Vansevenant claims first professional win at GP Industria & Artigianato

Mauri Vansevenant (Deceuninck-QuickStep) won the GP Industria & Artigianato, beating Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) and Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) in a sprint in Larciano.

Already impressive at the Trofeo Laigueglia during the week, the 21-year-old Vansevenant was able to track Quintana’s attack on the final time up the climb of San Baronto. They were joined over the top by Mollema and Landa.

Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe) later bridged across and tried to pre-empt the sprint with a kilometre to go. After he was reeled back, Vansevenant delivered an assured finish to claim the first victory of his professional career.

“My team did a fantastic job for me today and this pumped up my confidence going into the last part of the race,” said Vansevenant, the first Belgian winner in Larciano since the gret Roger De Vlaeminck in 1975. “Seeing they believed in me made me believe even more in myself and I’m extremely happy I could convert their work into a win, my first with the pros. It’s an amazing day, one that I will never forget.”

Vincenzo Nibali and his Trek-Segafredo teammate Giulio Ciccone had been among the attackers on the penultimate lap, but the decisive moment arrived on the fourth and final time up the San Baronto.