100 | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff Team | |
101 | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team | |
102 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | |
103 | Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
104 | Rui Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | |
105 | Yonder Godoy (Ven) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
106 | Liam Bertazzo (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
107 | Sylwester Szmyd (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
108 | Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
109 | Sergey Nikolaev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
110 | Marcin Mrozek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
111 | Roman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
112 | Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
113 | Rein Taaramae (Est) Team Katusha | |
114 | Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha | |
115 | Dmitrii Kozonchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | |
116 | Pello Bilbao (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
117 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | |
118 | Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNS | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNS | Jaime Roson (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
DNF | Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | |
DNF | Rodolfo Andres Torres (Col) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | |
DNF | Serghei Tvetcov (Rom) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec | |
DNF | Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Nurbolat Kulimbetov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Nicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Rodrigo Contreras (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Alexander Serov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNF | Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNF | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Yuma Koishi (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Genki Yamamoto (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Gianfranco Zilioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky | |
DNF | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky | |
DNF | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky | |
DNF | Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team | |
DNF | Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast |
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