A series of last-ditch attacks by Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla) has netted the reigning Swiss national champion both the stage 5 and the final overall of the five-day Coppi e Bartali race.
In an all-out battle on the very hilly final kilometres, Schmid outpowered double stage winner and overnight race leader Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers) for the victory in the town of Gemona del Friuli.
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How it unfolded
The last day’s racing was largely decided by the ascent of the Cat.1 Monte Stella, climbed twice and with its summit 17 kilometres from the finish line.
A break of five riders, Koki Kamada (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali), Jacopo Pignatti (S.C. Padovani Polo Cherry Bank), Martin Svrček (Soudal-QuickStep), Andrea Pietrobon Andrea (Polti VisitMalta) and Emanuele Ansaloni (Team Technipes in Emilia-Romagna Caffè Borbone) went for it ahead of the first ascent, opening a gap of 4:30 on an Ineos Grenadiers-led peloton.
That advantage, however, was halved by the time they had crossed the summit of the Stella for the first time, and moved towards the plunging descent leading into the second half of the stage.
On the rolling terrain that preceded the Stella, the gap continued to shrink, and with 22 kilometres to go, at the foot of the climb, they were caught. Former race leader Schmid (Jayco-AIUIa) and teammate Alan Hatherly then launched a dangerous move on the climb, and although that was brought back by Ineos, Schmid repeatedly insisted on trying to clear.
With just two seconds between Schmid and Laurance on GC, it was touch-and-go all the way to the line. But Schmid then made one final bid for freedom in the closing kilometre that allowed him to both clinch the stage ahead of his main rival and the overall win.
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