Jan Polanc wins Trofeo Laigueglia with late attack
UAE Team Emirates go 1-2-3 with Ayuso and Covi filling the podium
Jan Polanc snatched victory for UAE Team Emirates at the Trofeo Laigueglia, catching the leading trio that included teammates Alessandro Covi and Juan Ayuso in the final kilometre and then jumping away to win alone.
Lorenzo Rota (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) looked the strongest in the front trio but as they eased, Polanc got back on with Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers). When he kicked, Rota didn’t move and Rodriguez looked tired, surrendering victory.
In the sprint to the line Ayuso and Covi completed a UAE Team Emirates podium, with Rota finishing fourth.
"I felt good during the race. We knew that Covi was the fastest and so we worked for him. But I wanted to do all I could for the team with two laps to go, so I attacked," Polanc said after the finish.
"That's why I suffered on the final lap and was dropped but I didn't give up. I saw they'd eased up, so I thought I'd go for it and attack them. It worked out."
UAE Team Emirates set-up their dominance on the descent to the finishing circuits with 50km to go, placing six riders in the split of just 22.
"We knew the long descent to the start of the finishing circuits was dangerous so we went for it and rode on the front. We saw we'd got a gap and so we worked with Intermarché to make sure we stayed away.
"This win is for my family. I'm a domestique and so don't win very often. But when I do, it's emotional and so something to celebrate."
How it unfolded
The opening race of the 2022 Italian season is a hard test of climbing and descending skills on the Liguarian coast, with Laigueglia only 50km from San Remo. The Capo Mele climb, one of the first in Milan-San Remo, is the final obstacle of the 202km race.
The first race route rides east along the coast and then into the steep Ligurian valleys over the Cima Paravernna and Testico before returning to Laigueglia for four 10.8km circuits of the Colla Micheri headland. The final climb is short but steep, with the descent equally testing. Poor descenders are advised to avoid the Trofeo Laigueglia.
This year's race was held in the sun, with 165 riders starting the race but with Gazprom-Rusvelo pulled at the last minute due to the UCI ban on Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.
The early break dominated the racing until 60km to go and the long descent to Laigueglia for the finishing circuits.
A group of over 22 riders went off the front on the nerve-wracking descent with Trek-Segafredo surprisingly missing the move. However, UAE Team Emirates, Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert and Ineos Grenadiers were there in numbers and decided to take on the race as Trek-Segafredo tried to mount a chase to get Giulio Ciccone back in the race.
Up front were Davide Formolo, Ivo Oliveira, Jan Polanc, Alessandro Covi, Joel Suter, Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), Jan Bakelants, Théo Delacroix, Simone Petilli, Lorenzo Rota, Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Eddie Dunbar, Carlos Rodriguez, Salvatore Puccio, Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers), Samuele Battistella, Fabio Felline, Simone Velasco (Astana Qazaqstan), David Gaudu, Matthieu Ladagnous (Groupama-FDJ), and Lukasz Owsian (Arkéa-Samsic).
Some were dropped after driving the break to the finish area and the foot of the Colla Micheri climb and others were shaken out on each lap of the climb and descent.
UAE Team Emirates rightly went on the attack on each climb and always had a numerical advantage as the kilometre ticked down, with a crash on the descent taking out Gaudu, Dunbar, Battistella and Formolo.
Ciccone tried a solo chase from the peloton with two laps and 20km to race but quickly faded, with the attackers still a minute up the road. The front group split on the penultimate descent, with Porte struggling on the descent in a battle of nerves and numerical supremacy for UAE Team, Emirates.
Polanc attacked early on the last climb but was carefully pulled back by Rota who looked the strongest. However, he was outnumbered, even when he got away with Ayuso and Covi on the final descent, he had to ride along the coast to the finish to stop Polanc and Rodriguez getting back on.
Ayuso and Covi seemed unsure of how to ride against faster finisher Rota over the Capo Mele for the last time and risked an embarrassing defeat. Fortunately, Rodriguez dragged never-say-die Polanc back up to them and then the Slovenian used his last drops of energy to make a late solo attack just as the leading trio were caught.
Rota did not react and so lost any chance of victory, setting up UAE Team Emirates for their 1-2-3 finish.
Pos. | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates | 5:02:25 |
2 | Juan Ayuso Pesquera (Spa) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:02 |
3 | Alessandro Covi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
4 | Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | |
5 | Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:00:08 |
6 | Victor Lafay (Fra) Cofidis | 0:00:24 |
7 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:32 |
8 | Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
9 | Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
10 | Clément Champoussin (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team | |
11 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | |
12 | Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:00:34 |
13 | Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ | |
14 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Team | 0:01:13 |
15 | Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R Citroen Team | 0:01:16 |
16 | Lukasz Owsian (Pol) Arkea-Samsic | 0:01:18 |
17 | Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Cofidis | 0:01:30 |
18 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) Arkea-Samsic | 0:01:35 |
19 | Paul Lapeira (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team | |
20 | Simone Velasco (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Team | |
21 | Filippo Zana (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane' | |
22 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | |
23 | Thomas Pesenti (Ita) Beltrami TSA Tre Colli | |
24 | Natnael Tesfazion (Eri) Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli | |
25 | Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team | |
26 | Michael Storer (Aus) Groupama-FDJ | |
27 | Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:01:38 |
28 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:02:08 |
29 | Simone Consonni (Ita) Cofidis | 0:02:11 |
30 | Kenny Molly (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | |
31 | Daniel Oss (Ita) TotalEnergies | |
32 | Roger Adria Oliveras (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | |
33 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team | |
34 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) B&B Hotels-KTM | |
35 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Arkea-Samsic | |
36 | Alessandro Verre (Ita) Arkea-Samsic | |
37 | Lenny Martinez (Fra) Groupama-FDJ Continental | |
38 | Davide Bais (Ita) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team | 0:03:34 |
39 | Larry Warbasse (USA) AG2R Citroen Team | 0:03:53 |
40 | Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli | |
41 | Simone Ravanelli (Ita) Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli | 0:03:57 |
42 | Nicola Venchiarutti (Ita) Work Service-Vitalcare-Dynatek | 0:05:28 |
43 | Raul Colombo (Ita) Work Service-Vitalcare-Dynatek | |
44 | Andrea Garosio (Ita) Biesse-Carrera | |
45 | Davide Cimolai (Ita) Cofidis | |
46 | Mattia Bais (Ita) Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli | |
47 | Mattia Guasco (Ita) Team Qhubeka | |
48 | Thomas Champion (Fra) Cofidis | |
49 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | |
50 | Maxime Chevalier (Fra) B&B Hotels-KTM | |
51 | Nans Peters (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team | |
52 | Omar El Gouzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane' | |
53 | Ivan Moreno Sanchez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | |
54 | Marco Murgano (Ita) Team Corratec | |
55 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers | |
56 | Juan Diego Alba Bolivar (Col) Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli | |
57 | Winner Anacona (Col) Arkea-Samsic | |
58 | Urko Berrade Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | |
59 | Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | 0:06:26 |
60 | Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:07:22 |
61 | Mattia Petrucci (Ita) Team Colpack Ballan | 0:07:23 |
62 | Gil Gelders (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB Development Team | 0:08:24 |
63 | Leander Van Hautegem (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB Development Team | 0:08:26 |
64 | Simon Pellaud (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | 0:08:49 |
65 | Filippo Conca (Ita) Lotto Soudal | |
66 | Samuele Rivi (Ita) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team | |
67 | Anders Foldager (Den) Biesse-Carrera | |
68 | Jaakko Hänninen (Fin) AG2R Citroen Team | |
69 | Marti Marquez Roman (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | |
70 | Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
71 | Samuele Carpene (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-f.lli Curia | |
72 | Riccardo Lucca (Ita) Work Service-Vitalcare-Dynatek | |
73 | Davide Gabburo (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane' | |
74 | Kevin Colleoni (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco | |
75 | Samuele Zambelli (Ita) Work Service-Vitalcare-Dynatek | |
76 | Kevin Bonaldo (Ita) Team Qhubeka | |
77 | Luca Cibrario (Ita) Beltrami TSA Tre Colli | |
78 | Diego Pablo Sevilla Lopez (Spa) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team | |
79 | Francesco Carollo (Ita) MG.K Vis Colors for Peace VPM | |
DNF | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Clément Berthet (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team | |
DNF | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Team | |
DNF | Samuele Battistella (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Team | |
DNF | Gianni Moscon (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Team | |
DNF | Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr) Astana Qazaqstan Team | |
DNF | Axel Zingle (Fra) Cofidis | |
DNF | Davide Villella (Ita) Cofidis | |
DNF | David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Ineos Grenadiers | |
DNF | Eddie Dunbar (Irl) Ineos Grenadiers | |
DNF | Omar Fraile Matarranz (Spa) Ineos Grenadiers | |
DNF | Théo Delacroix (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | |
DNF | Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | |
DNF | Laurens Huys (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | |
DNF | Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Ivo Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Joel Suter (Swi) UAE Team Emirates | |
DNF | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane' | |
DNF | Alex Tolio (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane' | |
DNF | Alessio Martinelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane' | |
DNF | Alessio Nieri (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane' | |
DNF | Thibault Ferasse (Fra) B&B Hotels-KTM | |
DNF | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) B&B Hotels-KTM | |
DNF | Miguel Heidemann (Ger) B&B Hotels-KTM | |
DNF | Louis Blouwe (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | |
DNF | Remy Mertz (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | |
DNF | Marco Tizza (Ita) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | |
DNF | Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | |
DNF | Jefferson Cepeda (Ecu) Drone Hopper - Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Didier Norberto Merchan Cardona (Col) Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Diego Rosa (Ita) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team | |
DNF | Mirco Maestri (Ita) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team | |
DNF | Sergio Araiz Michel (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | |
DNF | Francisco Galvan Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | |
DNF | Ivan Cobo Cayon (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | |
DNF | Elie Gesbert (Fra) Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Dayer Quintana (Col) Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Michele Scartezzini (Ita) Italy | |
DNF | Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) TotalEnergies | |
DNF | Juri Zanotti (Ita) Italy | |
DNF | Nadir Colledani (Ita) Italy | |
DNF | Andrea Piras (Ita) Beltrami TSA Tre Colli | |
DNF | Matteo Freddi (Ita) Beltrami TSA Tre Colli | |
DNF | Pietro Aimonetto (Ita) Beltrami TSA Tre Colli | |
DNF | Andrea Biancalani (Ita) Beltrami TSA Tre Colli | |
DNF | Mattia Gardi (Ita) Beltrami TSA Tre Colli | |
DNF | Giacomo Villa (Ita) Biesse-Carrera | |
DNF | Michael Belleri (Ita) Biesse-Carrera | |
DNF | Riccardo Ciuccarelli (Ita) Biesse-Carrera | |
DNF | Mattias Nordal (Den) Biesse-Carrera | |
DNF | Lorenzo Roda (Ita) Biesse-Carrera | |
DNF | Marco Palomba (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-f.lli Curia | |
DNF | Ettore Pozza (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-f.lli Curia | |
DNF | Francesco Busatto (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-f.lli Curia | |
DNF | Riccardo Tosin (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-f.lli Curia | |
DNF | Filippo D'Aiuto (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-f.lli Curia | |
DNF | Carlo Francesco Favretto (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-f.lli Curia | |
DNF | Paul Double (GBr) MG.K Vis Colors for Peace VPM | |
DNF | Jacopo Cortese (Ita) MG.K Vis Colors for Peace VPM | |
DNF | Guido Draghi (Ita) MG.K Vis Colors for Peace VPM | |
DNF | Daan Hoeks (Ned) MG.K Vis Colors for Peace VPM | |
DNF | Maximilian Stedman (GBr) MG.K Vis Colors for Peace VPM | |
DNF | Simone Piccolo (Ita) MG.K Vis Colors for Peace VPM | |
DNF | Lorenzo Balestra (Ita) Team Colpack Ballan | |
DNF | Alessandro Baroni (Ita) Team Colpack Ballan | |
DNF | Egidio Karim Raviele (Ita) Team Colpack Ballan | |
DNF | Sergio Meris (Ita) Team Colpack Ballan | |
DNF | Matteo Ambrosini (Ita) Team Colpack Ballan | |
DNF | Gidas Umbri (Ita) Team Colpack Ballan | |
DNF | Simone Olivero (Ita) Team Corratec | |
DNF | Matteo Amella (Ita) Team Corratec | |
DNF | Davide Baldaccini (Ita) Team Corratec | |
DNF | Stefano Gandin (Ita) Team Corratec | |
DNF | Lorenzo Iacchi (Ita) Team Corratec | |
DNF | Jan Stöckli (Swi) Team Corratec | |
DNF | Negasi Haylu Abreha (Eth) Team Qhubeka | |
DNF | Ghebrehiwet Birhane (Eri) Team Qhubeka | |
DNF | Alessandro Iacchi (Ita) Team Qhubeka | |
DNF | Nicolo' Parisini (Ita) Team Qhubeka | |
DNF | Francesco Zandri (Ita) Work Service-Vitalcare-Dynatek | |
DNF | Lorenzo Ginestra (Ita) Work Service-Vitalcare-Dynatek | |
DNF | Federico Burchio (Ita) Work Service-Vitalcare-Dynatek | |
DNS | Sergei Chernetskii (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNS | Nikolai Cherkasov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNS | Giovanni Carboni (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNS | Nicola Conci (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNS | Michael Kukrle (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNS | Alessandro Fedeli (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNS | Mathias Vacek (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNS | Jacopo Menegotto (Ita) Team Qhubeka |
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Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
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