Steve Cummings went agonisingly close to victory in the Trofeo Laigueglia on Saturday.
The Wirral rider made a late attack in the final kilometre to try and anticipate the fast finishers in a select front group but was caught two hundred metres from the line.
Italy?s Francesco Ginanni (Diquigiovanni) got a perfect lead out from team mate Davide Rebellin and beat Filippo Pozzato in the sprint. Enrico Rossi (Flaminia) was third. Cummings hung on to finish seventh, while team mates Chris Froome and Mauricio Soler finished in the front group of 25 riders after working for Cummings.
?It was good attack but I tied up a bit in the finale,? Cummings told Cycling Weekly just after the finish.
?The extra climb with 20km made it a better race for me and my team mates did an awesome job for me keeping things together on the second climb and when it was really twisty. It was a good ride by all the team.?
?I wanted to go on the flat run-in but there was one rider away and we were chasing, so it wasn?t possible. I was up there with Rebellin and all the others on the climbs so I can?t complain, I was there, riding to win.?
More later...
