Team GRENKE - Auto Eder dominates the one-day classic in Italy. Paul Fietzke also reaches the podium, finishing third.
This season, Italy has proven to be a successful venue for Team GRENKE - Auto Eder. Following Lorenzo Finn victory at the Tirreno-Adriatico in March, marking the U19 team of BORA - hansgrohe’s first win of the season, Theodor August Clemmensen added to the tally. On Easter Monday, the young Dane won the Gran Premio del Perdono, held south of Milan, crowning an outstanding team performance.
The Gran Premio del Perdono is one of the biggest one-day races on the Italian U19 calendar. This is evidenced by the start list, which featured 28 top-tier teams – including the junior selections of WorldTour teams Bahrain Victorious and EF Education-EasyPost, several national teams, and the best teams in Italian junior cycling.
Right from the start, Team GRENKE - Auto Eder controlled the pace of the 120-kilometer-long race. After Italian youngster Lorenzo Finn was part of an early breakaway, Theodor August Clemmensen and Paul Fietzke (Germany) initiated the decisive move 15 kilometres before the finish. Clemmensen then broke away from this group to win as a soloist. Fietzke consolidated the team's strong result by finishing third. In the sprint of the chasers, Noah Lindholm Møller Andersen (Denmark) took tenth place. Lorenzo Finn finished 17th.
With the momentum of their victorious outing in Italy, Team GRENKE - Auto Eder is now off to France for the U19 edition of the iconic professional classic, Paris-Roubaix, happening on Sunday.
Quotes
“It was a truly great race where we, as a team, worked perfectly together. In the finale, Paul and I were in a group of four, where we could leverage our tactical advantage to secure two spots on the podium. I’m, of course, very happy about my victory, especially as it was the perfect opportunity to build confidence for Paris-Roubaix next Sunday. Paris-Roubaix is a major goal for the team and for me personally.” – Theodor August Clemmensen
“This was a very strong performance by our team. Tactically, the guys executed all the plans excellently. This is especially commendable given the high level of competition in the race. Now, we’re heading to Paris-Roubaix with the right motivation. Last year, Paul Fietzke finished fourth there. This year, we aim to secure a spot on the podium.” – Dr. Christian Schrot, Sports Director
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