Meeting up with the Italian elite men’s team ahead of Sunday
The one-day race so many pro riders have been preparing for is finally upon us:
the 2017 UCI Road World Championships elite men’s road race.
The wild coastal landscape of western Norway will mark the start of the men’s race. The wobbly 267.5 km course should make for an unpredictable contest, compounded by the potential for tricky weather, or what some riders would call “Perfetto, Gabba” conditions. The field will have plenty of big names hoping to take the rainbow jersey on Sunday.
The Castelli-equipped Italian national road team, with the Italian ‘commissario tecnico’, Davide Cassani, arrived in Bergen on Thursday to check out the course and stretch their legs before the fireworks begin on Sunday.
Italy has a strong lineup for Sunday (see full list below). Elia Viviani and Matteo Trentin are two strong contenders for an Italian world championships success. Viviani was second at the European road race, which came down to a reduced bunch sprint, and his Italian teammate Trentin is also on form after bagging five wins in the last month (four stages at La Vuelta a España and the Primus Classic).
With the possibility of a late escape also coming into play, Gianni Moscon, Sonny Colbrelli and Diego Ulissi will also be guys to watch.
Elia Viviani Team Sky
Gianni Moscon Team Sky
Salvatore Puccio Team Sky
Diego Ulissi Uae Abu Dhabi
Sonny Colbrelli Bahrain-Merida
Daniele Bennati Movistar Team
Alberto Bettiol Cannondale-Drapac
Alessandro De Marchi BMC Racing Team
Matteo Trentin Quick Step-Floors Cycling Team
Meeting up with the Italian Team on Tuesday, we managed to get a seat in the Italian Team car
following the elite men’s team during their last training ride on Italian ground before leaving for Bergen, Norway.
Catching up with Viviani, everything you need to know about the race
and what Castelli equipment the guys will pick from their clothing arsenal. The video is in Italian.
Photo | Edoardo Civiero, TDWSport