Fabio Aru solos to first Italian road race title
Ulissi second from chase group, Nocentini third
Fabio Aru (Astana) claimed his first win of 2017 at the Italian national championship road race on Sunday, right on time ahead of his second Tour de France appearance. The 26-year-old soloed to victory in Ivrea, with UAE Team Emirates' Diego Ulissi claiming second and Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting Clube de Portugal/Tavria) rounding out the podium in third.
"I'm really happy to win today after all the difficult moments I experienced this year", Aru said after his victory. "Initially the course might have looked easy but the climb was really hard. On Tuesday, I came to recon it with Paolo [Tiralongo]. From then on, I believed I had my chance to become the Italian champion. I never experienced that before. In the u23, I finished second. That was my best result so far. I'm really happy to have made my dream come true today. It's an immense satisfaction. The competition was so high with [Gianni] Moscon, [Damiano] Caruso, my friend Diego Ulissi and many others on good form."
The Italian championship was organized by RCS Sport from Asti to Ivrea in Piedmont as if it was the Gran Piemonte won in September last year by the 2016 Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo. But it was a harder course this time around, with a seven-kilometre climb of La Serra to be done four times on a final circuit of 21.3 kilometres. Enrico Battaglin (LottoNL-Jumbo), Simone Sterbini (Bardiani CSF) and Ettore Carlini (d'Amico Ustensilnord), the attackers from kilometre 22, got caught in the second last lap by a group of 25 riders that included all the favourites, among them Vincenzo Nibali, who riding in support of Bahrain-Merida teammate Giovanni Visconti. However, the strong selection couldn't hold Aru in check.
"My plan was to go flat out from the bottom of the climb in the last lap," said Aru who followed the plan at perfection. "Once I made a gap, I was informed kilometre by kilometre. I couldn't believe it when I heard that I was 40 seconds ahead. Looking at the speed, I was always between 50 and 52 kilometres an hour. I was feeling strong."
"Being four riders swapping turns, we didn't regain any time on Fabio", third-placed Nocentini noted. "He impressed me really. As I saw him going as strongly at the Dauphiné, I understood he would be hard to beat. I hope he'll win the Tour de France too. I'm looking forward to see another Italian in the yellow jersey, like me eight years ago and Nibali three years ago. It's very important for me to make the podium of the Italian championship. Being part of a Portuguese team, I almost never race in Italy. Two months ago I didn't know if I'd ride the nationals or not. When I decided to do it, I prepared well for it."
Runner up Ulissi was also full of praise for Aru. "He demonstrated to have better legs than anyone else", the Tuscan said. "He deserves the win. As for myself, I can go to the Tour de France with ambition. The good work is paying off. I hope to win a stage."
Aru concluded the afternoon on a serious note with emotional words for his tragically deceased team-mate Michele Scarponi. "During a training ride in Sierra Nevada, we exchanged jerseys because I had the extra-small size and I wanted to try the small," the Sardinian revealed. "I haven't told anyone but since I've resumed racing, I've been racing with Michele's jersey. I wanted to offer it after my first victory to his wife Anna and his children Giacomo and Tommaso. I'll deliver the jersey to them."
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 5:52:31 |
2 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:40 |
3 | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Sporting / Tavira | |
4 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
5 | Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky | |
6 | Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | 0:00:48 |
7 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
8 | Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
9 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | |
10 | Davide Rebellin (Ita) Kuwait - Cartucho.es | 0:00:50 |
11 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | 0:00:58 |
12 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | 0:01:13 |
13 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 0:02:48 |
14 | Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:03:53 |
15 | Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
16 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | 0:05:27 |
17 | Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
18 | Marco Zamparella (Ita) Amore & Vita - Selle SMP p/b Fondriest | 0:06:24 |
19 | Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
20 | Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 0:06:25 |
21 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:08:56 |
22 | Nicolas Samparisi (Ita) d'Amico - Utensilnord | |
23 | Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
24 | Adriano Brogi (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
25 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data | |
26 | Marco Tizza (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
27 | Simone Velasco (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
28 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
29 | Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
30 | Antonino Casimir Parrinello (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
31 | Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Sky | |
32 | Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
33 | Fabio Tommassini (Ita) d'Amico - Utensilnord | |
34 | Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
35 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky | |
36 | Michele Gazzara (Ita) Sangemini - MG.Kvis | |
37 | Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
38 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
39 | Davide Pacchiardo (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
40 | Alessandro Bisolti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
41 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
42 | Andrea Ruscetta (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
43 | Raffaello Bonusi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
44 | Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:15:10 |
45 | Nicola Gaffurini (Ita) Sangemini - MG.Kvis | |
46 | Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 0:15:12 |
47 | Davide Mucelli (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team | |
48 | Paolo Toto' (Ita) Sangemini - MG.Kvis | 0:16:35 |
DNF | Sacha Modolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Antonio Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Riccardo Minali (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Moreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
DNF | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | |
DNF | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | |
DNF | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Davide Cimolai (Ita) FDJ | |
DNF | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) FDJ | |
DNF | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | |
DNF | Matteo Bono (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Luca Wackermann (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Paolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Marco Maronese (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Simone Sterbini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
DNF | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Giacomo Berlato (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Michele Scartezzini (Ita) Sangemini - MG.Kvis | |
DNF | Niccolò Salvietti (Ita) Sangemini - MG.Kvis | |
DNF | Paolo Prandini (Ita) Sangemini - MG.Kvis | |
DNF | Nicola Baglioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Antonio Di Sante (Ita) GM Europa Ovini | |
DNF | Luca Chirico (Ita) Torku Sekerspor | |
DNF | Alberto Cecchin (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Angelo Vitiello (Ita) d'Amico - Utensilnord | |
DNF | Francesco Petrini (Ita) d'Amico - Utensilnord | |
DNF | Ettore Carlini (Ita) d'Amico - Utensilnord | |
DNF | Federico Canuti (Ita) d'Amico - Utensilnord | |
DNF | Michael Bresciani (Ita) Bardiani - CSF | |
DNF | Nicolò Pacinotti (Ita) Bardiani - CSF | |
DNF | Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani - CSF | |
DNF | Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Alex Turrin (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Mirko Trosino (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Liam Bertazzo (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
DNF | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Matteo Spreafico (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Andrea Palini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Luca Pacioni (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Marco Benfatto (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Mattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Davide Ballerini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli |

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