Giro di Toscana: Albanese among the first, the whole team shines
The return to racing in Italy, with the Giro di Toscana, for EOLO KOMETA also coincided with the return to racing for Albanese and Fortunato after the Italian championships: lots of expectations, lots of desire to get back on the road and stick a number on their backs. All in a tough race, which featured the double climb to Monte Serra that as expected hurt the peloton: all with a top-level starting list that made the race tough from the start.
The day’s breakaway went away after 30 km, with our Andrea Garosio among the protagonists along with 8 other colleagues: a small group that stayed together until the first climb to Monte Serra when three were left to attack: Garosio, very good, along with De Marchi and Calzoni. It was known that the group would not let go, pushed by the work of the UAE, which left in front a small group of big guys (Pogacar, Carapaz, Sivakov, Formolo, Zana, Grossschartner), with Sivakov very good at detaching first Pogacar and then, with 1500 meters to go, also Carapaz to get to the finish line alone. And behind? With the first small group of the best, here was a splendid Albanese able to resist on a very hard climb for him and finish 8th. Immediately after, close to the Top 10, here is Lorenzo Fortunato for a day to be filed as positive for our team also thanks to the evidence of Piganzoli and Martin able to resist with Fortunato’s group.
Stefano Zanatta: “The team raced very well, interpreting the day in the best way: the final result of Albanese behind World Tour riders testifies to that. Very good also Fortunato, also on his return to racing: we look to the next days with optimism.”
Lorenzo Fortunato: “I paid a little bit at the beginning of the last climb but then I found the right rhythm and I saw that Albanese was holding on very well, so I decided to stay with him to help him. Today the team was at his service, and I think it went very well.”
Vincenzo Albanese: “I was fine, I had good feelings and in fact I did well on the first climb while on the second pass I went up with my pace because those in front were stronger. A small group formed behind in which there were four of us with me, Fortu, Alex and Piga: we couldn’t get back on those in front but this eighth place gives me a lot of confidence for the next races, starting tomorrow.”
