VITTORIA CON GLI JUNIOR  2° CIPOLLINI A FIORANO

A day of great satisfaction for MBH Colpack Ballan CSB with the victory at the Giro del Friuli international stage race for Juniors by Zsombor Tamas Takacs and the second place at Fiorano for Edoardo Cipollini. A double win was close, which would have further enhanced the project of team managers Antonio Bevilacqua, Gabor Deak, and the Ballan and D’Aprile families. UNDER 23: Let’s start with the race in Fiorano Modenese (MO) where Alessio Menghini won the classic Fiorano-Fiorano in Modenese. The Friulian sprinter preceded our Edoardo Cipollini (MBH Bank Colpack Ballan CSB) and Lorenzo Magni from Mastromarco Sensi. The race was 176 km long, covered in 4:04:33” at an average speed of 43.181 km/h. Noteworthy is also the 10th place of Gabriele Casalini. The race was resolved in a sprint at the end of a race that saw Sergio Meris in a long breakaway trying to make a move from afar.

CIPOLLINI: The Tuscan rider recounts the final stages of the race and his emotions. “I would have liked to try to win. It’s my first podium of the season after a thousand misadventures (broken teeth and various falls).” The sprint: “I launched my sprint at 300 meters. I was 4th, maybe I started a bit early. As they say in cycling terms, I went long. At 150 meters, I came out and at less than 50 meters Menghini overtook me. I saw the victory close, it means that I am starting to have good legs.” For Cipollini, this is a first snapshot of the season. “In the new category, I have always felt good; the difficult thing was to find continuity amid all these setbacks. For 3 weeks now, however, everything seems to be going well. Now I just want to race to achieve new satisfactions because I feel I have the energy to do well.” While waiting for a more substantial result, there is still room for a dedication: “To my dad, who would have been happy if he were here, to my mom, and my brother.” In the team car, Beppe Dileo completes the technical analysis: “We didn’t make any mistakes. Today the strongest won. We worked for our fast man and put on a show with Sergio Meris.”

FINISH:

1. Alessio Menghini (General Store)
2. Edoardo Cipollini (MBH Bank Colpack Ballan CSB)
3. Lorenzo Magni (Mastromarco)

VICTORY JUNIORS: A beautiful international affirmation also for the Hungarian boys of the Junior team at the 22nd Giro del Friuli. Zsombor Takacs of MBH Bank Colpack Ballan CSB managed to overtake Michele Bicelli, while Enea Sambinello of Vangi Il Pirata Sama Ricambi finished third.

THE WINNER: “I am really satisfied with this win. I had the best legs and shape here in Friuli, so I knew I had the chance to win. Fortunately, I was in a breakaway with 15-20 strong riders, and the GC leaders were not there. So, from that point on, it was a simple day. I am really happy with this successful weekend.”

SIMONI: Also speaking is DS Gilberto Simoni, who closely follows the youth project of the Italian-Hungarian team MBH Colpack Ballan CSB: “Tamas is a well-rounded second-year rider who comes from MTB. He placed 4th in the last World Cup stage, then dedicated himself to road racing in Italy, achieving various placements. He has notable endurance qualities both in the pace and in the climbs, managing to surprise the favorites but not the experts. Hungarian cycling is growing significantly. Tamas will race in the Colpack development team in 2025.”

OVERALL STANDINGS: 1) Tamas Takacs Zsombor (MBH Bank Cycling Team Junior); 2) Michele Bicelli (Aspiratori Otelli Alchem) at 32”; 3) Enea Sambinello (Vangi Cycling Team) st; 4) Martin Santiago Herreno Polania (Team F.lli Giorgi) at 35”; 5) Andrea Bessega (Borgo Molino Vigna Fiorita) at 1’05”.