[15.10 16:03] Team Saxo Bank’s Chris Anker Sørensen, Anders Lund, Gustav Larsson, Alexander Kolobnev, Jens Voigt, Nicki Sørensen and Jakob Fuglsang today participated in the undulating and 184 kilometer long after Italian autumn race, Gran Piemonte. The race is characterized as a warm-up to the last big challenge of the season, Giro di Lombardia which will hold the same Team Saxo Bank line-up on Saturday.

But the Gran Piemonte is standing on its own feet through its beautiful and in many ways breathtaking hilly landscape between Genoa in the south and Turin in the north. The race has through the years been won by prominent names such as Moser and Merckx, Coppi, Gimondi and Bugno.

After today’s edition of the race, another name was added to list of winners of the race as Lotto rider Philippe Gilbert continued his winning streak by crossing the line first like he did it in last weekend’s Paris-Tours. Daniel Moreno (Caisse d’Epargne) finished second while Italian Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-NGC) took the bottom step on the podium.

“Primarily, we used the race as a preparation for Saturday’s big race, Giro di Lombardia. Perhaps with the exception of Jens (Voigt), who gets stronger for each race he does and it is very good to see him unfold actively and aggressively again to create a crucial breakaway. Now we are looking forward to Saturday’s last great challenge on the road”, concludes sports director Kim Andersen.