Damiano Cunego is back. Tour of Qinghai Lake 2003, the first victory among PRO of a young Cunego. Today, July 21st 2017, the victory n.49 of his career, in the same Tour where everything begins. Altitude 4.000 mt, a very strong stage, for real climbers. The NIPPO Vini Fantini leader is now also in the top10 of the general ranking of Tour of Qinghai Lake.
21 July 2017, Qinghai Lake, stage 6.
The victory n.49 of the career for Damiano Cunego arrived where everything began.
China: Qinghai Lake 2003, the first year among PROs of Damiano Cunego, the year before the great Giro d’Italia victory, Damiano Cunego won the 5th stage of Qinghai Lake Tour.
China: Qinghai Lake 2017, 6th stage, Damiano Cunego wins the stage as captain of the NIPPO Vini Fantini.
Another curious statistic with the NIPPO Vini Fantini jersey, after his back on the podium of Giro d’Italia in 2016 (with the blue jersey) in the same day of his first pink jersey (12 years before). Now again a victory exactly in the same Tour where everything began to win as a PRO.
THE RACE.
Yesterday the #OrangeBlue captain helps his teammates in the final sprint, today decided to attack 25 km before the finish line when 2 climbs where expecting him and all his competitors. And he his back to victory.
Strong race, for real climbers. High level both for the difference in altitude of the stage and for the altitude itself (more than 4.000 mt), with rarified oxygen. The confirms comes directly from Cunego “It was not easy event to breathe at more then 4.000 mt” the words of Cunego after the finish-line.
The attack of the NIPPO Vini Fantini captain arrived 25km before the finish-line on the last GPM of the day, where Damiano Cunego and Mauricio Ortega arrived alone. During the descent the forcing of Damiano Cunego and a fall for Ortega leave alone the #OrangeBlue rider that had in front of him 10km of hard climb before the finish-line. He was good to administrate the advantage coming alone with more than 1 minute of advantage on the finish-line.
THE DECLARATION.
Damiano Cunego has won many prestigious races, but is very happy of this success: “A very strong stage, it was not easy both for the difference in altitude of the road and for the altitude itself. I arrived to the last climb with a good advantage but then was a long way to go until the top. I could see my competitors some bend behind me, but I always was thinking that was hard for them as it was for me. I’m really happy for me and for the NIPPO Vini Fantini. We deserve this victories after many podiums. I want to thank all my teammates and all the staff doing a lot of work for us and the management that makes me always feel the trust they have on me.”
This stage victory gives to Damiano Cunego the chance to be in the top10 of the Tour of Qinghai Lake, leaded by the Colombian rider Monsalve. 7 stages until the end with chance of victory both for climbers and sprinters of the NIPPO Vini Fantini team.
With this victory of Damiano Cunego are now 6 the success of the season of the NIPPO Vini Fantini team, after the 4 victories of Marco Canola in The Nederlands and Japan, and the success of Iuri Filosi in GP of Lugano.
STAGE RANKING:
1 CUNEGO Damiano NIPPO – Vini Fantini
2 SANTORO Antonio Monkey Town Continental Team + 1:11
3 LAGKUTI Sergiy Kolss Cycling Team + 1:26
4 MONSALVE Yonathan Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team + 1:28
5 ROGINA Radoslav Adria Mobil + 1:39
6 ORTEGA Mauricio RTS – Monton Racing + 1:39
7THURAU Bjorn Kuwait – cartucho + 1:44
8 RABOTTINI Matteo Meridiana Kamen Team + 1:44
9 KOSHEVO YIlia Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia + 1:44
10 MUCELLI Davide Meridiana Kamen Team + 1:47
GENERAL RANKING:
1 MONSALVE Yonathan Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team
2 MUCELLI Davide Meridiana Kamen Team 0:07
3 ORTEGA Mauricio RTS – Monton Racing 0:20
4 THURAU Bjorn Kuwait – Cartucho 0:25
5 KOSHEVO YIlia Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia 1:18
6 SANTORO Antonio Monkey Town Continental Team 1:49
7 ROGINA Radoslav Adria Mobil 2:24
8 BAZHKOU Stanislau Minsk Cycling Club 2:40
9 RABOTTINI Matteo Meridiana Kamen Team 3:25
10 CUNEGO Damiano NIPPO – Vini Fantini 3:45