On Etna a day to remember. In Turkey, Gavazzi shines

Giro di Sicilia
4th stage: Ragalna-Monte Etna (140 km)

And now let’s shine our eyes, because we have every right to do so. Of course, to do this it would be enough to look around because Etna is wonderful but not only: the volcano has a magnetic force, a charm that attracts and amazes. But it is not only that: because in the queen stage of the Giro di Sicilia, the EOLO-KOMETA has made a half masterpiece. A day of those to remember, in which our team has run to the attack from the first to the last meter.

Ready, go: and Albanese immediately tried to attack, together with Diego Rosa. Nothing to do, with Astana’s work at the head of the group? And then it was our David Martìn to attack, very generous in the freshness of his youth: and his attack went on, together with a small group of adventure mates, until the ramps of Mount Etna became very hard and the group thinned out.

And it is in that moment that Albanese, Rosa and Ravasi have decided to resist: to stay ahead, to grit their teeth, to try. Caruso and Nibali played for the success (Caruso triumphed: stage and general classification), but behind there was a lot of EOLO-KOMETA: Rosa arrived at the fifth place, a wonderful Albanese eighth, just after (dociceventh) Edward Ravasi. And overall? Albanese seventh, Ravasi twelfth, Rosa fourteenth. A lot, a lot of EOLO-KOMETA: to hope well, in view of the Tour of The Alps that will start on Monday and above all of the Giro d’Italia. Always closer. And we can’t wait.

Vincenzo Albanese: “Happy? No, very happy. I absolutely did not expect to make a performance like that, then today I started immediately at full speed I attacked from the first moment. I saw that I was well, kilometer after kilometer I was getting better and better and I was with the best, then I fought for a good placement. And for someone like me, getting to the top of Mount Etna like that is really great. Now, one step at a time: the Giro is approaching and I’m very happy, also for the team that today made a great performance. At the end we were the most numerous ones, with Diego and Edward. Really, a great day”.

Diego Rosa: “Today we played our cards to go in the breakaway and also try to win, we tried to attack right away me and Alba and at the end we were still in front so it means that we are well. Maybe, thinking back now, we burned a lot of energy at the beginning but we are very happy. These days give morale for the next races, and the Giro is always closer…”.

Maurizio Borserini

Presidential Tour of Turkey (2.PRO)
Stage 6: Edremit – Eceabat (205km)

Francesco Gavazzi defended right his overall top-15 in the steep finish of today’s stage and finished tenth at the finish line. The 205 kilometres of the stage allowed the adventure of two different breakaways, a critical moment with several cuts in the main bunch due to the wind on the long suspension bridge that was crossed by the race and an uphill finish where Mirco Maestri also tried his luck, although he could not surprise the favourites.

For Gavazzi, “it was a demanding, long stage in which the wind also played its part. The last 5 kilometres were uphill, the team helped me to find the best position and I thought that the sprinters would not be able to hold on but,  in the end, they were able to fight for the victory. I hope to be able to fight for a better position in the general classification and to gain some seconds to get into the top-10 between now and Sunday”. A short but tough stage tomorrow and the uncertain finish in Istanbul remain in this Presidential Tour of Turkey, a tune-up to be able to keep improving his form and get to the maximum for the Giro d’Italia.

Sprint Cycling