Ackermann and Wackermann, the subtle difference between victory and courage

I Settimana Ciclistica Italiana – Sulle strade della Sardegna
Stage 5: Cagliari –  Cagliari (170 km)

Pascal Ackermann won the last stage of the Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale. Diego Ulissi won the general classification. Everything went according to plan in the final stage on the roads of Sardinia, so nothing to report? No, no: on the contrary. The 170 km from Cagliari to Cagliari have however left their mark on the legs of the riders, worn out by the fatigue of five really hard days and the steep and rugged roads of this beautiful region.

Luca Pacioni, our sprinter, was not able to stay with the group of the first that after the usual breakaway of the day (5 athletes, up to 3 minutes of advantage) have controlled the race resisting the last attacks. By the way, the most decisive attempt was that of our Wackermann, who at 8 km from the finish tried his luck by going off on his own. Courage, a few shivers, but his attempt ended after a couple of kilometres. Then, the sprint: with our Gavazzi stopped by a technical problem and Ackermann who placed another seal on the Sardinian race and Ulissi who, despite the thrill of a puncture in the final part, was able to defend his supremacy.

Luca Wackermann: “I tried, I tried to stretch it out with 8 to go but I saw that they didn’t give me any space so I picked myself up. Then at the end we wanted to work for Gavazzi but he was blocked by a small accident and so I jumped into the fray and tried to make the sprint”.

[ PhotoGomezSport]