[ad_1]
“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>
Get a free Giordana cycling jersey when you subscribe to Velo with Outside+! It’s our way of celebrating the 2024 Road World Championships in Zurich. Includes free shipping. Hurry, ends Sept. 29.
>”,”name”:”in-content-cta”,”type”:”link”}}”>Join now.
American rider Neilson Powless blasted to his first victory of the season and one of his best wins ever on Thursday, winning the Gran Piemonte with a brilliant solo attack.
The EF Education-EasyPost rider was part of a select group which recaptured the day’s break on the day’s toughest climb, the Passo della Colma. He then pushed onwards solo on the Cremosina hill with 42.5km remaining and fended off those chasing behind.
Powless reached the line seven seconds ahead a hard-chasing group, with Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech) and Alex Aranburu (Movistar Team) second and third.
It was win number five of his career, and his first victory in over a year and a half.
“There aren’t many feelings in the world that can compare to this one,” the elated 28 year old said.
“Every cyclist works so hard all year to hopefully put it together on a day that it matters. I’m just so, so happy that I could put it together today.”
Powless was clearly feeling good and he also played his cards perfectly.
“I was just racing on instinct all the way from the long climb with 60km to go. It was getting really tactical because there were 20 riders at the bottom of the descent,” he explained.
“Riders started attacking. We had two in there so we had to try something. I asked Georg Steinhauser to follow a move when Lidl-Trek attacked. I countered and it was the move that stuck.”
The quality of his performance is reflected in the presence of riders such as Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and Aranburu in the chase.
‘I just gave it my best effort’
The day’s early escape was launched by Canada’s Nickolas Zukowsky (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) and Spain’s Francisco Muñoz (Team Polti Kometa), with the Italian Luca Colnaghi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) and the Ukrainian Andrii Ponomar (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini) joining up soon afterwards.
They built a gap of more than five minutes but the move came to an end on the Paso della Colma with 45km left.
Powless blasted clear soon afterwards and swiftly opened a gap. Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek) and Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Wanty) reacted best but, despite their collaboration, they were unable to get across to him.
They were both recaptured by 22km to go and while those behind worked hard to try to get back on terms, the chase group couldn’t overhaul Powless. He was riding remarkably well, holding an advantage of just 16 seconds with 5km remaining but being strong enough to hold out until the end.
“I looked back quite a few times. I wasn’t sure what the time gaps were, so I kept looking back to see who was chasing,” he said.
“In the end I just gave my best effort. I rode as hard as I could on the climbs. Harder on the climbs, a bit slower on the flat to keep it steady.”
The victory is all the more sweet after knee issues earlier this year.
“I just feel so incredibly happy to have put all the bad times behind me,” he said.
“The spring didn’t go so smooth for me, but my family just stuck with me and supported me through all the rehabilitation I needed to do.
“With all the long hours of training, camps and time away at races, it’s incredible what my family does for me to chase my dream. Today it feels like it’s paying off.”
He is due to race again in an even bigger event in two days’ time. He hopes to enjoy the same sensations in Il Lombardia on Saturday.
“I wasn’t expecting to do over 40 kilometers solo today, so I hope I can recover in time,” he said.
¡POWLESS CAMPEÓN! ♂️
El corredor estadounidense de 28 años de edad, Neilson Powless se quedó con el título de la 108 edición del #GranPiemonteEnDSPORTS.
▶️ Corbin Strong y Alex Aranburu, completaron el podio. #CiclismoAsiDSPORTS pic.twitter.com/M2IHRdDHy7
— DSPORTS (@DSports) October 10, 2024
[ad_2]
Source link
