The last of the three scheduled acts, the last of the 2022 season. It's the day of the Veneto Classic, now in its second edition, which officially closes this year's Italian calendar. Many professionals took part, from Matteo Trentin, fresh from his victory at the Giro del Veneto, to Miguel Angel Lopez, also in the running in last Friday's gravel, up to Davide rebel, in the last race of his career.
Almost 3.000 meters of altitude difference
190 kilometers of the Venetian classic, from Treviso to Bassano del Grappa (home of the VeneToGo granfondo on Saturday) for a total of 2.900 meters of altitude differenceA day in the Prosecco region with many historic climbs: after a first flat stretch, it soon arrives the wall of Ca 'del Poggio, with its 1.150 meters at an average gradient of 12,3%. We then enter the first circuit with the climb of Rosina (2,1 kilometers at 6,5%), tackled by the peloton three times. In the second circuit the show is on the Tisa, the 330-metre steep climb at 15,2%, with a stone surface similar to cobblestones. Last rough patches of the day the climb of diesel farm, on a dirt road, and the Contrà Soarda climb.
Formolo Silver
A day led by men UAE Team Emirates who ran at the head of the group, chasing the day's escapees, who had come out on the wall of Ca' del Poggio, and then caught them. Trentin tries, but with excellent teamwork, the Swiss Marc Hirschi wins., who sprints downhill and creates a gap. He arrives happy, almost incredulous, and is visibly moved. His partner hugged him Davide formolo, who ends the season with a second place.
«It was a very tough race – Roccia tells us – but we did a great team job by taking first, second and fifth place with TrentinThe season is finally over, now for a bit of rest. The last climbs were really tough, the dirt road was decisive in my opinion, but there's little that can be done, we were the strongest».
Swiss signature
A great team union that of the UAE Team Emirates, as the winner himself beamed, underlined, on September 14 he had won the Giro della Toscana..
«I am very satisfied – he says – with the work we have done as a team. We were always in front, even though the race was really tough., especially in the dirt road sector. In the end when I knew that Formolo was behind me alone, I understood that one of us would win, and I was already very happy. When I finally reached the finish line, I couldn't believe it. A really great victory."
Technique, not legs
Closing the podium, for theAlpecin-Deceuninck, a magnificent Nicola Conci, which comes without regrets.
«Despite the sensations of the last few weeks, which have not been exactly optimal – he says – I was feeling pretty good today. Actually, I wanted the race to get tough from Rosina onwards, but there weren't many teams that could make great moves and the real explosion was on the first pass on the TisaUnfortunately, on the last descent of Diesel Farm, Hirschi started ahead of me and I was no longer able to close. It's true that he dropped me, but he did it in a very technical part, so more than the legs, it was the ability that was missing on my part».
Thanks Davide
A final significant appointment also, perhaps above all, for our Davide Rebellin, who after thirty years concludes his career here.
«I want to greet and thank my fans – he says – who have always been there throughout my years as a professional. I will definitely not stop cycling, but it's time to leave cycling, I feel this is the right time."
A Venetian triptych that promises to become one of the great events of the Italian calendar, and not only, directed by a masterful Filippo Pozzato. A different race, perhaps because it takes place in magnificent places, fperhaps because of nostalgia for being “the last”, certainly a “goodbye” worthy of the season we are leaving behind.
