Astana Qazaqstan Team’s Simone Velasco Triumphs in Stage 3 of Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
Italian cyclist Simone Velasco secured a hard-fought victory for Astana Qazaqstan Team in Stage 3 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. Velasco emerged triumphant in a three-man sprint from a breakaway group, managing to withstand the relentless pursuit of the peloton.
Velasco dedicated his win to the team’s masseur, Umberto Inselvini, who tragically passed away at the end of January. In an emotional statement, Velasco expressed his joy and gratitude for the support he received: “I am so happy with this victory! I would like to dedicate this success to our masseur Umberto Inselvini, who passed away some days ago. This is a dedication from all our team. Also, I would like to thank all my family for their great support, and this victory is also for my little daughter Diletta.”
Astana’s Sports Director, Dmitriy Fofonov, praised Velasco’s determined performance: “Simone showed a great fighting spirit, strong sports character. He is a fast guy, and we knew once he reaches the finish, he would have a good chance to win. With a minute on the top of the last climb, we started believing they could make it to the finish. It was a strong group, and every rider was doing his best to stay away until the finish.”
This victory marks a promising start to the season for Astana Qazaqstan Team, and they hope to build on this success in the races to come.
Photo credit: @SprintCycling
