His Europe beats all against the clock: it is the Europe of Edoardo Affini, who becomes European elite time trial champion. He wins the title on the roads of Limburg, on the opening day of the Continental Championships, which thus begins in the best possible way for the Italian expedition. 28 years old from Mantova, Edoardo Affini shares the continental podium with another Italian, who finishes third, and that is Mattia Cattaneo. Excellent fifth place for Vittoria Guazzini among the women.
For Affini, this is his first title in the top category in a specialty that had already seen him on the top step among the Under-23s, in 2018, in Glasgow.The Team Visma-Lease a Bike rider confirms a special relationship with the Union jersey, having also worn it as a junior, winner in 2014 in Nyon, on that occasion it was the road race.The national team orphaned of Pippo Ganna, therefore knows how to console itself well with the other specialist against time: it is the first time that the continental time trial title arrives for the Italian colors. our outclassman Ganna had come close in 2021 beaten by that Stefan Kung who today had to bow to the greater bottom of the blue. The Mantuan built his success in the second part of the race. Fifth at the 10-kilometer mark, he took the lead in the second detection by 6 tenths over the Swiss. In the final 11 kilometers he increased his lead again, finishing with a time of 35’15″47 at an average of 53.26. Kung is second at 9″59. Mattia Cattaneo’s performance was excellent, also able to catch up with his rivals in the second half and cross the finish line 19″66 from the winner (photo podium SprintCyclingAgency). “It could not have started better,” commented President Dagnoni. with a title that we had never won in the past. These medals reward two splendid boys for their seriousness and the self-sacrifice with which they have always worked, and they also show that alongside a champion like Filippo Ganna there are other athletes capable of great feats .” In the women’s race, success of Belgian Lotte Kopecky in 39′. Vittoria Guazzini is the author of a good race that allows him to take fifth place, 1’08 from the new European champion and 6” from bronze. Alec Segaert and Annina Ahtosalo are the new U23 champions. Good performance by Italian Andrea Raccagni Noviero, 7th, and Nicolas Milesi, 9th. Carlotta Cipressi is 15th. Among the juniors, successes for Paula Ostiz Taco and Michel Mouris. Seventh place for Lorenzo Mark Finn, Elena De Laurentiis is 15th, Irma Siri 20th, Andrea Montagner 32nd.
