Lonardi, third in the first stage of O Gran Camiño
The Italian sprinter of Team Polti VisitMalta proved again his quality with the third position in the Portuguese stage of O Gran Camiño. The team worked perfectly to place the sprinter and to protect Davide Piganzoli who keeps his chances for the overall classification intact.
The plan was clear at the opening of O Gran Camiño, and the team rode to perfection looking for the sprint victory in Matosinhos, Portugal. A breakaway of six riders was the protagonist of the day, always under control, and two more riders tried in the final part but without success.
The main group had in Team Polti VisitMalta one of the most involved in the control already in the last 20 kilometres. Tonelli’s work finished neutralising the breakaways and then everything was organised to lead Lonardi to the mass finish.
With Piganzoli’s chances for the overall saved, and with the certainty of being in the fight for the victory, Mirco Maestri became again the last launcher already in the final kilometre. Everything was going perfectly, until Cort Nielsen (UNO X) took advantage of the work of Team Polti VisitMalta. The victory went to the Dane, while Lonardi made good on his work by taking third place at the finish line, the same result as in the final stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.
Giovanni Lonardi: ‘We were looking for the victory with determination, I think we planned the finish well. But it was a bit long, Mirco started final treno 600 metres from the finish and it was difficult to hold on. Cort Nielsen was ahead of us, but we’re happy with the result, although it’s always better to win. Now it’s time to help Piganzoli to fight for the overall’.
Jesús Hernández, sport director: ‘The team rode very well around Lonardi and Piganzoli. First of all it was a question of saving the day without incidents, to ride together. That was achieved. And in the finish, we fought very well, but we were beaten by a rider who is much better. The team worked well at the end, Mirco made the right decision to launch the sprint to keep Lonardi well placed and we achieved the best result in the situation’.
Tomorrow the second stage of O Gran Camiño will take place, already in Galicia, with a day of hilly mountains from Marín to A Estrada, through 145 kilometres and including three categorized climbs.
