Giacomo Nizzolo failed to make it four stage wins out of seven for Trek in the final stage of the Tour de San Luis when the fast Italian could only manage 6th in the uphill dash to the line. Nonetheless, the team is very happy with the results in one of their first stage races of the season.

Trek Factory Racing could not have hoped for a better start to their first season in the professional peloton than the one they got in the Tour de San Luis. After Julian Arredondo's two stage wins in the mountains and Giacomo Nizzolo's win in the uphill sprint on stage 3, the team was intent on continuing the success on the final day which again ended with an uphill dash to the line.

However, it wasn't to be for the team as Nizzolo could only manage 6th in the sprint that was won by Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida). The team insists that the lack of success was not a result of a lack of speed.

“It was good work by the entire team today. Fabio [Silvestre] again pulled with Movistar and Lampre to bring back the breakaway,” explained lead-out man Danilo Hondo. “In the final I brought Giacomo in the perfect position, but when he started the sprint there was a big wave and he had to brake full to not crash. To restart in the last 120 meters is impossible. It’s too bad, but then it's part of the game in a sprint.” 

Four riders were granted leave from the peloton around kilometer 20, with no one a threat to the general classification.  Fabio Silvestre again did a monstrous job in helping Movistar and Lampre reel in the escapees, a familiar role for the Portuguese rider this week. With 30 kilometers to go the quartet was caught, and the scene was set for the bunch sprint.

Sports director Alain Gallopin explained that the team missed a crucial part in their train as Eugenio Alafaci had been forced to leave the race due to illness.

“We missed Eugenio at the end to help,” he said. “We did what we had to do and Fabio pulled during the day, Julián [Arredondo] was going back to get bottles to prepare the guys for the sprint, and Haimar [Zubeldia] and Danilo were there for the leadout. Giacomo was close, but the sprint is special. He told me he had the legs to win the race, but this is the way of the sprints. You need to have the good legs and also all the right circumstances.”

With three stage wins and an overall 4th place for Arredondo, the team leaves the race highly satisfied though.

“This week we signed directly for one stage win and we got three; also Julián ended in fourth overall, and that is a good result since we were never focused on the GC. We leave Argentina very satisfied,” Gallopin said.

“We all very happy with our time here and of course with the results,” agreed Hondo. “The level of the team is headed in a good way, and now we have to protect that and recover well. The next race is soon: Tour of Dubai.”