It was a Team Katusha show on the uphill finish to the Superga Basilica after the 95th Milano-Torino (193,5 km), race won by Giampaolo Caruso. With Dani Moreno (3rd), Joaquim Rodríguez (5th) and Sergei Chernetckii (7th), four Team Katusha riders finished in top ten.
- I am very happy. I was already many times close to victory this season, but finally I made it. Sergei Chernetckii did an enormous work He attacked with four kilometers to go. When Nocentini counterattacked, I followed him. With 2,5 km to go we caught Chernetckii but he continued to work hard in the front until 1 k to go. He was super. As I knew Nocentini is very strong in the sprint, I tried to anticipate and attacked with 300 meters to go. He followed me but I had a second acceleration in my legs, - explained happy Giampaolo Caruso.
Favorites Joaquim Rodríguez (5th), Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) (6th) and Fabio Aru (4th) (Astana) were looking too much too each other when first Chernetckii and later Caruso attacked. The Sicilian rider had waited since 2009 to taste victory and celebrated in style in Torino.
- Since Liege-Bastogne-Liège this year I knew a victory would arrive soon for me but bad luck in the Giro ruined my season. I came back in the Vuelta and proved there and in the Worlds to be back at my good Spring level. Our team today was really super. We showed here again what a good team Katusha is. Now let's try to do the same in Lombardy, - added Giampaolo Caruso.
- The team was indeed marvelous. With five teammates we were still there in the finale. When Chernetckii attacked I was there as a backup. We were ready to win. We go now to Lombardy with the same team. Let's hope we can continue this way, - concluded Dani Moreno, finishing third, just as in 2013.
Today’s success of Giampaolo Caruso became the 25th victory for Team Katusha in the season of 2014.
Team Katusha will start next Sunday as big favorite for the last one-day WorldTour race of the season, Il Lombardia, race won by Katusha’s Joaquim Rodríguez the last two years.
Photo credit: (c) Tim De Waele
