Two-time world time trial champion Filippo Ganna could be the runaway favorite so as to add a European title to his glittering palmarès on the UEC Highway European Championships on Wednesday. The one drawback is that the Italian is not beginning the time trial.
As an alternative, Ganna, who confirmed his sprinting prowess with three second locations on the current Vuelta a España, shall be focusing on the 200km highway race on the Col du VAM on Sunday.
Italian nationwide coach Daniele Bennati chosen Mattia Cattaneo and Matteo Sobrero for the 29.5km time trial, the place they’re going to 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 on the highway race, which is able to see the peloton sort out seven ascents of the Col du VAM (400m at 4.2%) with a lowered bunch dash anticipated on the end.
He’ll head up a nine-man squad, which additionally contains a number of different quick finishers in Elia Viviani, Luca Mozzato, Andrea Pasqualon, and Matteo Trentin. The 27-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider, nevertheless, represents the nation’s finest probability at taking dwelling the blue stripes of European champion.
Each Ganna and Trentin will co-lead the squad, Bennati informed La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It is a group made up of many skilled parts, every with an essential and well-defined function,” Bennati mentioned. “We’ll race with the intention of supporting our two factors of reference.
“Additionally with us is Elia Viviani, an excellent champion on the observe and on the highway and somebody who’s experiencing a specific transformation in his profession. His presence is key – he is a workforce participant and an excellent director. He provides an unlimited added worth to the workforce.”
Regardless of lacking out on large wins with second locations at Milan-San Remo and the UCI Highway World Championships time trial, Ganna has loved top-of-the-line seasons of his profession in 2023.
He has proven his capability as an all-rounder along with his Vuelta sprints and second locations 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.
On the observe, he took a world title within the particular person pursuit, narrowly beating Ineos adviser Dan Bigham, and in addition triumphed within the workforce pursuit on the UEC Monitor European Championships again in February.
With Sunday’s highway race more likely to be his final outing of the highway season, Ganna shall be aiming so as to add to Italy’s 4 European 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 tackle the 29.5km elite girls’s time trial, whereas within the 131.3km highway race, Elisa Balsamo and Elisa Longo Borghini lead a squad together with Silvia Persico, Sofia Bertizzolo, and Elena Cecchini.