Fedi takes victory in Trofeo Laigueglia

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Andrea Fedi (Southeast-Venezuela) claimed his first professional victory in the Trofeo Laigueglia after beating the peloton by just a few seconds. Bardiani CSF’s Sonny Colbrelli finished second with Grega Bole completing the podium for Nippo-Vini Fantini.

Fedi was part of an earlier break but had gone away alone over the final climbs. Heading under the flamme rouge, he had hardly more than 100 metres on the chasing pack but he held his nerve and his advantage to take a slim victory.

Blue skies greeted the riders as they assembled at the start in Laigueglia on the western coast of Italy. A total of 137 riders made the start with several teams fielding incomplete line-ups. Riding for the Italian national selection, David Ballerini was the first rider to have a go off the front almost immediately but the pace was high and it wouldn’t be until around the 30-kilometre mark that a breakaway would form.

Nicola Gaffurini (Norda MGkVis), Genki Yamamoto (Nippo-Vini Fantini) and Danilo Celano (Amore & Vita Selle SMP) were the three that finally snapped the elastic. After a hectic start, the pace immediately dropped and the trio’s lead quickly ballooned to over seven minutes.

Lampre-Merida, FDJ and Androni Giocattoli took up the front of the bunch and began taking slices out of the lead after the halfway point. With 50 kilometres remaining, the lead had been reduced to barely more than a minute. As they passed the finish line for the first of three times, Yamamoto waved the white flag and dropped from the leading group. That spelled the beginning of the end for the escapees and they were all soon brought back with more than 20 kilometres to the line.

The catch of the escape group signalled the beginning of a plethora of attacks, with the climb of Capo Mele the starting point for many of those moves. With five kilometres remaining, Fedi broke away along with five others, including Arthur Vichot (FDJ), Damiano Cunego (Nippo-Vini Fantini), Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida), Matteo Busato (Southeast-Venuzuela) and Frnacesco Gavazzi (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec).

Ulissi made a number of attempts to go clear but Fedi responded and maintained a small gap until the line.

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