Italian national coach Davide Cassani made it absolutely clear that he wanted to use three one-day events held this week: Coppa Bernocchi, Coppa Agostini and Tre Valli Varesine to make a final selection for upcoming World Championships in Ponferrada. Even though Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) had very good reasons to believe that good performances in Trittico Lombardo races will buy him a ticket to Spain, Edoardo Zardini (Bardiani-CSF) made the final cut instead and claimed last spot in the 11-rider roster.

“Vincenzo Nibali was very good and showed good condition after a long stop. He showed that he is ready and convinced [of] his chances,” Cassani told Tutto Bici website following the Coppa Bernocchi. “Filippo Pozzato gave an important signal and took a strong second place behind Elia Viviani.”

“Cassani was clear with what he wanted, a signal,” Pozzato said. “I’m good and I’ll give my best if I race the worlds.”

Pozzato indeed did his best as he finished on the podium of both Coppa Bernocchi and today’s Tre Valli Varesine what didn’t happen to him too often earlier this season. Apparently it wasn’t enough, though, as not the Lampre-Merida rider but Zardini was rewarded for his selfless work in the ultimate Trittico Lombardo race with the final spot in Italian national team.

Cassani was openly impressed by performances of Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali and unsurprisingly named the Astana rider a leader of the nine-rman squad for the World Championship road race.

“Nibali impressed me,” Cassani added. “I’ll wait for more from both him and Pozzato in Tre Valli, the most important race of these three and the one that’s nearest to the worlds on September 28.”

Another riders expected to lead the squad in the road race are Fabio Aru and Giovanni Visconti, while in-form riders like Damiano Caruso, Davide Formolo or Alessandro de Marchi may cause a surprise on a hilly course in Ponferrada.

Remaining spots in the Italian selection will be filled by Daniele Bennati, Giampaolo Caruso, Sonny Colbrelli and Manuel Quinziato, but the final nine-man roster for the road race will be announced soon before the event kicks off on September 28.

Besides Pozzato, also Alessandro Vanotti, Enrico Gasparotto, Giacomo Nizzolo and Matteo Trentin didn’t make the final cut.

Italian squad for the 2014 World Championship road race:

Vincenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru (Astana), Damiano Caruso, Alessandro De Marchi, Davide Formolo (Cannondale), Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff-Saxo), Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha), Sonny Colbrelli, Edoardo Zardini (Bardini-CSF), Manuel Quinziato (BMC Racing), Giovanni Visconti (Movistar)