Andrea Montoli, the first of the ‘boys in blue’ in a fast-paced Trofeo Sportivi Briga where a mechanical breakdown eliminated Davide Piganzoli

39ª Trofeo Sportivi Briga
Briga Novarese – Muro di San Colombano (176 km)

Victory for the Danish Anders Foldager (Biesse) in an edition of the Trofeo Sportivi Briga in which the U23 structure of the Contador Foundation, debutant in the race, sought the limelight with various offensive movements during its development. Finally. Andrea Montoli took a place in the top fifteen on the San Colombano strappo where the finish was located.

A race with a very lively pace from the start, with a very high average from the first hour (above 45 km/h) and a succession of offensive movements that in its genesis sought a generous number of members with a view to manage the circuit around Briga Novarese and arrive with margin to the demanding final climb.

Sebastiano Minoia would be involved in an acceleration of ten riders at around kilometre 60 that would come to an end fifteen kilometres later. At that point, around kilometre 80, a very large movement of twenty riders, including Andrea Montoli and Davide Piganzoli, would consolidate. Piga suffered a breakdown that delayed him from the leading group and ended up preventing him from continuing in the race. The breakaway had a margin of two minutes, although the adventure came to an end thirty kilometres later.

After this neutralisation, the accelerations continued to come in an increasingly select group, with around fifty riders at the front. Between offensives and counter-offensives, the leading group reached the base of San Colombano, where the race was finally decided. Foldager was slightly ahead of Marco Palomba (General Store) and Davide Dapporto (InEmiliaRomagna).

“I felt good, I had a good feeling in my legs and halfway through the race we were in a very interesting breakaway, both Piganzoli and I. It was a pity that I suffered a breakdown and couldn’t stay in front. After the main group accelerated its march and caught us. I’m a bit angry because in the last hundred metres I was riding in the top eight or nine riders, but in that hundred metres I was overtaken by several riders and I was close to the possibility of my first top 10 in Italy. I feel that I’m in good shape and that I’m close to achieving it, and that I’m on schedule”, explains Andrea Montoli.

[📷 Editing & Photograph By Sofia Clerici (1)]