Trofeo Laigueglia - Live coverage

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Nibali, Bernal, Pinot and Quintana in action at the Italian season opener

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Buongiorno and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of the Trofeo Laigueglia.

As the Cyclingnews virtual blimp takes height, the riders are lined up and about to roll out of the start.

The riders awoke to this stunning sunrise and will race in warm, sunny weather.

This was the scene at the sign-on earlier.

The first race of the Italian season is 202km long with several different loops inland into the Ligurian hills. 

The cancellation and postponement of several races means the start list of the Trofeo Laigueglia has attracted a classic-like start list. 

The riders are in the 1.5 neutralised sector. We are about to start racing.  

The Trofeo Laigueglia is traditionally held in mid-February but has a new March date making it part of the  Italian races. Indeed many of the teams and riders will head south from Liguria to Tuscany this evening to prepare for Saturday's Strade Bianche.

Via Via! 

Giulio Ciccone won the Trofeo Laigueglia last year while riding for the Italian national team. 

The Deceuninck-QuickStep line-up is also impressive. It includes Omloop winner Davide Ballerini, Britain's James Knox, talented young Italian Andrea Bagioli who won  the Royal Bernard Drome Classic at the weekend. 

The opening 26km head along the flat coast road but there have already been some attacks.

This is the moment the Italian officially started.

166 started the race.  The seven riders from the Italian Continental team Giotti Victoria - Savini Due did not start.

Crash! A number of riders in the gruppo go down but are quickly up and away.

180km to go

We have an attack of 11 riders. This could be the early move that shapes the race.

175km to go

The riders in the break are:  

The gruppo is almost 4:00 behind the attack, with Trek-Segafredo on the front to keep the 12 within distance.

Davide Rebellin began his 2021 season at the Trofeo Laigeuglia despite being close to 50.

150km to go

As we suspected, the Italian Giotti Victoria- Vini Due team didn't start this morning due to a COVID-19 case in the team.  

According to reports in Italy, a rider from the team was positive for the virus in a test carried out on Monday and confirmed on Tuesday.

The riders are on the Cima Paravenna climb. It's the first categorised climb of the race and is 7.5km long. 

Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) began his season with strong showings at the Étoile de Bessèges and Tour de la Provence and is riding today as he begins a block of Italian races. 

Bernal spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport saying: "My objective for the Giro this year is to get back to being the Egan who likes to attack, the Egan who isn’t afraid of getting dropped."

After racing the Trofeo Laigueglia, Bernal will line up at Strade Bianche, an event that will serve as preparation for stage 11 of the Giro, which brings the gruppo over the dirt roads of Tuscany en route to Montalcino.

"I’m preparing myself 100 per cent to arrive well at the Giro, but obviously the others are preparing themselves to win too. I won’t be racing alone," said Bernal.

Click below to read the full story.

Nicolas Edet of Cofidis is first to the top of the Cima Paravenna climb. 

It's time for a feed and a sticky bidon from the Vini Zabnu team car for Marco Frapporti. 

The Giotti Victoria- Vini Due team have confirmed one of their riders tested positive for COVID-19 before the Trofeo Laigueglia, leading to DS Stefano Giuliani pulling the whole team from the race.

Here are Trek doing the hard work on the front of the peloton.

After 85km, the work by Trek has reduced the gap to 2:45.

Trek's pace setting has split the peloton on the climb and descent. There are 50 riders up front, with around 100 in as second peloton. 

100km to go

The time gap to the peloton in Laigueglia is 3:00. 

The peloton has come back together along the coast road but the Testico climb will soon hurt the legs once more.

This is the moment the race passes through the finish. 

The Testico climb is 7km and is often the point that shakes up the race.  Movistar are on the front of the peloton, perhaps preparing for a surge. 

These are the 12 riders in the break: 

Young Italian Davide Perisco is suffering in the Testico climb as Movistar ride tempo behind.   

Niccolo Salvietti of the Mg.k Vis team is also distanced. The break is down to ten riders.

Hollmann of Movistar is first over the Testico climb, beating Edet to win the KOM. 

The peloton is clearly faster than the break, passing the summit of the Testico just 2:40 back.  

70km to go

On the fast descent back to the coast the gap to the break has fallen below 2:00.

As the race reaches Albenga, the peloton has swept up the two stragglers and is only 1:10 behind the break. 

The long descent has caused a split in the peloton. 

Perhaps realising the gap was coming down too fast too soon, the peloton has eased the chase. 

The 10 attackers pass through the finish in Laigueglia. They face the four finishing circuits and the four climbs of the Colla Micheri climb.

Edet has upped the pace on the Colla Micheri, there are just five riders left in the break. 

Behind Landa attacks from the peloton!

The descent is a real test of nerves for the riders and the escort motorbikes.

The riders now face the Capo Mele but in the opposite direction to when it is raced in Milan-San Remo.

The peloton has split on the descent, with 15 or so riders up front.

Bernal is in the front split.

Only Hollman, Bais and Edet are left up front from the break.

Ciccone attacked and Bernal jumped on him. Now Nibali goes after Landa. 

The Capo Mele is a gradual climb along the rolling coast but it hurts when ridden at 40km/h. 

After the fast descent to Laigueglia the road kicks up again on the Colla Micheri.  

Edet leads the trio as the peloton compacts behind them.  

Now Ineos and Trek have to decide their tactics as Ballerini takes charge on the front for Deceuninck. 

Edet looks strong as Arkea lead the peloton, no doubt working for Quintana. 

Hollmann has been dropped from the break. He's done.

Over the top of the Colla Micheri, Edet goes clear alone.

30km to go

Edet struggled on the descent and so both Bias and Hollmann are able to get back up to him. 

This is the view on the coast.

The race is about to come back together, the gap to the break is just 20 seconds.

We're back on the Capo Mele as a chase group tries to join the attack. 

Pello Bilbao is there for Bahrain.  

25km to go

Talented young Spanish rider Carlos Rodriguez is up front for Ineos.

The view is stunning along the coast but the riders don't have time to enjoy it. 

Ineos take it on with Dunbar accelerating hard.

Clément Champoussin of AG2R accelerates. Knox is on him. 

Here comes Bernal!

Bernal blasts up and past them. Ciccone is trying to chase Bernal but he's pushing a huge gear.

Bernal accelerates out of every curve. Only Champoussin can hold his wheel.

There is a small group of chasers but the rest of the race is spread out down the climb.

22-year-old Champoussin hits the front and seems as strong as Bernal.

Champoussin leads Bernal down the twisting descent. 

Fiver riders are closing the gap to Bernal and Champoussin.

Back on the flat roads and Bernal and Champoussin are joined by Landa, Mollema and Ciccone.

Madouas is 50m of the back but the riders up front ease to study each other.  

Vansevenant is also there, as is Biniam Ghirmay of Delko. 

Everyone else is spread out down the road in pursuit.

15km to go

Ciccone rightly sits on Bernal's wheel. However here are some other talented riders in the attack he will need to watch.

Madouas tries to lead the chase but Mollema already has a lead of 20 seconds as he powers up the Capo Mele.  

The chasers are working together but thy need to close the gap as soon as possible. 

Ciccone sits at the back as the other take turns to lead the chase but Mollema is extending his gap, even with a quick super tuck. 

Mollema sweeps onto the Colla Micheri climb. He leads by 25 seconds. 

Bernal attacks in pursuit of Mollema. 

Bernal is away and in pursuit of Mollema.

Bernal dances on the pedals but Champoussin going across to him. 

Landa is there too. 

Vansevenant is also close, as the other suffer slightly. 

Ciccone is trying to close the gap but Landa attacks to up the pace.

Mollema leads by just 15 seconds as they near the summit. 

Mollema seems to be pacing his huge effort. 

The chasers have to work together otherwise Mollema will stay away.

This is hurting! 

Champoussin and Landa have a slight gap on Bernal, Ciccone and Vansevenant.

Mollema lives in  nearby Monaco and so has perhaps trained on the race route and so knows the descent of the Colla Micheri. 

He leads by 18 seconds as the five chasers comeback together. 

Mollema dives over the rough roads and is on the flat. 

6km to go

Mollema won the first stage of the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var and is on form.

Mollema is suffering on the Capo Mele but leads by 30 seconds.  

The five chasers have started to think about second place.

Vansevenant attacks and opens a gap on the other chasers.

But Mollema is on the way to victory. He begins the fast descent to Laigueglia with a leads of 30 seconds.

This is a huge solo effort from the Dutchman but it is about to pay off.

Trofeo Laigueglia 2021 - 58th Edition - Laigueglia - Laigueglia 202 km - 03/03/2021 - Bauke Mollema (NED - Trek - Segafredo) - photo Dario Belingheri/BettiniPhoto©2021

(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Mollema emerges from the tunnels and tucks low trying to find every bit of speed.

They ease off the speed behind, thinking of the sprint for second place.

Mollema also eases and punches the air as he rides to the finish line.

Mollema sits up, looks back, straightens his jersey and wins with one arm in the air!

It's a sprint for second place.

Ciccone kicks it off early but Bernal comes back to take second place.  

Bernal congratulates Mollema with a first punch exchange. Chapeau to the flying Dutchman. 

Here's Mollema.

Mauri Vansevenant finished third in the sprint, just behind Bernal.

This is the top ten: 

Here's Mollema on the attack.

Mollema was happy to win his second race of 2021.

Trek-Segafredo are on a roll. 

Mollema's victory makes him a favourite for Saturday's Strade Bianche.

Egan Bernal was perhaps the most aggressive rider of the race, attack several times and looking strong, despite revealing he still feels pain in  his back.

Mikel Landa was another rider to impress. He was making his season debut but made the decisive attack and finished sixth. 

Here's the shot of Mollema winning alone. 

The twisting descents lead to some crashes. This one include Michal Kwiatkowski of Ineos and Andrea Bagioli of Deceuninck. 

Bagioli came off worse, suffering a cut near his eye.

This shows the sprint for second place and how much Bernal fought for it.

It was a superb day of racing at Laigueglia. The decision to move the traditional Italian season-opener meant the race attracted some of the best teams and riders, making for a more aggressive race. 

Click below to read our full race report and to see our growing photo gallery and full results.

The sprint for second place was this close.

It was a great day of racing at Trofeo Laigueglia.

Thanks for joining us for live coverage from Trofeo Laigueglia.  We'll be back for Strade Bianche on Saturday with full live coverage of both the men's and women's races. 

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