Riding for the Italian national team, Giacomo Nizzolo proved that he is ready to lead Italy at the World Championships when he finished off a dominant performance from his teammates by winning the Coppa Bernocchi. After a great lead-out from his teammates, he beat the Bardiani pair of Nicola Ruffoni and Paolo Simion in the bunch sprint to take his first victory since his win at Nationals in June.

 

We have gathered a few reactions.

 

Nizzolo: Viviani and I proved that we can work together

"The first win in the tricolor jersey has given me really strong emotions, because I have obtained the win in front of my fans who were here in massive numbers,” Giacomo Nizzolo told Tuttobiciweb. 

 

“The sprint? I followed the plan this morning which I made with [national coach Davide] Cassani and my teammates. When Colbrelli attacked, I was tempted to follow him, but I respected the plans, and the choice proved successful.

 

"I'm happy because I wanted to win this race so much as I consider it a little like a 'home race. I'm happy for myself  but also for the entire national team. This morning we talked before the start and we decided that Viviani and Guarnieri should be the last men of my train, and that’s how it worked out.

 

"It was a difficult final , because of a traffic island 500 meters from the finish. It was wonderful work of all the rider of the national team, from Viviani who made himself available to the team to Guarnieri .

 

“Tomorrow’s race is my true home race which takes place on my home streets. I was going there to watch the race as a kid and dreamed of winning. The route is much more challenging than it is today. It is not ideal for me but I'll try to do our best.

 

“Later I'll do the Eneco Tour and then Milan-Turin and then I will decide on the rest of my calendar, but I do not feel it as a problem. There are a lot of races before the Worlds and even if I do not race, I know how to prepare well when I approach an important race.

 

"My team worked very well, especially Alafaci who pulled alone for 100 kilometers. At one point I asked him to stop, but he was undaunted and just continued to pull.

 

“It is true that Viviani and I have the same goals but between us there is great respect so it will be easy to work for a common goal. We will respect the role that will be assigned to us.”

 

Nizzolo also commented on the first three stages of the 2017 Giro d’Italia which were revealed today.

 

"I just know that we start with an rod stage in Sardinia and that there may be a bunch sprint. What is certain is that the Giro has a special importance for me. The two red jerseys that I have won have a special place in my heart so just imagine what I would feel if I got the pink jersey,” he said. “The important thing is to get my best form. Then I can also start thinking about 2017. We take one step at a time.”

 

Ruffoni after second place: I have proved that I can compete with the best

Bardiani-CSF got close to the second success in its history at Coppa Bernocchi. In the final sprint of the Italian race, the #GreenTeam sprinters Nicola Ruffoni and Paolo Simion took second and third place behind Italian champion Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo)

 

“Our goal was the highest step of the podium,” said Ruffoni, “but Nizzolo was really strong and it was hard for us to beat him. We could have played our chances in a better way in the finale but Paolo and I did not understand each other perfectly. Anyway, it’s a good result for me. I had the confirmation that I have improved this year and that I can compete with the best.

 

"It was a difficult finale. Simion and I couldn’t find each other,” he told Spaziociclismo. “In the last kilometer we had a traffic island in the middle of a turn. The final was not the greatest, but we tried . Next time we'll try to do the best to win. "

 

"I think it was my final chance. I will not do Agostoni and Pantani. Maybe I'll be at Beghelli, but my presence is uncertain. We'll see in the next days. I'm happy with my season. I have made ​​some personal improvements and thank the team for their confidence in me and that they want me to grow.”

 

Simion third behind his teammate: I wanted to help Ruffoni 

“I really wanted to help Nicola in the sprintm” explained Simion, “but in the final km we did not coordinate the timing in the best way. I’m sorry because at Tour of Britain we worked well together and today was a good chance to try again. The positive aspect is the great approach we had to the race - we did our best to take the win.”

 

"It is beautiful to be on the podium, but it would have been better if Niccola had won,” he told Spaziociclismo. “The last corner we were in the first five and we made ​​a gap because of a traffic island. It was me and Nicola, with Viviani, Guarnieri and Nizzolo. I had already done this race twice but I have always withdrawn so did not know the finish and there was no sign of the final 500 meters. I started at 200, but it was too late.”

 

"Taking second and third leaves a little bit of regret , even if these placings are important when you are up against Nizzolo. Perhaps we would have done better if we had known the finish. I'm working to improve on hard roads and do good lead-outs for Ruffoni. I want to have this role because personal results are important but those of the team are too. "

 

The #GreenTeam will be on the scene again tomorrow at Coppa Agostoni. Ruffoni and Simion, as well as Tonelli and Barbin, will be replaced by Boem, Andreetta, Zardini and Bongiorno.

 

Barbero confirms form with great result in Coppa Bernocchi

Coppa Bernocchi opened the week of Italian races for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA. The team will continue on Thursday in the Coppa Agostoni and in the weekend with the Memorial Marco Pantani and GP Prato.

 

The team had Ricardo Vilela in the first break and again in a move late in the race. In the end, Carlos Barbero sprinted to fourth

Carlos Barbero said:  

 

"I felt good throughout the race, with a good feeling on the steep climb. The final was a very flat, ideal for pure sprinters, so I'm satisfied with the result since I did a good sprint. We'll try again tomorrow in the Coppa Agostoni.”

 

Astana hope that Aru’s arrival will make a difference at Coppa Agostoni

“It was a comeback race for many of our riders after a period of training and the debut in the pro world for our two Kazakh stagiares, commented Astana sports director Giuseppe Martinelli. We had Kamyshev in the front group for the bunch sprint but unfortunately, at his first race after the injury, he didn’t find the 'right wheel' for the sprint and he was not able to fight for the victory.

 

“Tiralongo did a good race and finished in the front group. Also the two stagiaires, Bizhigitov and Kulimbetov, at their first race as pros and in Europe, did a good performance, considering the high speed in the final imposed by the Italian National team.

 

“Now let’s focus on tomorrow’s Coppa Agostoni where we will have Fabio Aru in the team and, even if the climbs are not particularly difficult, for sure we will try to do our best.”

 

Two Novo Nordisk riders in the mix in Coppa Bernocchi

Team Novo Nordisk was active from the start at Wednesday’s Coppa Bernocchi. But after 30km of racing, a group of eight riders pulled away to form the day’s main break without a member from the Team Novo Nordisk squad.

 

The 8-man group eventually established a maximum advantage of 4:00 over the peloton, but the Italian national team was determined to prevent the break from sticking, and with 60km remaining, all but two of the escapees had been reeled in.

 

“As the race enter the final seven laps through Olona,” said Team Novo Nordisk Sport Director Massimo Podenzana, “the circuit was very nervous with a climb of 2.5km, but it flattened out inside the last 30km. That’s when the break was caught and a group of about 60 riders emerged to take on the final sprint.”

 

Attacks flew on the final two laps, with only Team Novo Nordisk riders David Lozano and Charles Planet managing to stay among the first group. The duo worked to get position in the final sprint but couldn’t catch the sprint group.

 

Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo, racing with the Italian national team, took the race win, with Lozano and Planet finishing 24th and 29th for Team Novo Nordisk respectively.

 

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, continues racing tomorrow in Xinzhou with the final stage of the 2016 Tour of China I and in Lissone, Italy, with the one-day semi-classic Coppa Ugo Agostoni.

 

Disappointed Modolo: It as not my best day

LAMPRE-MERIDA did not manage hit the big target in front of the cameras of the crew from CNN International which was at the Coppa Bernocchi for a reportage about the blue-fuchsia-green team.

 

Sacha Modolo, who was the captain of the team missed a top result in the sprint.
 

“It was not one of my best days, probably because of the hot weather and the intense pace,” Modolo, 32nd in the race standings, explained. “However, I tried to do my best, also because my team mates had been great in supporting me and in leading me to the front positions in the approach to the last kilometer.
 

“Unfortunately, I did not take the last turn well and I was overtaken by manyy riders, so I missed the opportunity to participate in the fight for the top positions“.

 

Sports director Marzano added:

 

“We missed our main targets, which were being in the breakaways and obtaining a top result. Despite these failures, I could appreciate the good team work in supporting our captain, especially by the stagiaires Masnada and Troia, who were as efficient as the more experienced riders Ferrari and Niemiec. Sacha will have another chance in the Coppa Agostoni.”