Sunday 25 July has been a triumphal day for Team Colpack Ballan on the Monte Grappa, having scored a podium hat-trick with Luca Rastelli, Mattia Petrucci and Alessio Martinelli at the end of a 108 km race.
For Rastelli, and for his Pressure Team Limited, it was the first success of the season, the 30th for the team. The rider from Cremona was about to win a month ago, in Pessano Roncola, when he crashed and broke his teeth.
“Since Saturday I was feeling good – said the winner- and I was only thinking about having a good race. After the crash, I couldn’t wait to get back on the bike as soon as possible.
I tackled the climb at my own pace, with regularity. Initially I wasn’t brilliant. On the way up, I took advantage of a relaxation in the group and went on the attack with 3 km to go. I kept a good gap and I thank my teammates who worked behind me for that. It’s a great joy after a very complicated period”.
The day before, Saturday, in Ovada, Mattia Petrucci showed his good shape getting his second seasonal win.
Petrucci commented on the victory with these words: “Today we have disputed a hard race, an elimination race with 30 arrived on 150 departed. In the first kilometers, the usual breakaway started. After 50 km we were out in 6.
Baroncini, Martinelli, and I were in the lead. I knew I could hold on for 25 km solo, so I attacked, making the difference and arriving with 50″ of advantage”.
