While several big ProTeams failed to make an impact on yesterday's Milan-Sanremo, the Bardiani team was in the heat of the action. Enrico Battaglin was the main animator on the Poggio while Sonny Colbrelli continued his excellent start to the season by sprinting to 6th.

On paper, Bardiani was one of the underdogs in yesterday's Milan-Sanremo but with its two Italian talents Enrico Battaglin and Sonny Colbrelli, they punched above their weight. The team came away with a good result when Sonny Colbrelli continued his excellent start to the season - which already includes 9 top 5 finishes - by taking sixth in the final sprint.

Battaglin attacked on the Poggio and managed to stay clear almost all the way to the top despite doing all the work in the front duo that also contained Gregory Rast (Trek). Colbrelli opened up an unexpected gap on the flat run-in to Sanremo and tried to insist in his escape, a decision he later regretted.

”I should be happy with my result considering my age (23) and that it was a demanding Milano – Sanremo, but honestly today I could do better and go on the podium," he said. "When at the end of Poggio’s descent I attacked, I was wrong, too eager. In fact the peloton managed the gap and caught me quickly. I lost energy and then I couldn’t sprint the best way.

"Anyway I guess as a team, we did a stunning race, we were the best in the finale and we raced without fear. My teammates were super today and I wanted to reward them with a better result."

Battaglin's day ended on a bad note when he crashed in the final corner but luckily he escaped the incident without any major injuries.

”It was too bad with the crash in the in the finale, maybe I could have supported Sonny in the sprint," he said. "About my race, I attacked on the Poggio as planned in the team briefing, because even though I have a good sprint, I’m not like Kristoff or Cavendish.

"I tried to pull away a small group but except Rast, who didn’t help me, no one followed my attack. However, I'm happy with today, for what we did as a team. We have to be proud of what we showed in the final part of this Sanremo."

” We made a stunning race and we have to be proud of our young guys, that under the rain made a great against the best world riders," sports director Roberto Reverberi said. "Our two leaders, Battaglin and Colbrelli gave their all and we can be really satisfied.

"Enrico (Battaglin) tried on the Poggio, he did a strong attack but Rast didn’t help him because he was working for Cancellara. Then maybe Sonny (Colbrelli) made a mistake after Poggio’s descent, attacking alone. He’s so young and sometimes still make some errors.

"Anyway then in the final sprint he achieved a great result for his future and our squad. Today I can say that we showed a strong team, all the guys made an incredible work. All is the results of our sport project focus on the development of young italian riders."