RACE: Tro-Bro Léon
DATE: Sunday 7 May
There’s an undeniable charm about Tro-Bro Léon. The race, as one cycling title described it, was “riding gravel well before gravel racing existed”. With 27 sectors of ribinoù to navigate during an anti-clockwise loop of Finistrère (the westernmost department of Metropolitan France), traditional thinking says good luck and strong legs are both required to perform well here.
It was clear that Giacomo Nizzolo had the latter on 7 May, the day on which the race’s 40th edition took place. With the help of a strong team performance, he was thankfully able to overcome a mechanical issue inside of 30 kilometres to go.
Despite numerous attacks in the closing kilometres, Nizzolo had enough energy left to win the seven-rider sprint for victory.
This success opened IPT’s victory count for 2023. “I really had to suffer today to get the victory, but I’m super happy because when it comes after such an effort it feels even better,” said the Italian.
This victory was overseen by sports director René Mandri, for whom it was a first in a DS role.
“It was a great win by Giacomo,” he said. “From sector nine, the race was full gas. Giacomo had bad luck with a puncture with around eight sectors to go, but he had really good legs and managed to get back. He was in a sprint with seven other riders, and only had to focus on beating [Arnaud] De Lie from Lotto Dstny, and he got it on the line with a photo finish. It was a really great job by the whole team.”
