Davide Piganzoli wins the overall of the Bidasoa Itzulia: “We dedicate it to Arturo Grávalos”
48º Bidasoa Itzulia
Stage 3: Irún – Irún (77,3 km)
EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team U23 rider Davide Piganzoli became this Saturday the third Italian rider to win the final overall of the Bidasoa Itzulia after finishing second in a frenetic last stage in which the Asturian Sinue Fernández (Lizarte) won. Piganzoli takes over from Salvatore Mancuso (2007) and Umberto Orsini (2016) in a race that returned to the calendar after two editions without taking place as a result of the pandemic situation.
Five climbs marked the little more than 77 kilometres of a final stage that started with a tight general classification, up to eight riders within 19 seconds, and that was faced with a very lively pace from the initial flag. The riders of the U23 structure of the Contador Foundation tried to move the race already in the chained Aritxulegi-Agiña and even Piganzoli himself, leader of the mountains, moved in San Marcial.
However, the climb to Erlaitz, the hardest, was the key. The Lizante riders Sinué Fernández and Pablo Castrillo moved there, the Colombian Santiago Garzón stood out there and in the final part the leader Alejandro Franco (Gomur), winner on the first day and who has signed a sensational race, gave way to Alejandro Franco (Gomur). Garzón, Fernández, Castrillo and, on behalf of EOLO-KOMETA, both Fernando Tercero and Davide Piganzoli ended up grouping together in the last six kilometres.
Five riders, three teams. A very interesting tactical situation. Fernández and Piganzoli would make a move towards the finish line that allowed them to quickly gain twenty seconds, which was fundamental to turn the general classification around and put the Italian at the top of the podium, with the rider from Asturias in second place. Fernando Tercero, fourth on the Paseo de Colón, took third place.
Davide Piganzoli, second Contador Foundation rider to win this race after Juan Pedro López in the 2018 edition: “Winning is always a beautiful thing, but winning a race in the Basque Country makes me especially excited. We had been very close both in Valenciaga and Santikutz, but it couldn’t be. Now, in a race as prestigious as the Vuelta al Bidasoa, this victory has come. If it was possible, it was thanks to the spectacular work of each and every one of my team-mates from the start. I would also like to dedicate this victory to Arturo Grávalos, we are looking forward to seeing him on the roads again”.
The EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team’s booty was rounded off with a victory in the team general classification and with the leadership of Davide Piganzoli in the general classification of the mountains. Second in the Memorial Valenciaga and in the Santikutz Klasika, ‘Piga’ finally got his txapela.
