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Alasdair Fotheringham

'I opened a B&B, and now I'm national champion' – Why Filippo Conca's spectacular upset win means there will be no Italian tricolore jersey in the pro peloton

NOVELDA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 02: Filippo Conca of Italy and Team Q36.5 Pro Cycling prior to the 74th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2023, Stage 2 a 178.2km stage from Novelda to Alto de Pinos 621m / #VCV2023 / #VoltaValenciana / on February 02, 2023 in Novelda, Spain. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images).

"An earthquake", "a fairy tale", "destabilising for the professional teams" – wherever you looked, it felt like everybody in Italian cycling had an opinion to give after the spectacular and surprising victory for Filippo Conca in this year's Italian National Championships.

But given just how unexpected this win by a low-category rider against some of the biggest names in the WorldTour had been, perhaps that was only natural.

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