Frapporti, among the protagonists of the Milano-Torino; Ravasi, first man in blue at the finish line
102º Milano – Torino
Magenta – Superga (190 km)
The Milano-Torino is a race with so much history that it is actually the oldest one-day race in the world, although at times it lacked continuity. And yet we are talking about a race with more than one hundred editions that in recent years, in which Superga has become the recurring finish with a double climb that brings excitement and spectacularity, has regained name and prestige. The 102nd edition was won by the Slovenian Primoz Roglic, who is still one of the world’s leading riders today. And in the development of the 102nd edition, the Italian Mattia Frapporti was one of the protagonists.
The EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team rider was one of the four riders who, from very early on, was involved in the management of a breakaway that ended up with six riders. Frappo, Oier Lazkano (Caja Rural), Joan Bou (Euskadi) and Davide Orrico (Vini Zabu) opened the hostilities and were later joined by Kevin Vermaerke (DSM) and Juri Zanotti (Bardiani).
The sextet devoured kilometres on the plains of the Po valley and managed the climb to Zimone with a good collaboration, but the peloton never let up and kept them at just over three minutes, as the maximum gap. Within the last 70 kilometres, the advantage began to diminish and became just a few seconds.
At that point, facing the last 50 kilometres, the peloton was revolutionised, some breaks came, and a score of riders began to catch up with the breakaway. And what riders. World champion Alaphilippe, well supported by five companions, including Joao Almeida; or Alejandro Valverde; or Tadej Pogacar, or Primoz Roglic, or Adam Yates… Frapporti was able to hold on until the race reached the first climb to Superga, where the race was again revolutionised. At the finish, at the end, Edward Ravasi was the first rider in blue, more than three minutes behind.
Mattia Frapporti: “I’m happy, because I’ve been looking for a breakaway for a long time: it has been a difficult season, I wanted to show off a bit and I think I did. Then, if I have to be honest, it could have been better: when the big guys arrived in front, they started to pull very hard and it was really hard. That’s a shame, even though I’m happy in the end”.
Edward Ravasi: “This was my third consecutive day of racing, and after two days of water and cold we found a sunny day and in fact I did better. I managed to stay out of the fan that made so many others break away, and I put myself in front of the group to try to get with the first of the chasers. It wasn’t easy, the race was hard and in front of me I had some phenomena that went on like trains: but I arrived too, and I think I arrived well. I needed a day like this, I really needed it”.
[ Maurizio Borserini]
