Enrico Zanoncello (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) pipped Matteo Malucelli (JCL Team UKYO) by the narrowest of margins to win the bunch sprint on stage 1 of the revived Giro d’Abruzzo.
Max Kanter (Astana Qazaqstan) opened up the sprint in a solid position after strong work from his team but still had 250 metres to go in the wind and was quickly overtaken by the two Italians and Manuel Peñalver (Polti Kometa) who finished third.
Malucelli looked as though he had timed his sprint perfectly as he slingshotted out of Kanter’s slipstream, but he had left just enough of a gap for Zanoncello to steal the win on the line alongside the barriers.
This was the Bardiani rider’s fourth professional victory but his first in his home country, having only previously won in Asia.
"I'm very happy. I had bookmarked this stage," said Zanoncello. "After an eventful stage, it came down to a head-to-head with Matteo Malucelli. It's been tight. I'm glad I won it.
"Fiorelli brought me onto Malucelli's wheel and I managed to pass him. This is my first pro win in Europe and above all in Italy. Moreover, this is the confirmation we were looking for. Let's hope this win will convince my team to bring me to the Giro d'Italia."
A seven-man break went up the road after the start of the 161km stage in Vasto, but only thee would last the majority of the day, Andrea Guerra (Zalf Euromobil Fior), Diego Bracalente (Team MBH Bank Colpack Ballan), and Tommaso Dati (Biesse - Carrera).
The trio were swept up 12km from the line after UAE Team Emirates and Corratec-Vini Fantini did the majority of controlling throughout the run into Pescara.
Jan Christen was the most active rider for the Emirati team, attacking each time the road went uphill in the final 60km. The young Swiss rider's moves prompted late attacks from the likes of George Bennett (Israel-Premier Tech) and Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan) but none stuck with the majority of teams interested in a bunch sprint.
Racing continues at the revived stage race on Wednesday with 160km of uphill racing from Alanno to Magliano de' Marsi. It should start the GC battle with strong climbers like Bennett, Lutsenko, Adam Yates and Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates) all present.
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