The Tuscan, the last Italian to win the Flanders in 2019, won the “starter” race of the Milan-Sanremo on March 16 with an attack 32 km from the finish line. Christen and Hirschi on the podium
Finally Alberto Bettiol, a great signal for Sanremo. With an action like a true attacker, which began 32 km from the finish on the penultimate climb of Prascorsano, the Florentine from Ef Easypost won the 105th Milan-Turin, the oldest classic (first edition in 1876), at the finish line in Salassa. Bettiol, the last Italian winner of the Tour of Flanders in 2019 and a great protagonist at the 2023 World Championship in Glasgow, takes a victory that means a lot for morale three days before Milan-Sanremo.
Bettiol’s attack
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With 20 km to go, he has 44 seconds on the group still led by Uae Emirates of Ulissi and Hirschi. Bettiol, who is an excellent timer, never turns around; he defends himself on the last little climb, Colleretto Castelnuovo, and then increases his advantage again on the long straights towards Salassa, the town in the Canavese area north of Turin which hosted the finish line of the race for the first time. At 10 km from the finish line it’s still 20”, at 3 km it’s 10”, at the last kilometer it’s 8”. At 800 meters the Swiss Jan Christen starts, but is unable to catch up. Christen second at 7″, Hirschi third at 9″, both from UAE Emirates. For him it is the fifth victory of his career: in addition to Flanders, the Stradella stage at the 2021 Giro.
Milan-Turin, order of arrival
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So at the finish line of the 105th Milan-Turin, 177 km: