Velasco wins Trofeo Laigueglia

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Simone Velasco (Nero Sottoli - Sella Italia - KTM) won the Trofeo Laigueglia through a long solo effort, conquering the climbs and taking every risk on the rolling course. Nicola Bagioli (Nippo - Vini Fantini - Faizane) won the sprint from small group for second, with Matteo Sobrero of the Italian national team taking third.

It was the first professional career win for the 23-year-old Velasco. He jumped from the peloton with three others as the race entered the first lap of the closing circuit and soon took off for his near 50km solo effort.

A group of seven got away within the first 20km of this hilly race. Jonas Aaen (Riwal Readynez), Michael Piccot (Biesse Carrera), Giulio Masotto (Team Colpack), Andrea Ferrari (Iseo Serrature Rime Carnovali), Evgeny Kobernyak (Gazprom Rusvelo), Federico Burchio ( D'Amico UM Tools) and Emanuele Amadio (Ct Friuli) quickly established a large gap.

The early gap of 7:25 slowly dropped, and as they hit the halfway point, their lead had been whittled down to three and a half minutes. But from there it started dropping rapidly.

After 141km, the break was over, as the four leaders were caught by a group of about 40 riders, and soon the whole peloton came back together.

As they entered the first lap of the closing circuit, four riders got away: Simone Velasco (Neri Sottoli), Alexander Cataford (Israel Cycling Academy), Andrea Toniatti (Colpack), and Jacopo Mosca (D'Amico-UM Tools). Velasco then took off solo.

The Italian took every risk on the descents of the Colla Micheri, included on each lap. Toniatti was dropped, and Cataford and Mosca joined forces in pursuit of the leader. Velasco maintained about a 25 second lead on the chase group, which had grown to six, with the peloton another minute behind them.

With 21km to go, Velasco had 21 seconds on the climb, with the chase group now back to Cataford, Mosca, Giulio Ciccone (Italy National Team) and Matteo Monteguti ( Androni Giacattoli - Sidermac).

Velasco's gap had dipped to under 20 seconds at one point, giving hope to the pursuers, but he dug deep and pulled it back to more than 30 seconds. AG2R led a furious chase up the final climb, as Velasco continued to pull away.

Killian Frankiny of Groupama-FDJ had moved up and formed a new chase group with Ciccone and Nicola Bagioli (Nippo Vini Fantini Faizane).

Velasco held doggedly to his lead, looking back numerous times in the final kilometer, as if he could not believe he saw no chasers. He had plenty of time for an enthusiastic celebration as he crossed the line for the victory, before giving in to tears of joy.

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