After a tactical showndown, Hirschi is best in Coppa Agostoni: victory number 80 for UAE

Marc Hirschi won the Coppa Agostoni. The Swiss rider from UAE Team Emirates was the strongest in the Italian one-day race after a sprint from a group of four. Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) was second, ahead of Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale).

The Italian one-day race is an essential test for the Tour of Lombardy. With almost three thousand meters in elevation, there is a lot of climbing to do. With twelve hills, the main focus is in the middle section. Last year, Davide Formolo won the race, defeating his teammate Marc Hirschi.

The race started early in Italy: after one hour of racing, a breakaway of about 30 riders emerged, including Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates), Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Alex Aranburu (Movistar). It was struggling with such a strong group. Filippo Conca (Q36.5 Pro Cycling). From the background, Vincenzo Albanese (Arkéa - B&B Hotels), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Aurelién Paret-Peintre (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Rémy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ) and Filippo Magli (VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè) rejoined the solitary man at the front.

Due to the relatively flat finale, the leaders had to take action early. With 50 kilometers to go, top favorite Hirschi placed his first acceleration. It wasn't a dazzling attack, but he still split the favorite group significantly. Aranbaru, his teammate Einer Rubio, and Lapeira were able to follow, as were Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) and Gianmarco Garofoli (Astana Qazaqstan Team). The gap with the breakaway riders was immediately closed.

Hirschi again with the acceleration, four strongest riders ahead

Just before the last official hill of the day, the climb to Lissolo, a large group rejoined the thirteen. That was short-lived: Hirschi immediately attacked. Aranburu, Grégoire, and Lapeira followed; they proved the strongest along the way. None of them was stronger than the rest on the hills, which made for a nervous collaboration. On the uphill sections, however, they proved much more decisive than the chasing group: the lead grew little by little. Before the summit, the UAE Team Emirates leader accelerated again: for a moment, he rode Aranburu out of the wheel, but arguing with the other leaders later caused the Spaniard to return.

The chasing group slowly disappeared into the rearview mirror. Lapeira's team was well represented there and neutralized any attempt to get closer to the leaders. Moreover, on the flatter stretches, the four in front worked well together: the gap was now a minute. However, in the last twenty kilometers, the lead diminished: the attacks behind the leading group made the chasers come closer and closer. It became a tug-of-war: who was working best together?

The finale was exciting. The chasers didn't work very well together, but also, at the front, the understanding stopped. In the last five kilometers, it was stop-and-go for the leaders. Aranburu seemed to time an attack well, but he was still caught. Only a kilometer before the finish, I was sure someone from the front four would win. Hirschi was ultimately the strongest in the tactical showdown, beating Grégoire and Lapeira in the final sprint.

Results Coppa Agostoni 2024

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