Nicolò Garibbo puts the final seal on the 62nd edition of the IO Giro della Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia (UCI class 2.2), concluded today with a high-level sprint that rewarded Cameron Rogers.

The Australian from Netcompany Ineos Racing Academy outsprinted Thomas Capra (Bahrain Victorious Devo) and Simone Buda (Solme Olmo Arvedi), confirming his qualities as a sprinter.

In the general classification, Garibbo — rider for Team UKYO — finished ahead of Colombian Simone Raccani and Tommaso Dati, his teammates, and Swiss rider Zumsteg, completing a technical and tactical dominance by the Japanese team led by Alberto Volpi and directed by Manuele Boaro.

THE RACE REPORT. The breakaway of the day went clear almost immediately. After 5 kilometers, three riders attacked: Iustin-Ioan Văidian (Romanian Cycling Federation), Filippo Agostinacchio (Biesse - Carrera - Premac) and Martin Gris (UC Trevigiani - Energiapura Marchiol). The peloton allowed them to go in this phase and the trio would gain a maximum advantage of 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

At the first intermediate sprint in Bertiolo, Gris crossed first followed by Agostinacchio and Văidian. The peloton, unlike the first stage, kept the attackers under control, with the gap from kilometer 60 beginning to progressively decrease, dropping below 3 minutes.

After two hours of racing at an average speed of 49.1 km/h, the three leaders entered the Castello di Caneva circuit with an advantage of two minutes and 48 seconds. At the first climb, Agostinacchio crested first, with Gris second and Văidian third. On the climb the peloton recovered some tens of seconds, bringing the gap to 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

The race leaders approached the Caneva ascent for the second time with an advantage now below two minutes. Behind, Davide De Cassan (General Store - Essegibi - F.lli Curia) tried to attack, but under the pace of Netcompany INEOS Racing Academy the peloton reabsorbed him and drew even closer to the breakaway trio. Agostinacchio took the second and final climb of the day, ahead of Gris and Văidian. From here to the finish only descent and the final 35 kilometers of flat terrain.

The advantage of the breakaway riders became increasingly precarious, now down to 30 seconds. After the descent, another General Store - Essegibi - F.lli Curia rider, Filippo D'Aiuto, tried to attack but was caught shortly after.

A fine gesture of sportsmanship among the attackers marked the end of their attempt 32 kilometers from the finish; they were indeed caught by the peloton traveling at high speed, pulled by Bahrain Victorious Development Team, Team Ukyo, Team Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna Caffè Borbone and Team Hopplà: all teams fielding a rider suited to the flat finish in Brugnera.

The pace remained high with regular changes at the front. Near the intermediate sprint in Brugnera, General Store - Essegibi - F.lli Curia launched Giovanni Bortoluzzi, who won the sprint ahead of his teammates Kevin Pezzo Rosola and Nicolò Arrighetti.

Thomas Bernardi (Swatt Club) took advantage of the natural drop in speed after the intermediate sprint to attack, but the peloton allowed no room. The final 10 kilometers were entered with teams organizing their lead-out trains to position their sprinters optimally.

In a corner at the final kilometer, due to a crash, the peloton split with about twenty riders remaining up front. A chaotic sprint from which Cameron Rogers (Netcompany INEOS Racing Academy) emerged victorious. Second was Thomas Capra (Bahrain Victorious Development Team), third Simone Buda (Solme - Olmo - Arvedi). Completing the top 5 were Japanese rider Yoshiki Terada (Team Ukyo) and Lorenzo Magli (Team Hopplà).

Nicolò Garibbo (Team Ukyo) defended the Maglia Gialla Pratic and wins the IO GIRO FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA. Juan Diego Quintero (Netcompany INEOS Racing Academy) takes home both the Maglia Verde EdilMeccanica for the mountain classification and the Maglia Bianca MGM Costruzioni Generali for the Under 21 time classification. The Maglia Blu Assifriuli for the points classification remains on the shoulders of Tommaso Dati (Team Ukyo) while Giovanni Bortoluzzi (General Store - Essegibi - F.lli Curia) has conquered the Maglia Rossa Credito Cooperativo FVG for the intermediate sprints classification. Team Ukyo wins the team classification.

Here's what the fourth stage winner Cameron Rogers said: "I'm really happy about the victory. We came here to protect Juan Diego Quintero's second place in the general classification, with Milkias Maekele and me as sprint options. I didn't expect to win, there was a crash about one kilometer from the finish that obviously wasn't in the plans and I was supposed to be the last man to launch Milkias. I'm sorry for him that it went this way, but I'm very happy about the success."

Here are the statements from Nicolò Garibbo, the winner of IO GIRO FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA: "We're very happy, we came here to win and we got the result we wanted. After my withdrawal at altitude it was my goal to restart strong immediately and the team gave me confidence. We made sure that each of us could play his cards: Terada had a good result in the first stage, I won the second, Dati the third and Terada today was again playing for the sprint, it couldn't have gone better than this. I dedicate this victory to the whole team, to the sponsors and also to my family and my girlfriend who always support me."

STAGE RESULTS:

1. Cameron Rogers (Netcompany INEOS Racing Academy) 160 km, 3h28'37", average 46.0 km/h

2. Thomas Capra (Bahrain Victorious Development Team)

3. Simone Buda (Solme - Olmo - Arvedi)

4. Yoshiki Terada (Team Ukyo)

5. Lorenzo Magli (Team Hopplà)

6. Nicolò Arrighetti (General Store - Essegibi - F.Lli Curia)

7. Riccardo Fabbro (UC Trevigiani - Energiapura Marchiol)

8. Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Development Team)

9. Jan Sommer (Elite Fondations)

10. Andrea Stefanelli (Team Hopplà)

FINAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Nicolò Garibbo (Team Ukyo) 14h13'35"

2. Juan Diego Quintero (Netcompany INEOS Racing Academy) at 1'04"

3. Simone Raccani (Team Ukyo) at 1'59"

4. Tommaso Dati (Team Ukyo) at 2'12"

5. Nicola Zumsteg (Biesse - Carrera - Premac) at 2'21"

6. Michele Bicelli (Biesse - Carrera - Premac) at 2'47"

7. Leonardo Consolidani (Bahrain Victorious Development Team) at 3'21"

8. Andrea Alfio Bruno (Team Hopplà) at 3'56"

9. Milan Nijs (DL-Chemicals Experza)

10. Luca Morlino (Solme - Olmo - Arvedi)

IO GIRO FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA CLASSIFICATIONS:

Maglia Gialla Pratic - General Classification: Nicolò Garibbo (Team Ukyo)

Maglia Verde EdilMeccanica - Mountain Classification: Juan Diego Quintero (Netcompany INEOS Racing Academy)

Maglia Blu Assifriuli - Points Classification: Tommaso Dati (Team Ukyo)

Maglia Rossa Credito Cooperativo FVG - Intermediate Sprints: Giovanni Bortoluzzi (General Store - Essegibi - F.Lli Curia)

Maglia Bianca MGM Costruzioni Generali - Under 21 Time Classification: Juan Diego Quintero (Netcompany INEOS Racing Academy)

Team Classification: Team Ukyo