Tinkoff-Saxo’s Daniele Bennati placed 7th in the final bunch sprint behind escapee and race winner Jan Bakelants after a wet edition of Gran Piemonte. Team directeur sportif Bruno Cenghialta notes that the full squad got through the 185km race unscathed and is ready for Sunday’s monument Giro di Lombardia, where Rafal Majka will be back in action. 

Following the race conclusion, sports director Bruno Cenghialta tells that the race was affected by heavy downpour.

“Weather-wise it was a bad day with loads of rain. It was incredible and with no respite throughout the race. A breakaway escaped but never had more than 2 minutes. We rode together with Movistar and Bardiani and worked at the front of the peloton to keep the group out front in a short leash. We caught them with 7km to go and immediately after, with 6k to go, Bakelants countered and made the decisive move”, says Bruno Cenghialta and continues:

“In the end we had a sprint with 25-30 riders behind, where Bennati was 7th. It was not a super race for us today, unlike yesterday good outcome with Rafal Majka. But the objective is Sunday and the final monument of the season Giro di Lombardia. Poljanski, Chris and some of the other key riders managed to save some power and we didn’t have any problems, which is important. We want to be in the best situation possible for Lombardia to support Majka”, finishes Bruno Cenghialta about the 185km race from San Francesco al Campo to Ciriè.