Two-time global time trial champion Filippo Ganna will be the runaway favorite so as to add a Eu name to his glittering palmarès on the UEC Highway Eu Championships on Wednesday. The one drawback is that the Italian is not beginning the time trial.
As a substitute, Ganna, who confirmed his sprinting prowess with 3 2nd puts on the contemporary Vuelta a España, shall be focused on the 200km highway race at the Col du VAM on Sunday.
Italian nationwide trainer Daniele Bennati decided on Mattia Cattaneo and Matteo Sobrero for the 29.5km time trial, the place they will face off in opposition to the likes of Wout van Aert (Belgium), Stefan Küng (Switzerland), Josh Tarling (Nice Britain), and Rémi Cavagna (France).
Ganna will as a substitute be focussing at the highway race, which is able to see the peloton take on seven ascents of the Col du VAM (400m at 4.2%) with a discounted bunch dash anticipated on the end.
He’s going to head up a nine-man squad, which additionally comprises a number of different speedy finishers in Elia Viviani, Luca Mozzato, Andrea Pasqualon, and Matteo Trentin. The 27-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider, alternatively, represents the country’s easiest probability at taking house the blue stripes of Eu champion.
Each Ganna and Trentin will co-lead the squad, Bennati advised Los angeles Gazzetta dello Game.
“It is a crew made up of many skilled parts, each and every with a very powerful and well-defined function,” Bennati mentioned. “We’re going to race with the purpose of supporting our two issues of reference.
“Additionally with us is Elia Viviani, an excellent champion at the observe and at the highway and any person who’s experiencing a selected transformation in his occupation. His presence is key – he is a workforce participant and an excellent director. He provides a huge added worth to the workforce.”
In spite of lacking out on large wins with 2nd puts at Milan-San Remo and the UCI Highway Global Championships time trial, Ganna has loved some of the easiest seasons of his occupation in 2023.
He has proven his skill as an all-rounder together with his Vuelta sprints and 2nd puts on the Vuelta a San Juan and Volta ao Algarve and has additionally racked up time trial wins at Tirreno-Adriatico and the Italian Nationwide Championships.
At the observe, he took a global name within the particular person pursuit, narrowly beating Ineos adviser Dan Bigham, and in addition triumphed within the workforce pursuit on the UEC Monitor Eu Championships again in February.
With Sunday’s highway race more likely to be his remaining day trip of the street season, Ganna shall be aiming so as to add to Italy’s 4 Eu titles prior to now 5 years, with Matteo Trentin, Elia Viviani, Giacomo Nizzolo, and Sonny Colbrelli all having gained gold.
Vittoria Guazzini and Alessia Vigilia will take at the 29.5km elite ladies’s time trial, whilst within the 131.3km highway race, Elisa Balsamo and Elisa Longo Borghini lead a squad together with Silvia Persico, Sofia Bertizzolo, and Elena Cecchini.