Bahrain Victorious return to Coppa Bernocchi

This Monday, October 6th, Bahrain Victorious are set to return to a historic Italian race, the Coppa Bernocchi, one third of the “Trittico Lombardo”. The race, which will start and finish in Legnano, northwest of Milan, has been a happy hunting ground for the team, with Sonny Colbrelli (2017 & 2018) and Phil Bauhaus (2019) bringing us consecutive victories. The winning streak was interrupted in 2020 when the race was cancelled, and in the following years, the team hasn’t not take part.

Now, Bahrain Victorious will return for the 106th edition, aiming to honour the race and fight for the best result possible in the finale with Fred Wright and Nicolò Buratti, both making their debut at Coppa Bernocchi.

“Our cards to play are Fred Wright and Nicolò Buratti — Fred as a leader and Nicolò as a joker. Both have shown good form recently, and with the field we’ll face, they should be able to fight for a strong result for the team. We started the Italian campaign well and, of course, want to continue with that same spirit. Let’s hope Fred arrives fresh, and Nicolò has recovered well after Emilia so we can expect them to finish it off for us,”

explains TBV Sports Director Roman Kreuziger, previewing the race and introducing the lineup.

“The race isn’t particularly long, and generally, around 40 riders reach the finish, where a reduced bunch sprint is expected. However, if the racing is aggressive, there’s always the possibility that a breakaway is successful, as happened last year.”

The Coppa Bernocchi follows a traditional route, with the first 35 km on a flat and fast course featuring three intermediate sprints in Parabiago, Nerviano, and Cerro Maggiore. In Gornate Olona begins the characteristic Valle Olona circuit, 16.6 km long and repeated eight times. The circuit includes the climbs of San Pancrazio, Piccolo Stelvio, and Caramamma (a total of 1.2 km at an average gradient of 7.1%, peaking at 14%), where the King of the Mountains is awarded.

The total elevation gain is about 2,100 metres, making the circuit selective, with narrow and technical roads. After completing the eight laps, the race returns to Legnano, finishing for the first time on Via XX Settembre, after covering 192 km.

“We’re lucky to have a rider like Robert Stannard, who knows the area well. In the past, as many Australians did, he lived close by, so he knows the course and how to handle it,” Kreuziger continues. “I’m sure he’ll be very important in the finale, whether for the lead-out or supporting our leader and joker. He already showed great teamwork at Emilia.

We also have Roman Ermakov, coming from La Vuelta. It’s nice to give him the opportunity to race again and get some kilometres before the end of the season. He has a big engine and will be key if we need to close gaps.”

The Coppa Bernocchi will also mark the return to racing for Andrea Pasqualon, after a long recovery following his crash at the Giro d’Italia.

“We’re happy to see him pinning on a number again,” Kreuziger comments. “It’s hard to say what to expect from him, but he knows this race well, having done it several times. His experience will be valuable, and he should be able to manage the famous Piccolo Stelvio. The first part of the circuit is very technical, but once we reach the bigger roads, the race can regroup, and we can do something good.”

To complete the lineup, two riders from the Development Team will join: U23 Italian Champion Alessandro Borgo, who recently rode the World Championships in Rwanda contributing to his compatriot Lorenzo Finn’s gold medal, and Thomas Capra, who already raced with the WorldTour team at Boucles de l’Aulne–Châteaulin and the Grand Prix de Denain–Porte du Hainaut (1.Pro).

“We’re very pleased to have two of our Devo Team riders, Alessandro Borgo and Thomas Capra, joining us after a last-minute change. They’re very welcome additions, and it’ll be a great experience for them at Coppa Bernocchi,” Kreuziger concluded.

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