LAMPRE-MERIDA in the top ten of the of the time trial specialists thanks to Nelson Oliveira (photo Bettini).
The Portuguese champion obtained the 7th position on the 47,1 km course in Ponferrada.
Pedaling on his Merida Warp TT, Oliveira recorded the time of 57’46″.
The rainbow jersey was won by Wiggins, whose performance was 1’21″ lower than Oliveira’s one.
For LAMPRE-MERIDA, Anacona too took part in the race, but his performance was less competitive than his team mate’s one: he was 46th (1h00’26″).
Anacona will compete in the road race too, that will take place on Sunday, and also Oliveira could be probably at the start.
STANDING
1- Wiggins 56’25″
2- Martin 26″
3- Dumoulin 40″
4- Kiryienka 47″
7- Oliveira 1’21″
The six cyclists from LAMPRE-MERIDA were realizing a good performance in the team time trial world championship in Ponferrada (51,7 km) when they had to face a sudden hitch.
Mattia Cattaneo, probably the key rider of the blue-fuchsia-green team, had to quit the race at the 22nd kilometer because of a kidney colic.
The team directed by the duo Matxin-Vicino could react in a proper way, but it was not possible to do better than the 15th performance: LAMPRE-MERIDA (photo Bettini) recorded the time of 1h05’59″, average time of 51,992 km/h, 2’30″ more than BMC that won the race.
“The withdrawal by Cattaneo in the first half of the race influenced our performance, especially considering that he was our key rider and that we were pedaling on a time that was close to the 10th position - sport director Matxin said - Without Mattia, each of the five remaining riders had to pedal longer in the head position, spending more energies.
In addition, when Ferrari completed his effort in leading the team mates in the approach if the final climb, we had to pay maximum attention in being united and in reaching the arrival all togheter, since there were four riders left.
All the team members were great in facing this unexpected event and we could obtain a fair result, considering the problem that occurred“.
Seven riders from LAMPRE-MERIDA will race on Ponferrada roads for the world championships (28 September - road race, 24 September - invididual time trial) and at the start of the rainbow race there will be Rui Costa too.
The world champion and the team mates will wear the jerseys of six different Countries:
- Maximiliano Richeze (Argentina)
- Winner Anacona (Colombia)
- Kristijan Durasek (Croatia)
- Przemyslaw Niemiec (Poland)
- Rui Costa, Nelson Oliveira (Portugal)
- Jan Polanc (Slovenia)
Twelve months after his victory in Florence, Rui Costa will face the world championship at the end of the season during which he always raced as a strong champion.
Together with Rui, in Portuguese team there will be the national champion for road and time trial, Nelson Oliveira, who will took part in both disciplines.
Double participation in road and time trial race for Anacona too.
Niemiec will race again on Spanish roads some weeks after he conquered in Vuelta a beautiful victory in the Lagos de Covadonga stage.
Maximiliano Richeze too raced in Vuelta and he’s going to wear the Argentinian jersey in Ponferrada; Durasek and Polanc, on the contrary, will approach the world championship after having taken part in Gp Quebec, Gp Montreal and Tre Valli Varesine.
The technical staff of LAMPRE-MERIDA selected the 6 riders that will try to honor the world championship team time trial.
The sport director Matxin will count on Winner Anacona, Mattia Cattaneo, Roberto Ferrari, Nelson Oliveira, Josè Serpa Perez and Rafael Valls.
The blue-fuchsia-green six men will represent four Countries: Italy, Colombia, Portugal and Spain.
The team time trial (photo Bettini) is scheduled on Sunday 21 September on a 57,1 km course in Ponferrada: LAMPRE-MERIDA’s target is to do better than the 17th place in Florence 2013.
Tre Valli Varesine, the final act of the Trittico Lombardo, gave Filippo Pozzato the third position, just behind Albasini (1st) and .
The race started in Luino and finished in Varese after 199,9 km, the last 80 km were covered on a circuit that was similar to the one of the 2008 world championship.
After some attempts, 6 riders could escape from the bunch, but their advantage was limited under 3′, so their action was easily neutralized.
At 70 km to go, a new breakaway allowed 7 cyclists to led the race for 45 km, when the bunch reacted.
The key attack was performed by 11 athletes at 25 km to the arrival and Durasek and Pozzato were members of this action that could reach the arrival.
In the restricted sprint (photo Bettini), Pozzato did not succeed in recovering Albasini and Colbrelli who had anticipated their move.
“I’m satisfied for the performance of the team, our riders moved in a perfect way and we succeeded in having the two best riders in the key action that characterized the final kilometers - sport director Righi explained - Durasek was great in supporting Filippo in view of the sprint, but Albasini demonstrated to be the strongest.
In the Trittico Lombardo we were on all the three places of the podium, so I can adfirm that these days have been good for LAMPRE-MERIDA“.
RACE RESULTS
1- Albasini
2- Colbrelli s.t.
3- Pozzato s.t.
4- Rebellin s.t.
7- Durasek 4″
Same colors as in 2013 in Coppa Agostoni: one year after the victory of Filippo Pozzato, LAMPRE-MERIDA celebrates in Lissone the success of Niccolò Bonifazio.
The twenty years old Italian cyclist won the final sprint of the 68th edition of Coppa Agostoni, 199,6 km with start and arrival in Lissone, on an interesting course that makes the riders cover the climb of Ello, Colle Brianza, Giovenzana and Lissolo (55 km to the arrival).
After that 9 attackers had led the race in the early part of the course, in the approach of Lissolo climb (at 60 km to the arrival) a group of 9 counter-attackers escaped from the bunch, but these riders did not succeed in reaching more that 1’30″ of advantage because of the chase that was led by LAMPRE-MERIDA.
The blue-fuchsia-green team completed the chase at 7 km to go and launched Bonifazio in a winning sprint (2nd place for Bole, 3rd place for Ponzi).
For Bonifazio, Coppa Agostoni is the 3rd seasonal success (he had won Sakai Criterium and the final stage of Tour of Japan), for LAMPRE-MERIDA this is the 22nd victory in 2014.
Rui Costa honored his participation to the race, the last one wearing the rainbow jersey he conquered in Florence: he gave his best for the team, especially in the approach to the sprint, and he could celebrate with his team mates the victory of Bonifazio.
This is the comment by Bonifacio: “It’s something special to complete a perfect performance by the team by obtaining a victory, that’s why I’m so happy.
The whole team supported me in an amazing way: Dodi and Cattaneo neutralized the breakaway after Lissolo, then Rui Costa led me in the approach to the sprint.
You can not image what it means to receive the help by the world champion, it’s such a honor and it gave me even more energies for the sprint.
After the climbs, I could come back to the bunch, then I could focus my attention only on the sprint.
I thanks my team, Rui Costa and the sponsors for their support during this first year as pro“.
“I’m very satisfied for the team performance and, of course, for the result - sport director Righi said - Cimolai was active in the early part of the course, then the rest of the team managed to control in the proper way the breakaways and to support Bonifazio in the final kilometers.
Niccolò was in a good condition, that allowed him in coming back in the head of the race after Lissolo climb: at 30 km to go, our riders decided that Bonifazio would have been the captain in the sprint and Rui Costa led him in an amazing way to the final kilometers“.
RACE RESULTS
1- Bonifazio
2- Bole s.t.
3- Ponzi s.t.
4- Battaglin s.t.
5- Fedi s.t.
Immediately after the first stage in which Diego Ulissi (photo Biondi/Bettini) has taken part after the forced activity pause, UCI notified to the cyclist his referral to the disciplinary commission of Swiss Cycling.
Finally, in the next weeks the rider and his team will have a final view about the long procedure concerning this topic.
Respecting the internal sanitary rules of the team and the rules of MPCC, considering the referral Ulissi won’t take part in the next races.
There’s a sprinter who can fight against the strongest lead-out trains. There’s a sprinter who doesn’t hesitate to support his team mates. There’s a sprinter whose name is Roberto Ferrari … Continue reading
Team LAMPRE-MERIDA signed with Manuele Mori (photo Bettini) the prolongation of his contract: the experience of the Tuscan cyclist will be a value for the team in 2015 season too. … Continue reading
The profitable experience in Tour of Hainan has just closed the 2014 season and Team LAMPRE-MERIDA is going to start working in order to prepare the 2015 counting on the … Continue reading
