Giovanni Visconti wins Giro dell'Emilia
By Cycling News published
NIbali and Uran complete podium
Giovanni Visconti took his first win in Bahrain-Merida colours on Saturday with an impressive ride in the Giro dell'Emlia. The 34-year-old attacked on the finishing circuit with 16 kilometres remaining and held off a late chase from the peloton to seal the win as teammate Vincenzo Nibali marked several counter-attacks.
Nibali put in a late attack to finish second, while Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale Drapac) completed the podium.
“It was a whirlwind of emotion," Visconti said. "Also because I have been waiting for this victory for a long time. A perfect day, there are no other words."
Bahrain Merida controlled the race for most of the day and had numbers when it mattered most, chasing several key moves before Visconti’s second attack on the penultimate lap of the finishing circuit created a gap of 30 seconds. Team Sky, BMC Racing and several other teams tried to chase the veteran Italian rider but the pursuit was halted briefly when last year’s winner Esteban Chaves (Orica Scott) crashed on a descent. The Colombian was on the front of the bunch when he hit the deck and bounced into the verge on the side of the road.
With one lap to go Visconti only needed to hold firm and despite a late attack from Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) the Bahrain rider took the win.
“I attacked during the penultimate lap and made an almost perfect downhill," Visconti said. "Then I managed to climb up and told myself that everything was going for the best. It was a sort of liberation; many seconds and third places but victory did not want to come."
The race began at an electric pace with Davide Ballerini (Androni Sidermec), Redi Halilaj (Amore e Vita Selle SMP), Francois Bidard (Ag2r La Mondiale), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis Solutions Credits), Fabien Doubey (Wanty - Groupe Gobert), Jacopo Mosca (Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia), Lorenzo Rota (Bardiani - CSF) and Nicola Bagioli (Nippo-Vini Fantini) forming the break of the day.
The group initially had a lead of seven minutes but the likes of Bahrain Merida, Team Sky, Cannondale and FDJ slowly reduced the gap to just over a minute with 40 kilometres remaining.
Ahead of the break and the bunch were five loops of a punishing circuit. Each loop finished with the climb up to San Luca, with its average slopes of 10 per cent but pitches of 18 per cent included. On the first ascent the leaders were reduced to just Edet, Doubey and Mosca.
Behind the trio, Team Sky and Orica Scott marked attacks before Visconti made his first move as he closed down an attack that included Mikael Cherel (AG2R La Mondiale).
Team Sky took a firmer grip on the front of the bunch on the second ascent with Kenny Elissonde particularly active. Behind him, however Bahrain were lying in wait. With the race regrouping and the break finally caught, Visconti turned to Nibali and asked if he could attack. With permission granted, the experienced all-rounder wasted no time and immediately kicked clear.
He instantly opened up a 13 second lead with Team Sky and FDJ both caught napping. The gap moved out to 23 seconds and then 30 seconds on the final lap and when Chavez took a heavy fall the chase lost momentum.
Take nothing away from Visconti, however, who still had the final climb to come. He was never troubled though, and when Moscon attacked he was quickly marked by Nibali. Nicolas Roche and Uran were in the mix but soon after Visconti took the corner it was Nibali who rounded the final bend to make it a Bahrain Merida one-two.
“I’m very happy for Giovanni," Nibali said.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | 5:31:50 |
2 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | 0:00:12 |
3 | Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:15 |
4 | Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:19 |
5 | Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky | 0:00:23 |
6 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:26 |
7 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Team UAE Emirates | |
8 | Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ | |
9 | Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-Scott | 0:00:33 |
10 | Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
11 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:35 |
12 | Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Astana Pro Team | |
13 | Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
14 | Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
15 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:39 |
16 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:55 |
17 | Valerio Conti (Ita) Team UAE Emirates | |
18 | Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | 0:01:05 |
19 | Daniel Martinez (Col) Wilier Triestina | 0:01:13 |
20 | Egan Bernal (Col) Androni Giocattoli | |
21 | Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky | |
22 | Ildar Arslanov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | 0:01:24 |
23 | Fausto Masnada (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 0:01:30 |
24 | Yonder Godoy (Ven) Wilier Triestina | 0:02:00 |
25 | Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
26 | Pierpaolo Ficara (Ita) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | 0:02:10 |
27 | Rodolfo Andres Torres Agudelo (Col) Androni - Sidermec - Bottecchia | 0:02:24 |
28 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | |
29 | Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott | 0:02:30 |
30 | Alexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:02:40 |
31 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Team UAE Emirates | |
32 | Sergio Pardilla (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:02:58 |
33 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | 0:02:59 |
34 | Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
35 | Simone Velasco (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
36 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:03:02 |
37 | Rudy Molard (Fra) FDJ | |
38 | Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Sky | |
39 | Darwin Atapuma (Col) Team UAE Emirates | 0:03:04 |
40 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | 0:03:09 |
41 | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:03:14 |
42 | Mekseb Debesay (Eri) Dimension Data | 0:03:20 |
43 | Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
44 | Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina | 0:03:35 |
45 | Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJ | 0:03:50 |
46 | Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale | |
47 | Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro Team | |
48 | Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
49 | Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 0:03:53 |
50 | Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
51 | Jesper Hansen (Den) Astana Pro Team | 0:04:02 |
52 | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Team UAE Emirates | 0:04:33 |
53 | Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis | 0:05:28 |
54 | Ben King (USA) Dimension Data | 0:05:48 |
55 | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
56 | Mathias Le Turnier (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
57 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
58 | Nicola Gaffurini (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis | |
59 | Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina | |
60 | Hugh Carthy (GBr) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:06:08 |
61 | Sergey Firsanov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | 0:06:30 |
62 | Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:08:20 |
63 | Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
64 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
65 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Orica-Scott | 0:08:50 |
66 | Alessandro Bisolti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
67 | Christopher Butler (USA) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:09:02 |
68 | Diego Rubio (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
69 | Marco Tizza (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
70 | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
71 | Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
72 | Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo | |
73 | Brendan Canty (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac | |
74 | Umberto Orsini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
75 | Edward Ravasi (Ita) Team UAE Emirates | |
DNF | Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott | |
DNF | Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-Scott | |
DNF | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Orica-Scott | |
DNF | Ruben Plaza (Spa) Orica-Scott | |
DNF | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-Scott | |
DNF | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | David Gaudu (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJ | |
DNF | Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky | |
DNF | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | |
DNF | Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky | |
DNF | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky | |
DNF | Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team Sky | |
DNF | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Antonio Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Bahrain - Merida | |
DNF | Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Manuele Mori (Ita) Team UAE Emirates | |
DNF | Francesco Romano (Ita) Uae Team Emirates | |
DNF | Igor Anton (Spa) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier Werkilul (Eri) Dimension Data For Qhubeka | |
DNF | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Cyrus Monk (Aus) Drapac Pat's Veg Holistic Development Team | |
DNF | Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | |
DNF | François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Karl Patrick Lauk (Est) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Moreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Dario Puccioni (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis | |
DNF | Michele Gazzara (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis | |
DNF | Paolo Toto (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis | |
DNF | Niccolo Salvietti (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis | |
DNF | Cristian Scarroni (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis | |
DNF | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Patrick Muller (Sui) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Loïc Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
DNF | Dmitriy Kozontchuk (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
DNF | Artem Nych (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
DNF | Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
DNF | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
DNF | Nikolai Cherkasov (Rus) Gazprom - Rusvelo | |
DNF | Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Simone Sterbini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Miguel Eduardo Florez (Col) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Cristian Rodriguez (Spa) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia | |
DNF | Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Mattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Davide Ballerini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Ivan Ramiro Sosa (Col) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Nicola Bagioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Giacomo Berlato (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Marino Kobayashi (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Hideto Nakane (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Felix Großschartner (Aut) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Jan Hirt (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Leszek Plucinski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Marcin Mrozek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Michal Schlegel (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Luis Mas (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
DNF | Dylan Page (Swi) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
DNF | Eduard Prades (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
DNF | Danilo Celano (Ita) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | |
DNF | Gonzalo Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros Rga | |
DNF | Besmir Banushi (Alb) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | |
DNF | Marco Bernardinetti (Ita) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | |
DNF | Francesco Mancini (Ita) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | |
DNF | Uri Martins Sandoval (Mex) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | |
DNF | Redi Halilaj (Alb) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | |
DNF | Adriano Brogi (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | Antonio Di Sante (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | Rossano Mauti (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | Davide Pacchiardo (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | Antonio Parrinello (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | Matteo Rotondi (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | Andrea Ruscetta (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | João Almeida (Por) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
DNF | Marco Molteni (Ita) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
DNF | Simone Ravanelli (Ita) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
DNF | Donovan Alonso Davila Cespedes (CRa) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
DNF | German Nicolas Tivani Perez (Arg) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
DNF | Riccardo Cenghialta (Ita) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
DNF | Mattia Viel (Ita) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
DNS | Zahiri Abderrahim (Mar) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 |

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