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U23

19 Apr 2022

In the tough Palio del Recioto, Piganzoli and Tercero in the Top-10 and Montoli protagonist in the breakaway

59º Gran Premio Palio del Recioto
Negrar – Negrar (151 km)

Double top-ten for the U23 team of the Contador Foundation this Tuesday in the Gran Premio Palio del Recioto of Negrar, second and last commitment of the post-Easter tour of the formation in the big events of the Italian calendar. Davide Piganzoli finished fifth and Fernando Tercero finished ninth in a race where the victory went to the Frenchman Romain Grégory and in which another rider of the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team shone with his own light: Andrea Montoli. It was a particularly interesting harvest because it was a race with up to 44 teams, many of them continental (27), and in which only four riders per team competed.

Montoli, riding in the breakaway for a large part of the day, was one of the big names of this edition. The Italian put in a formidable performance in a race of great difficulty and extreme hardness. His offensive was constant and relentless and he ended up finding the prize of anticipation. First in a group of ten, the result of a multiple and numerous acceleration. Then, in a ride that lasted for many kilometres, in a quintet in which he rode alongside Niccolò Parisini, Rasmus P. Sojbjerg, Martin Marcellusi and Marco Palomba.

Montoli would eventually ride away with Marcellusi, a minute’s margin for them over an ever-shrinking main group. By kilometre 115 they were caught by Colombian Edgar Andres Pinzon, who would go on the attack on the final climb, Fané, where the front of the race changed completely. Numerous attacks in the leading group, with Piganzoli and Tercero involved, gave way, on the descent, to Romain Grégorie’s lead, who eventually won alone ahead of Pinzón. Piganzoli came fifth, in a first chasing group that was closed by Tercero.

“There was a high level today and there was a lot of rhythm”, said Piganzoli. “We have to make a very positive reading of these two days”, says Tercero from La Mancha. “We have competed against the best in the world in the U23 category and we are seeing how we are there, close to the podium and even the victory”.

Andrea Montoli: “First in a breakaway of five riders and then myself with the winner of the last edition of the Trofeo Piva, we formed a very nice breakaway. After 90 kilometres of adventure the main group caught us. From then on I rode the last climb more calmly, with the legs that were left, but I’m very happy with the way the race went today”.

Rafa Díaz Justo: “A very demanding race, with a very hard circuit that has made a great selection from the beginning. Andrea had a magnificent day, riding in the breakaway and showing himself to be one of the strongest riders there. It wasn’t easy to manage the breakaway tactically on this course. And Davide and Fernando have once again confirmed that they are two of the best riders in the category and that they are in the mix. The winner Grégorie is in another league, he is the most in-form rider at the moment, with three victories, and what three victories, in just four days. That’s why we have to draw very positive conclusions from this tour. But it goes on, there’s still a long season to go, and there’s still work to do”.

 

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