Astana two-for-two in Italy as Rosa wins Milano-Torino

Diego Rosa delivered Astana’s second victory in as many days at Milano-Torino as the autumn Italian classics continued Thursday. Rosa’s win comes on the heels of Vincenzo Nibali’s victory the day prior in Tre Valli Varesine. Rafal Majka tried to chase down the Italian winner’s solo move in the final kilometers, but he had to settle for second, 16 seconds behind.

“The team is really strong at this moment. For me it’s the first victory, and it was very beautiful. Here in Torino, it’s perfect for me,” said Rosa of his first major professional victory. “Normally I work for the team, because I have the big, big riders, but today is a big opportunity for me. Winning is perfect, no?”

Top-10 results

• 1. Diego ROSA, ASTANA PRO TEAM, in 4:27:51
• 2. Rafal MAJKA, TINKOFF – SAXO, at :16
• 3. Fabio ARU, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :18
• 4. Thibaut PINOT, FDJ, at :20
• 5. Wouter POELS, TEAM SKY, at :23
• 6. Damiano CUNEGO, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI, at :32
• 7. Domenico POZZOVIVO, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :32
• 8. Giovanni VISCONTI, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :32
• 9. Daniel MORENO FERNANDEZ, TEAM KATUSHA, at :36
• 10. Davide VILLELLA, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN, at :39

As expected, the race came down to the second and final ascent of the 4.9km Superga climb. Movistar and Astana drove the pace coming into the finale at the end of 186 kilometers of racing.

Ag2r’s Matteo Montaguti kicked off the hostilities at the base of the climb, inside of five kilometers to go. Then, it was Majka who came with the countermove, testing the field. Davide Villella of Cannondale-Garmin was next to attack, and he soon had a gap over the field with 4km remaining.

After another half-kilometer, three riders joined Villella’s escape — Dani Moreno, Rosa, and Alexis Vuillermoz. However, this increase in firepower at the front drew out the race’s favorites, and they quickly brought back the breakaway.

Astana’s Rosa was next to put his cards on the table, attacking alone with about 2.5km left, and that was the move that won the day.

Behind, Poels attacked in an effort to bridge to the Italian leader. But after about a kilometer, he was caught and passed by the peloton, which was led by Majka, who soon broke clear to chase alone.

Into the final kilometer, Rosa had a slim gap, and though he was in sight of Majka, he held on to win. Astana’s Fabio Aru finished third behind the Pole.

“This morning, the team told me to try for a result,” Rosa continued. “They put faith in me, and they said, “Today could be a could day for you, have a go. The finish line is close to my home, and it worked out.”

Full results

• 1. Diego ROSA, ASTANA PRO TEAM, in 4:27:51
• 2. Rafal MAJKA, TINKOFF – SAXO, at :16
• 3. Fabio ARU, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :18
• 4. Thibaut PINOT, FDJ, at :20
• 5. Wouter POELS, TEAM SKY, at :23
• 6. Damiano CUNEGO, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI, at :32
• 7. Domenico POZZOVIVO, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :32
• 8. Giovanni VISCONTI, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :32
• 9. Daniel MORENO FERNANDEZ, TEAM KATUSHA, at :36
• 10. Davide VILLELLA, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN, at :39
• 11. Romain BARDET, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :42
• 12. Mikel LANDA MEANA, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :44
• 13. Chris Anker SÖRENSEN, TINKOFF – SAXO, at :46
• 14. Daniel MARTIN, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN, at :51
• 15. Julian David ARREDONDO MORENO, TREK FACTORY RACING, at :52
• 16. Sergio Luis HENAO MONTOYA, TEAM SKY, at :52
• 17. Alexis VUILLERMOZ, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :56
• 18. Javier MORENO BAZAN, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 1:02
• 19. George BENNETT, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 1:09
• 20. Franco PELLIZOTTI, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC, at 1:11
• 21. Kenny ELISSONDE, FDJ, at 1:15
• 22. Emanuel BUCHMANN, BORA-ARGON 18, at 1:18
• 23. Tiago MACHADO, TEAM KATUSHA, at 1:19
• 24. Matteo MONTAGUTI, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 1:42
• 25. Pawel POLJANSKI, TINKOFF – SAXO, at 1:42
• 26. Edoardo ZARDINI, BARDIANI CSF, at 1:46
• 27. Steven KRUIJSWIJK, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 1:46
• 28. Yury TROFIMOV, TEAM KATUSHA, at 1:50
• 29. Pierre-Roger LATOUR, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 1:59
• 30. Haimar ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, TREK FACTORY RACING, at 2:02
• 31. Hubert DUPONT, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 2:02
• 32. Gianfranco ZILIOLI, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC, at 2:16
• 33. Tom Jelte SLAGTER, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN, at 2:24
• 34. Alessandro BISOLTI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI, at 2:31
• 35. Arnold JEANNESSON, FDJ, at 2:34
• 36. Patrick KONRAD, BORA-ARGON 18, at 2:37
• 37. Mathias FRANK, IAM CYCLING, at 2:41
• 38. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 2:49
• 39. Sebastian HENAO GOMEZ, TEAM SKY, at 2:58
• 40. Matteo BUSATO, SOUTHEAST, at 3:05
• 41. Francesco Manuel BONGIORNO, BARDIANI CSF, at 3:05
• 42. Wilco KELDERMAN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 3:25
• 43. Leopold KONIG, TEAM SKY, at 3:38
• 44. Miguel Angel LOPEZ MORENO, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 3:55
• 45. Francesco GAVAZZI, SOUTHEAST, at 4:04
• 46. Marcel WYSS, IAM CYCLING, at 4:04
• 47. Cristian RODRIGUEZ MARTIN, SOUTHEAST, at 4:04
• 48. Dominik NERZ, BORA-ARGON 18, at 4:04
• 49. Rodolfo Andres TORRES AGUDELO, COLOMBIA, at 4:04
• 50. Louis MEINTJES, MTN – QHUBEKA, at 4:04
• 51. Mikel NIEVE ITURALDE, TEAM SKY, at 4:37
• 52. Alberto NARDIN, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC, at 4:41
• 53. Jarlinson PANTANO, IAM CYCLING, at 4:44
• 54. Clement CHEVRIER, IAM CYCLING, at 4:48
• 55. Stefano PIRAZZI, BARDIANI CSF, at 4:52
• 56. Thomas DEGAND, IAM CYCLING, at 4:54
• 57. Jaco VENTER, MTN – QHUBEKA, at 4:54
• 58. Koen BOUWMAN, at 5:22
• 59. Stefan DENIFL, IAM CYCLING, at 5:27
• 60. Matteo BONO, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 5:29
• 61. Alberto LOSADA ALGUACIL, TEAM KATUSHA, at 5:40
• 62. Eduard VORGANOV, TEAM KATUSHA, at 5:40
• 63. Paolo TIRALONGO, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 5:50
• 64. Steve MORABITO, FDJ, at 5:50
• 65. Simone STORTONI, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC, at 6:43
• 66. David LOZANO RIBA, TEAM NOVO NORDISK, at 6:57
• 67. Natnael BERHANE, MTN – QHUBEKA, at 7:07
• 68. Laurent DIDIER, TREK FACTORY RACING, at 7:16
• 69. Iuri FILOSI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI, at 7:18
• 70. Jorge Camilo CASTIBLANCO CUBIDES, COLOMBIA, at 8:03
• 71. Chun Kai FENG, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 8:09
• 72. Ramirez chacon BRAYAN STIVEN, COLOMBIA, at 8:09
• 73. Vasil KIRYIENKA, TEAM SKY, at 8:09
• 74. Carlos Mario RAMIREZ BOTERO, COLOMBIA, at 8:09
• 75. Jacques JANSE VAN RENSBURG, MTN – QHUBEKA, at 8:09
• 76. José Joao PIMENTA COSTA MENDES, BORA-ARGON 18, at 8:09
• 77. Angel VICIOSO ARCOS, TEAM KATUSHA, at 8:09
• 78. Jérémy ROY, FDJ, at 8:09
• 79. Marc SOLER, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 8:09
• 80. Giacomo BERLATO, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI, at 8:40
• 81. Cesare BENEDETTI, BORA-ARGON 18, at 8:40
• 82. Michele VIOLA, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC, at 9:46
• 83. Alessio TALIANI, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC, at 9:48
• 84. Songezo JIM, MTN – QHUBEKA, at 9:50
• 85. Simone STERBINI, BARDIANI CSF, at 10:18
• 86. Bruno PIRES, TINKOFF – SAXO, at 10:39
• 87. Jesper HANSEN, TINKOFF – SAXO, at 10:39
• 88. Timo ROOSEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 10:39
• 89. Jasha SÜTTERLIN, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 11:07
• 90. Martin ELMIGER, IAM CYCLING, at 11:07
• 91. Charles PLANET, TEAM NOVO NORDISK, at 11:07
• 92. Patrick SCHELLING, IAM CYCLING, at 11:07
• 93. Luca WACKERMANN, SOUTHEAST, at 11:07
• 94. Serghei TVETCOV, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC, at 11:07
• 95. Javier MEGIAS LEAL, TEAM NOVO NORDISK, at 11:07
• 96. Ilia KOSHEVOY, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 11:07
• 97. Gang XU, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 11:11
• 98. Szymon REKITA, TREK FACTORY RACING, at 11:11
• 99. Antonio NIBALI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI, at 11:35
• 100. Alessandro VANOTTI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 11:35
• 101. Johann VAN ZYL, MTN – QHUBEKA, at 11:44
• 102. Nicolas LEFRANCOIS, TEAM NOVO NORDISK, at 16:16
• DNF Guillaume BONNAFOND, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Tiziano DALL’ANTONIA, ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC
• DNF Valerio AGNOLI, ASTANA PRO TEAM
• DNF Dario CATALDO, ASTANA PRO TEAM
• DNF Sonny COLBRELLI, BARDIANI CSF
• DNF Enrico BARBIN, BARDIANI CSF
• DNF Luca CHIRICO, BARDIANI CSF
• DNF Alessandro TONELLI, BARDIANI CSF
• DNF Lukas PÖSTLBERGER, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Cristiano SALERNO, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Varon Castillo FELIX ALEJANDRO, COLOMBIA
• DNF Fabio Andres DUARTE AREVALO, COLOMBIA
• DNF Cayetano José SARMIENTO TUNARROSA, COLOMBIA
• DNF Juan Pablo VALENCIA, COLOMBIA
• DNF Alexandre GENIEZ, FDJ
• DNF Anthony ROUX, FDJ
• DNF Arthur VICHOT, FDJ
• DNF Sacha MODOLO, LAMPRE – MERIDA
• DNF Mattia CATTANEO, LAMPRE – MERIDA
• DNF Valerio CONTI, LAMPRE – MERIDA
• DNF Filippo GANNA, LAMPRE – MERIDA
• DNF Eros CAPECCHI, MOVISTAR TEAM
• DNF José HERRADA LOPEZ, MOVISTAR TEAM
• DNF Francisco José VENTOSO ALBERDI, MOVISTAR TEAM
• DNF Daniel TEKLEHAIMANOT, MTN – QHUBEKA
• DNF Kristian SBARAGLI, MTN – QHUBEKA
• DNF Pier Paolo DE NEGRI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Alessandro MALAGUTI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Genki YAMAMOTO, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Samuele CONTI, SOUTHEAST
• DNF Andrea FEDI, SOUTHEAST
• DNF Manuel BELLETTI, SOUTHEAST
• DNF Simone PONZI, SOUTHEAST
• DNF Alberto BETTIOL, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN
• DNF Jasper BOVENHUIS, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN
• DNF Alan MARANGONI, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN
• DNF Ryan MULLEN, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN
• DNF Jacopo GUARNIERI, TEAM KATUSHA
• DNF Sergey LAGUTIN, TEAM KATUSHA
• DNF Bertjan LINDEMAN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
• DNF Bram TANKINK, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
• DNF Dennis VAN WINDEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
• DNF Corentin CHERHAL, TEAM NOVO NORDISK
• DNF Joonas HENTTALA, TEAM NOVO NORDISK
• DNF Andrea PERON, TEAM NOVO NORDISK
• DNF Ian BOSWELL, TEAM SKY
• DNF Richie PORTE, TEAM SKY
• DNF Felix GROSSSCHARTNER, TINKOFF – SAXO
• DNF Jesus HERNANDEZ BLAZQUEZ, TINKOFF – SAXO
• DNF Robert KISERLOVSKI, TINKOFF – SAXO
• DNF Frank SCHLECK, TREK FACTORY RACING
• DNF Matthew BUSCHE, TREK FACTORY RACING
• DNF Marco COLEDAN, TREK FACTORY RACING
• DNF Yaroslav POPOVYCH, TREK FACTORY RACING