Fabio Felline wins the Trofeo Laigueglia

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Fabio Felline, riding for the Italian national squad, produced a powerful attack on the final climb of the Trofeo Laigueglia to take his first win of 2017 in his first race of the season.

Romain Hardy (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) finished 25 seconds behind Felline, thinking he had won the early-season Italian race after rubbing shoulders with Mauro Finetto (Delko Marseille), who was third, as a small group of riders sprinted for the placings behind Felline.

Felline had just returned from an altitude training camp with Trek-Segafredo team leader Alberto Contador and was happy to finally land a win after a difficult 2016 season. He will race with Contador at the Ruta del Sol that begins on Wednesday.

Last spring Felline suffered serious injuries to his nose and face after crashing in the neutralised section of the Amstel Gold Race while touching the quick release lever of his front wheel. His career could have been compromised, but he worked hard to recover quickly. He rode well at the Vuelta a Espana but failed to land a stage victory.

"It was emotional to finish like that," he said. "I've been chasing a win since last year. I had a good end of season after my comeback but never managed to win.

"On the final climb I was waiting for someone to attack, but no one did so I decided to go. When I looked behind me, no one was on my wheel, and so I went à bloc.

"I knew that if I was à bloc then they would also be à bloc behind me. I was told I had 20 seconds when I arrived to the final flat kilometres. I think it was 30 seconds, or 25 at the finish, but it doesn't matter; what matters is to get the win.

"It has been more than a year since I have won a race, and for me my goal for 2017 was to win again. To do it in my very first race gives me a lot of moral for the rest of the season."

A hard day out and selective race

The Trofeo Laigueglia was created as the first race on the Italian calendar over 50 years ago. It has lost its prestige and importance in recent years but is now part of the revitalised Ciclismo Cup series in Italy and attracted a strong field due to the absence of the Tour of Qatar.

The hilly route along the rolling Ligurian coast and hills makes for a hard day out and selective race.

After a series of attacks, four riders got away after a fast opening 30km. Davide Orrico (Sangemini-MGKVis), Remy Di Gregorio (Delko Marseille Provence KTM), Antonio Di Sante (GM Europa Ovini) and Conor Dunne (Aqua Blue Sport) were the four in the move and soon opened a three-minute gap, as Di Gregorio went on to win the climber's competition.

However, the peloton never let them get too far ahead, with FDJ and AG2R La Mondiale leading the chase for long spells. The four were eventually reeled in after 100km of freedom. The finishing circuit covered the Colli Micheri climb three times and inspired an attack from Mauro Finetto (Delko Marseille Provence KTM), Jan Polanc (UAE Abu Dhabi), Mattia Cattaneo (Androni Giocattoli), Alexandre Geniez (AG2R La Mondiale) and Quentin Pacher (Delko Marseille Provence KTM). It was a good move but they were also pulled back with 14km to go.

Soon after as the road twisted inland on the Colli Micheri climb, Felline made his move and quickly got a gap as others hesitated to commit. A group of 10 riders eventually formed to mount a chase but they were hesitant, and Felline's Italian teammate Matteo Trentin did his utmost to slow the chase and make sure the others knew he was ready to attack or sprint if Felline was pulled back.

Felline rarely looked back as he powered towards the finish. He made it over the Capo Mele climb that is covered in Milan-San Remo and then dived down to the finish in Laigueglia to celebrate alone.

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