The former cyclist Filippo Pozzato organized an authentic week of cycling in the Italian Veneto region, with today’s event being the Giro del Veneto (1.Pro). The race covered a distance of 170km, starting in Tombolo and finishing in Vicenza. The presence of top sprinters from the international scene added excitement to the competition.
The central element of the final route was the ascent to the sanctuary of Monte Berico, which stretched for 1 km with an average gradient of 7.4%. The last approximately 600 meters presented an even greater challenge, with gradients ranging between 8% and 12%. Cyclists had to tackle this demanding climb five times.
A breakaway, as expected, characterized the stage. However, the breakaway was absorbed with 5 kilometers to go, after the work of three teams that wanted to set up their sprinters. UAE Team Emirates, Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Israel-Premier Tech joined forces. Still, Florian Vermeersch tried to surprise the favorites with an early attack.
The Belgian from Lotto Dstny made an impressive sprint but was overtaken by Dorian Godon 200 meters from the finish. The Frenchman had already won the Brabantse Pijl earlier this season and skillfully held off Halland Johannessen and Vermeersch in the final stretch.
Watch the finish:
Results of the Giro del Veneto 2023:
