Nizzolo wins sprint at GP Nobili

Image 1 of 51

Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) claimed his first victory of the 2015 season at the GP Nobili. The Italian beat last year’s winner Simone Ponzi (Southeast), by more than a bike’s length with Marco Haller (Katusha) taking third.

Following a late attack from Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Davide Rebellin (CCC Sprandi), the peloton came back together with eight kilometres to the finish. Without a victory for 2015, Cannondale-Garmin took to the front along with Katusha, but once Nizzolo launched his sprint no one could catch him.

“In the end I took the wheel of Valverde who was helping take Lobato to the front, but I was left with 300 meters to go and I had no choice but to go long. It was a long sprint and I was scared I would be passed in the last meters," said Nizzolo.

“The first lap I was suffering more over the climb and I was feeling better the second time. I must say a big thanks to all my team. Fabian (Cancellara) was a big help to pace me over the two climbs and then Fabio (Felline) was there at the end; I don’t want to miss naming anyone because everyone on the team played a big part of this win today."

Valverde and, Nizzolo’s teammate, Fabian Cancellara were among some of the riders using the 18th GP Nobili Rubinetterie as a tester before Milan-San Remo this weekend. A total of 22 teams, including seven WorldTour outfits, started in the province of Novara. Defending champion Ponzi was also present, hoping for a repeat performance. There were two abandons before the race got underway, with Magnus Cort Nielsen (Orca-GreenEdge) and Martijn Verschoor (Novo Nordisk) not signing on.

There was plenty of action from the flag with CCC Sprandi and Team Idea the most active on the front: many tried and failed to get away. Lucas Gaday (Unieuro Wilier Treviso), Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale) and Bartlomiej Matysiak (CCC Sprandi), managed to build up an advantage of 52 seconds after 24 kilometres of racing but they were soon reeled back.

By 40 kilometres no group or individual had managed to make a meaningful break from the clutches of the peloton, so it was no surprise when the news came in that the peloton had averaged 49kph in the opening hour of racing. Many tried and continued to fail and finally the pace forced a split in the peloton, with 27 riders going clear after more than 80 kilometres of racing.

Almost every team was represented in the move with only AG2R-La Mondiale, Caja Rural, Rusvelo, GM Cycling Team, MG. Kvis-Vega and D'Amico Bottecchia not making the split. Among the men to make it away were Winner Anacona (Lampre-Merida), Lasse Norman Hansen (Cannondale-Garmin), Marco Canola (Italian) and Franco Pelizotti (Androni Giocattoli). The large group built up an advantage of 3:08 on the peloton but those who had failed to get a sprinter into that group were keen to bring them back, and with more than 50 kilometres remaining that had been reduced to less than a minute.

Gradually riders began to be shelled out of the front group over the climbs and, led by the Italian national team, the peloton finally brought them back with a touch over 20 kilometres to go. The catch initiated another flurry of attempts to make a break for the line, the most notable of which was a move from Valverde and Rebellin – perhaps a prelude to Valverde’s intentions at this weekend’s Milan-San Remo. The paring were never too far from the front of the peloton and it was gruppo compatto at eight kilometres to go, setting things up for the bunch sprint.

Full Results