Adriatica Ionica Storica: Fortunato signs the first overall for EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team
III Adriatica Ionica Race
Stage 3: Ferrara – Comacchio (157,5 km)
Lorenzo Fortunato was proclaimed final winner of the third edition of the Adriatica Ionica Race this Thursday after managing, perfectly assisted by his teammates, a complicated last stage, the one with three sections of sterrato that had to be passed twice each, in which Elia Viviani won the sprint. A historic victory for Lorenzo, his first overall, his third great success of the season and of his career; the first overall for the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team.
The double passage through the three sterrato sectors of Anita and Longastrine did not pose any offensive for the overall, although it did generate some tension, caused many punctures and was the scene of some crashes. One of these incidents involved our Luca Wackermann, who had to retire with a heavy blow that forced him to be taken to hospital. A breakaway of four riders (Bobbo, Caretta, Garavaglia and Zurlo) reached the first of the sectors with a lead of about two and a half minutes, and Bobbo and Garavaglia came out of the last sector with a margin of about 45 minutes. It was a day for the sprint, where Viviani narrowly beat Marezcko. Luca Pacioni, eighth.
Fortunato’s final victory has an even more pleasant reading within the Contador Foundation, as it is the first for the ProTeam project and in the gestation of this success three riders, Sergio García, Alejandro Ropero and Diego Pablo Sevilla, formed these years in their lower categories, from the youth category, have decisively participated. Sergio and Alejandro also joined the junior team after taking part in the Selection Campus organised specifically for this purpose.
Lorenzo Fortunato, also winner of the KOM overall: “I’m happy, I’m very happy: the goal was to come and win a stage and the race, but now that I’ve succeeded, the joy is great. I dedicate this success to the team, to my teammates and to all the staff because we are a family more than a team. And in particular I dedicate it to Luca Wackermann who fell today. Today the team worked very well, and I immediately felt calm: it is important to have such teammates. In the flagship there was also Alberto Contador, who as soon as I arrived he congratulated me… And for me it’s an honor to hear these words from someone like him. Now, attention focused on the Italian Championships on Sunday: I tried the route a few weeks ago, and it’s really hard. So…wait for me!”.
#AIRace2021. @lorenzfortunato is the winner of the @race_ai 2021. Congrats!!!!!
[ ️ @FCaio76 ] #EOLOKOMETACyclingTeam #AdriaticaIonicaRace #AIR2021 pic.twitter.com/rVB4XnSWLV— EoloKometaCyclingTeam (@EoloKometaTeam) June 17, 2021
[ PhotoGomezSport]
