Jan Bakelants defies sprinters with Gran Piemonte solo win

Belgian Jan Bakelants took the victory in a wet and windy edition of Gran Piemonte in Italy - Tao Geoghegan Hart in escape on his debut for Sky - Photos by Graham Watson

Jan Bakelants (AG2R La Mondiale) wins he 2015 Grand Piemonte
(Image credit: Watson)

Jan Bakelants (Ag2r) held off the chasing peloton to win Gran Piemonte in Italy on Friday, having distanced his rivals with a late solo attack.

The Belgian launched his winning move with around five kilometres remaining in the 185km UCI 1.HC-ranked race.

Initially it looked as though he had gone to early and would not keep the sprinters' trains at bay, but remarkably Bakelants managed to maintain his advantage all the way to the line in Ciriè... just.

Tao Geoghegan Hart in action during the 2015 Grand Piemonte

Tao Geoghegan Hart put himself in the day's break in his first outing for Sky
(Image credit: Watson)

The wet, distinctly autumnal conditions did nothing to dampen Bakelants' celebration after taking his first victory of the season - and his first win since a stage of the 2014 Critérium du Dauphiné.

Matteo Trentin (Etixx-QuickStep) brought home the chasers in second, with Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani-CSF) in third.

Tao Geoghegan Hart marked his race debut as a stagiaire for Team Sky by joining the day's escape group. The 20-year-old Londoner was one of the last of the original 13 escapees to get caught.

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Attention now turns to Sunday, where many of the riders in Gran Piemonte will contest Il Lombardia, the final WorldTour race of 2015.

>>> Il Lombardia 2015 preview

Matteo Trentin (Etixx - Quick Step), Jan Bakelants (AG2R La Mondiale) and Sonny Colbrelli on the podium after the 2015 Grand Piemonte

Matteo Trentin (Etixx - Quick Step), Jan Bakelants (AG2R La Mondiale) and Sonny Colbrelli on the podium after the 2015 Grand Piemonte
(Image credit: Watson)

Result

Gran Piedmonte 2015: San Francesco al Campo to Ciriè, 185km

1. Jan Bakelants (Bel) Ag2r-La Mondiale

2. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx-QuickStep

3. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani-CSF

4. Eduard Grosu (Bel) Nippo-Vini Fantini

5. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar

6. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida

7. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo

8. Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka

9. Andrea Fedi (Ita) Southeast

10. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin

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Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, n exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.