Weekend in the Tuscan hills for Team Novo Nordisk at GP Industria & Artigianato

Team Novo Nordisk return to the historic and hilly Italian one-day race GP Industria & Artigianato in Tuscany on Sunday charged with replicating recent storing team performances in Holland and Belgium.

The 45th edition (in its current guise) will deviate slightly from the classic route of repeated ascents of the famous San Baronto climb out of Lamporecchio and instead climb up to nearby Fornello four times before the finish in Larciano.

A strong triumvirate of home riders line up on Sunday with captain Andrea Peron coming in directly from the last races in Belgium and Friulian Filippo Ridolfo and Umberto Poli fresh from the Tour of Taiwan.

“This time of year, the races come one after the other and it’s important for the guys to be ready to go,” said General Manager Vassili Davidenko. “GP Industria & Artigianato is always a tough test and this year we go in without a pure climber, so a key objective will be to try and be active in the breakaway and help give our punchier riders a chance.”

“My good friend and our head sports director Massimo Podenzana won Larciano back in 1999, so let’s see if some of Pode’s know how can help the guys on Sunday!”

2021 Czech U19 road champion Matyas Kopecky impressed in his first semi-classics last week with strong rides at Nokere Koerse and Koksijde Classic and is joined by fellow young guns Hamish Beadle and Declan Irvine with the experienced Sam Brand completing the team.

“It’s always nice to be racing at home in Italy,” said Peron. “Even if the hilly parcours at Larciano isn’t exactly for me, it’s a race I enjoy.”

“We had a few days up north in Belgium last week – put best ever spring classics results – and some of the other guys have come in from a solid race in Taiwan, so I think for this stage of the season we are on track and let see if we can keep up momentum on Sunday.”

Team Novo Nordisk at GP Industria & Artigianato, Sunday 26^th March:

Hamish Beadle (NZ, 24)

Sam Brand (GBR, 32)

Matyas Kopecky (CZ, 20)

Declan Irvine (AUS, 24)

Andrea Peron (IT, 34)

Umberto Poli (IT, 26)

Filippo Ridolfo (IT,21)