Aosta: Luca Bagnara takes a step forward on the very hard Pré de Pascal

The first of the four consecutive top finishes of this edition of the Giro del Valle d’Aosta, the tremendous ascent to Pré de Pascal, six and a half kilometres at 10% with 20% gradients and a couple of hundred metres of sterrato, brought a change of leadership in the race, many great performances and, as far as the interests of the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team U23 are concerned, a leap in the general classification of Luca Bagnara.

The rider from Faenza, thirteenth on Thursday, 2’20” behind the winner Joshua Golliker (FDJ), new leader of the race, is now eleventh in the provisional general classification. Bagnara is just eight seconds outside the top ten. And there is still a lot of hard work ahead. Starting with this Friday, with 138 kilometres between Saint-Vincent and Bionaz with ten final kilometres with an average gradient of over 7%. “I’m very happy, it was a good day. I feel good, I’m in good condition and we’ll keep going day by day,” said Bagnara.

[? @GiroVdA ]