Nicola Bagioli is the king of the mountain in Tirreno-Adriatico 2018. One of the 4 leader jersey, the green one, has been won by the young Italian rider of the NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini team. Nicola Bagioli with this jersey follows the two leaders of the team. A young Marco Canola was the winner of this ranking in Tirreno Adriatico 2014 and Damiano Cunego the winner of the KOM in 2013. A good Tirreno Adriatico for the Italian-Japanese team thanks also to the 3 top10 reached with Eduard Grosu and Marco Canola.
San Benedetto del Tronto, Tirreno-Adriatico 2018.
The final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico is just finished and it is now official: Nicola Bagioli is the Green Jersey and King of the mountains of the Tirreno-Adriatico 2018!
A green jersey reached by one of the young Italian talent launched by the team, coming from 7 GPM victories, 35 points collected. The same jersey has been won in 2014 by Marco Canola, today leader of the #OrangeBlue team and in 2013 by Damiano Cunego. The young Nicola Bagioli is now ready to follow his teammates trying to reach some of the victories they made.
The great satisfaction of Nicola Bagioli at his second season among PROs is high. After the 4th place in Trofeo Laigueglia and the podium at Tour du haut Var Matin, he battled for and reached the final victory of this jersey in one of the most important World Tour competitions in the world. “I’m happy to get this very important jersey, at the start of this race I could not even imagine to reach this results, but after taking it in the second stage we decide to battle to maintain it, even if this didn’t give me the chance to measure myself in some arrivals because I was tired by the long breakaways. My goal for this season? After this important jersey I want to keep improving myself, training hard and reach my first victory among PROs.”
On the team car the Sports Director Mario Manzoni comments this important goal reached by the team and underlines the good job made by all the team: “I’m very proud of the Tirreno-Adriatico made by our riders, day after day we have been always in the race, reaching one of the 4 jersey to be won in this important competition. But I’m proud of all my riders, because in each stage each one of them had his role. Eduard Grosu in the sprints arrivals reaching 2 top10. Ivan Santaromita in the general ranking making a great performance in the Queen stage and along all the race, with a final21st place. Marco Canola had some punctures in some of the best moments making a great job for his teammates and trying also a sprint reaching a top10. Sho Hatsuyama did a great job with his breakaway in a World Tour competition, helping Nicola Bagioli to win this jersey, while Simone Ponzi worked hard along all the race to help his teammates demonstrating to be a good team-worker and a growing up condition. Damiano Cunego is growing up in condition helping the team and looking forward to his races that will come in the following months. We close this Tirreno-Adriatico with a big motivations and sure of our skills, looking forward to next important races such as Milano-Sanremo and Coppi & Bartali.”
The General Manager of the team Francesco Pelosi is very satisfied of the job made by the team honoring this important World Tour race: “The team honored in the best way as possible this Tirreno-Adriatico. More than 600km of breakaway, with Italian and Japanese riders, 7 GPM won, one of the 4 jersey of the race won by one of our young Italian talent launched by the team, 3 top10 placements and good signals of our good condition and motivation. The team honored this important event in the best way as possibile. Now we want to focus on doing great things also in Milano-Sanremo, again among the big names of the cycling world, starting with our leader Marco Canola, we are ready to honor also this wild card received by the organizers.”
THE TIRRENO-ADRIATICO OF THE #ORANGEBLUE IN NUMBERS.
Green Jersey – Nicola Bagioli
More than 600km of breakaway – Nicola Bagioli and Sho Hatsuyama.
3 top10 – Eduard Grosu & Marco Canola.
21st place in the General Ranking – Ivan Santaromita.
TOUR OF TAIWAN – 4TH PLACE OF HIDETO NAKANE.
Not only Tirreno-Adriatico, the #OrangeBlue riders from Sunday 11th to Thursday 15th are in competition also in Asia in the Tour of Taiwan. Today one of the hardest stage with the final 4th place of the Japanese climber Hideto Nakane, well supported by the young Italian climber Filippo Zaccanti. Hide Nakane, reached a very good placement and important points for the Asia tour, getting also the 7th place of the general ranking, 2nd best asian rider in race after the other Japanese Yukiya Arashiro of the Bavarian Merida (in race with the Japanese selection).