Patrik Sinkewitz (Meridiana Kamen) proved that he is still one of the best bike riders in the world when he finished 2nd in today's Trofeo Laigueglia. The German was quick to shrug off the defeat, preferring to focus on his next objectives.

Since coming back from suspension with the Meridiana Kamen team, Patrick Sinkewitz has repeatedly proved that he is still a very classy bike rider and has often been one of the strongest riders in the hardest Italian one-day races. That was again the case in today's Trofeo Laigueglia when the German went on the attack with Jose Serpa (Lampre-Merida) on the final climb in the hilly race.

The duo worked well together to keep the peloton at bay in the final 31km to the finish and so the race would be decided in a sprint duel. Serpa emerged as the fastest after Sinkewitz had tried to do a long sprint and the German again had to settle for a minor placing.

However, Sinkewitz preferred to look ahead and is already targeting his next race.

"I always want to win," he told Spaziociclismo at the finish. "We are in February and there are still many races to come. Next Sunday I have another chance in Lugano and it suits me better as the race is harder. Today I felt good but I can get better."

"I must say that we were lucky because we didn't get a single raindrop," he added. "If it had rained, the descent would have been very dangerous."

Sinkewitz next lines up in the Trofeo Laigueglia on March 2.