Briga: a day with a lot of attitude but lacking the cherry on the top of the result
San Colombano, the particularities of this finish, once again proved to be decisive for the resolution of a Trofeo Sportivi Briga that fulfilled the ingredients of the most generalised forecasts: breakaway, pulse, regrouping and resolution at the last wall. It is true that there is a lot of small print in this crumble of ideas, but San Colombano resolved and in the vicinity of its oratory Giacomo Villa (Biesse Carrera) won without there being any options of dispute for the EOLO-KOMETA U23 because of a fall in the last corner that delayed many positions to Andrea Montoli when he was riding in the vanguard.
A breakaway of ten riders ended up with serious chances of fighting for the victory, riding inside the last lap of the circuit with a lead of about a minute over a group of about thirty/thirty-five riders, which included the six riders of the Contador Foundation. It was a moment when both Luca Bagnara and the Bessega brothers were hard at work to bring down the movement, something that would come to fruition near the final strappo. With Montoli very well positioned before the arrival of the slope, a fall ended up dislodging the group and generating some cuts. Montoli did not fall, but his chances of getting back up were complicated. Edoardo Alleva was the best placed rider at the finish.
“I felt pretty good throughout the day, but in the end I couldn’t take part in the race because of a crash. I was in a good position until then, with a masterful job by my team-mates, but I had to stop and put my foot down and it was impossible”, laments Montoli. “I’m happy with the attitude of the guys, always riding at the front and protecting their trump cards, and I’m happy with their performance. In the final part of the race, the riders did their best to close the gap to a breakaway we weren’t in and to leave Montoli in a good position for the final climb. It was a very positive day, with a great attitude, and the only thing missing was the result to back it up”, concludes trainer Beppe De Maria.
