Team Jumbo-Visma leaves Gran Piemonte empty-handed

Team Jumbo-Visma Fails to Secure Victory at Gran Piemonte: “We Were Playing Catch-Up All Day”

The 107th edition of the Italian autumn classic, Gran Piemonte, did not go as planned for Team Jumbo-Visma. Despite their efforts, the team was unable to control the race and came up empty-handed. The race took a toll on the team, with one rider, Gijs Leemreize, crashing and breaking his collarbone. The team’s ambitions came to an end on the Alpette, with Andreas Bagioli emerging as the winner in the sprint.

“We wanted to try and control the race for Wout today, but it was tough at the front. The penultimate climb with thirty kilometres to go was very hard,” said Wilco Kelderman.

Wout van Aert, the team’s leader, also acknowledged the challenges they faced. “The climb got too hard very quickly…we were playing catch-up all day,” he stated.

Despite the disappointment, Van Aert expressed his enthusiasm for the race and emphasized that it was not just a preparation for Sunday’s World Championships Gravel. He remarked, “It’s a special, completely new challenge. It’s going to be very different from today.”

In the end, Andrea Bagioli of Soudal – Quick Step claimed victory in Gran Piemonte. Van Aert finished in 52nd place, with a time of +00:03:37. This marked the Belgian rider’s final road race of the season before competing in the World Championships Gravel on Sunday.

While Team Jumbo-Visma may have left Gran Piemonte without a top result, they remain determined for future races and challenges that lie ahead.