Valgren wins Giro della Toscana

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Michael Valgren (EF Education-Nippo) won the 2021 Giro della Toscana with determined solo attack in the final 14km of the Italian one-day race. 

EF Education-Nippo took on Wednesday's 191km race, first chasing down the early break and then sending Rigobero Urán and Sergio Higuita on the attack over the top of the first ascent of the Monte Serra climb overlooking Pisa. 

Geraint Thomas did a lot of work for Ineos Grenadiers to chase them on the valley road and then EF's Neilson Powless attacked on the second time over the summit of Monte Serra to catch Rafa Majka (UAE Team Emirates), before Valgren took over on the fast flat roads to the finish in Pontedera. 

The Danish rider time trialled his way to victory as his rivals attacked each other and Higuita and Powless helped disrupt the chase. Tao Geoghegan Hart was Ineos Grenadiers' protected leader and tried to jump across to Valgren at one point but the gap soon grew to over a minute, dissuading the chase and sparking a race for the podium spots.  

Alessandro De Marchi, riding for the Italian national team, attacked in the final kilometre to finish second, 1:13 behind Valgren, with Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) winning the sprint for third place five seconds behind De Marchi. 

Valgren pointed to the red stripes on his jersey sleeves, which indicate that he is a former Danish national champion. Valgren has been selected for next week’s World Championships and his victory indicates he is ready for the race in Flanders. 

It was Valgren’s first victory since his 2018 win at the Amstel Gold Race.   

“This was harder to win than the Amstel Gold Race. This is a climber’s race and I’m not really a climber, so I had to go really deep,” Valgren said.

"I lived in Lucca during my first year as a professional, so I know the climb really well and like it. It’s good to be up there and fighting for the win.”

New European champion Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) raced in the European white and blue  jersey for the first time but was not a contender due to the Monte Serra climb. He is expected to challenge in the Coppa Sabatini race on Thursday that is held in the same area of Tuscany and finishes on the gradual climb to the centre of Peccioli.