Preview: Trofeo Laigueglia 2022 | CyclingFlash

Now that the cycling year has started in recognized cycling countries such as Spain, France and Belgium, Italy should of course not be left behind. The Trofeo Laigueglia has been the first Italian race of the season for several years now, and that will be no different in 2022. Who will succeed Bauke Mollema in the hilly region of Liguria? CyclingFlash looks ahead.

History

In 2022, the Trofeo Laigueglia is in its 59th edition. In 1964 home rider Guido Neri was the first winner in the Ligurian coastal town. What he didn’t know at the time is that he would be succeeded by greats such as Eddy Merckx, Freddy Maertens, Roger De Vlaeminck and Giuseppe Saronni, all of whom also have a victory in Laigueglia on their record.

For years there was only one Dutchman on the honors list. Theo de Rooij crossed the finish line solo in 1982, ahead of the Italians Mario Noris and Wladimiro Panizza. Last season, Bauke Mollema changed that statistic by winning the 2021 edition. Belgium is doing a lot better with seven victories in the Trofeo Laigueglia. Merckx was the best twice and in addition to De Vlaeminck and Maertens, Sammie Moreels, Johan Museeuw and Frank Vandenbroucke also won. VDB was the last Belgian winner 26 years ago, in 1996 to be precise.

Who won the most on the Ligurian coast? Filippo Pozzato is the record holder with three wins. Foo won in 2003, 2004 and 2013, as well as finishing second and third once more. Seven riders follow with two victories in the Trofeo Laigueglia, but none of them are active yet. Pozzato will therefore remain at the top of this statistic for at least another year.

The Trofeo Laigueglia is part of the ProSeries of the UCI, the level just below the WorldTour. The hill race has had that status (which we also know as Hors Category) since 2015. The ten years before that, it was already a professional race at UCI 1.1 level.

Last ten winners of Trofeo Laigueglia
2021: Bauke Mollema
2020: Giulio Ciccone
2019: Simone Velasco
2018: Moreno Moser
2017: Fabio Felline
2016: Andrea Fedi
2015: Davide Cimolai
2014: Jose Rodolfo Serpa
2013: Filippo Pozzato
2012: Moreno Moser

Last year

Soon a flight of a dozen riders emerged: Nicolas Edet, John Archibald, Nikita Stalnov, Mattia Bais, Mulu Hailemichael, Unai Cuadrado, Veljko Stojnić, Alessandro Iacchi, Niccolò Salvietti, Juri Hollmann, Mathias Vacek and Davide Persico. At the foot of the first climb, the lead of the twelve refugees had increased to four minutes. Behind it, Trek-Segafredo and INEOS Grenadiers set the pace.

In the run-up to the four local laps around Laigueglia, of 10.8 kilometers each with the climbs of Colla Micheri and Capo Mele as executioners, the peloton then started to pick up the pace, reducing the gap. Once on the local lap, the leading group fell apart. The escapees drove ahead for a while, but on the second passage of the Capo Mele they were overtaken by the first chasing group, including Bauke Mollema.

Bauke Mollema’s characteristic attitude – photo: Cor Vos

At sixteen kilometers from the finish, just before the penultimate passage of the Capo Mele, Mollema then accelerated from a group with his teammate Giulio Ciccone, Clément Champoussin, Mikel Landa, Mauri Vansevenant, Valentin Madouas, Egan Bernal and Biniam Girmay. At the penultimate passage of the line, the Dutchman was already half a minute ahead.

The pursuers attacked at the stroke of a pendulum, but Mollema still had a sixteen count lead at the top of the Capo Mele. The Dutchman managed to hold his own against the chasing group, despite reactions to the Capo Mele. In the sprint for second place, Bernal narrowly beat Vansevenant.

Result Trofeo Laigueglia 2021
1. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)
2. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) op 39s
3. Mauri Vansevenant (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) at 39s
4. Clément Champoussin (AG2R Citroën) on 39s
5. Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) op 39s

Journey

The course of the Trofeo Laigueglia 2022 is identical to that of last season, when Bauke Mollema pulled a solo from the legs. And also the same as the trajectory of 2020. Why change something if it is good? The organization must have asked itself that question. In total, the course is 202 kilometers long.

The Cima Paravenna and the San Damiano (and exactly in between, after 100 kilometers, the finish line is already crossed) should cause exhaustion in the first 125 kilometers of the race for the final, but the real wear and tear only takes place in the last four local laps of 10.8 kilometers, just south of Laigueglia finish.

The executioner in the final is the Glue Micheri (2.6 km at 6.3%), which returns four times. The length and incline may not inspire fear, but the steepest sections of 11% are. The Colla Micheri is not the only climb where attackers can make a difference.

In each lap, the drivers must also have the well-known from Milan-San Remo Capo Mele (2 km at 3.4%) left. The fourth and final climb of that hill has the top just under three kilometers from the finish in the coastal town of Laigueglia. After a short descent, the finish is on the boulevard.

Woensdag 2 maart, Laigueglia Trophy: Laigueglia – Laigueglia (202 km)
Start: 11 a.m.
Finish: between 3.55 pm and 4.30 pm

Favorites

The Trofeo Laigueglia will welcome nine WorldTour teams this year. Tour winner Tadej Pogačar’s team, UAE Team Emirates, is among others at the departure, as are the INEOS Grenadiers. Yet the presence of another team stands out the most: that of Trek-Segafredo. The American WorldTour team houses the winners of the past two years.

One of those two winners is of Dutch descent, so it is logical that the expectations are again around this year Bauke Mollema are high in this price. Will Mollema succeed in prolonging his title? It will be a tough job, also because the Dutchman’s preseason is slightly less good than a year earlier, when he came to Laigueglia with a victory in his pocket.

Mollema last year – photo: Cor Vos

Two top-10 results in the Star of Besseges and a fifth place in the final classification of the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var; It is certainly not bad at Mollema for the time being. And so a lot can be expected of him again. Ditto applies to teammate Giulio Cicconewinner two years ago. The 27-year-old Italian is just a bit more explosive than his teammate. Only point of reference this year is eighth place in the Tour of Valencia.

Ciccone and Mollema’s main competitors come from the two teams mentioned above: UAE Team Emirates and INEOS Grenadiers. Where last year it was Bernal with the Grenadiers who had to make it difficult for Trek-Segafredo, this year it is Olympic champion Richard Carapaz† A Carapaz in form is the absolute top favorite here, but behind his form is still a small question mark. In Provence and Bessèges, the Ecuadorian was not yet able to convince, although he became champion of his country a week and a half ago in the time trial and second in the road race.

Within the INEOS Grenadiers camp, look out for young Spanish climber Carlos Rodriguez, the experienced Richie Porte, Dylan van BaarleEddie Dunbar, Spanish Champion Omar Fraile and Laurens De Plus.

Update: Richard Carapaz is not part of the INEOS Grenadiers final roster.

Alessandro Covi als leider in de Ruta del Sol – photo: Cor Vos

Then UAE Team Emirates. With pre-season sensation Alessandro Covi they have to get far. The Italian has already performed well in the Ruta del Sol, where he took a stage win, and in the Tour of Murcia, which he won. Side note: Covi crashed in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, which he did not finish. Even then, the team from the Emirates still has a few riders it can fall back on. What about Davide Formolo or Diego Ulissi? We forget the name of the greatest talent: John Ayuso† Despite his young age (19 years), the Spaniard is almost always there. This weekend he finished fourth in the Faun Drôme Classic.

A special mention is here for Team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, which can show that they have taken another step in their development as a team. They are sending two fat(!) contenders to Laigueglia. Lorenzo Rotafourth in Clásica San Sebastián, is one of their spearheads, but don’t forget Biniam Girmay not. The Eritrean is fast on the line and has clearly taken a new step in his development. This year he already won in the Challenge Mallorca. Don’t forget that he finished second behind Ciccone in this race two years ago. You can bet that the Belgian team has made a goal of this match.

The new showpiece of IWG, Biniam Girmay – photo: Cor Vos

A big name and French superstar in the making has not yet been named: that of David Gaudu† The Groupama-FDJ rider is still only 25 years old, but is almost always there and records a number of big victories every season. This year he started with a nice uphill stage win in the Tour of the Algarve and a fifth place in the final standings. It is clear that Gaudu will be close in Laigueglia.

For the last contenders, we will stick with the French teams. Because what about Nans Peters, who loves these kinds of climbs and can go far with his toughness? Or Andrea Vendrame, who can gain weight fast? At Arkéa-Samsic, we set our sights on Élie Gesbert. Other riders to watch out for: Gianni Moscon and Simone Velasco (both Astana Qazaqstan Team), Davide Villella (Cofidis), Lorenzo Fortunato (EOLO-Kometa), Filippo Zana (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) and Urko Berrade and Roger Adrià (Equipo Kern Pharma).

The list of participants is not yet complete at the time of publication. This may mean that changes are still being made to the preview.

Favorites according to WielerFlits
**** David Gaudu
*** Bauke Mollema, Alessandro Covic
** Giulio Ciccone, Juan Ayuso, Biniam Girmay
* Dylan van Baarle, Davide Formolo, Lorenzo Rota, Nans Peters

Website organization
Participant list

Weather and TV

The riders will be presented with excellent race weather on Wednesday. With a temperature of twelve degrees Celsius, no clouds and a moderate wind from the southeast, it can be stated with certainty that the weather will not affect the course of the race. The match will not be broadcast live on television. The organization will come with a live stream on their social media channels.