| 2021 UCI Europe Tour 2021 UCI ProSeries | |||||||||||||
| Race details | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | 4 October 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Stages | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Distance | 197.15 km (122.5 mi) | ||||||||||||
| Winning time | 4h 26' 13" | ||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
The 2021 Coppa Bernocchi (also known as the Coppa Bernocchi – GP Banco BPM for sponsorship reasons) was the 102nd edition of the Coppa Bernocchi road cycling one day race, which was held in and around Legnano, Italy, on 4 October 2021. This edition was the race's first in the UCI ProSeries; the 2020 edition was expected to feature in the inaugural UCI ProSeries but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2] The race was the first of the 2021 Trittico Lombardo, which also included the Tre Valli Varesine held the day after and the Coppa Ugo Agostoni, to be held a week later.[3]
The 197.15-kilometre (122.50 mi) race started from the Piazza San Magno in Legnano, with five sprint points in the first 35.5 kilometres (22.1 mi) at San Giorgio su Legnano, Nerviano, San Vittore Olona, Cerro Maggiore, and Busto Arsizio. The first of these came after 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) into the race, while the middle three came within a space of 6 kilometres (3.7 mi), starting at the 13-kilometre (8.1 mi) mark. The course then headed north to take on six laps of an approximately 17-kilometre (11 mi) circuit that featured ascents of San Pancrazio and the Piccolo Stelvio. Following this, the course returned to Legnano and finished with three laps of a 5.8-kilometre (3.6 mi) circuit around the town.[3][4]
After previous breakaway attempts were reeled back in by the peloton, six riders attacked to form another breakaway just under 60 kilometres (37 mi) into the race. On the laps of the first circuit, the sextet gradually increased their advantage, which initially stabilised at just over four minutes by the 90-kilometre (56 mi) mark, but their advantage continued to increase as they entered the final 50 kilometres (31 mi). With 31 kilometres (19 mi) left, Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck–Quick-Step) attacked from the lead group. The advantage of the leading six riders was so great that, by the final lap, race organisers forced the peloton to stop and let the sextet pass. Evenepoel continued to increase his lead over the final kilometres and soloed to the victory. With 3.1 kilometres (1.9 mi) left, Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates attacked from the remainder of the breakaway and was immediately chased by Evenepoel's teammate Fausto Masnada; they stayed ahead of the other three, with Covi outsprinting Masnada for second place just under two minutes in arrears. Samuele Battistella (Astana–Premier Tech) and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama–FDJ) finished around 30 seconds later, while stagiaire Antonio Puppio (Team Qhubeka NextHash), the last rider in the breakaway, finished a further thirty seconds later. Just under 11 minutes after Evenepoel had finished, Covi's teammate Juan Sebastián Molano won the sprint for seventh and led in the peloton.[5]
- ^ "Coppa Bernocchi - GP BPM". Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ "Coppa Bernocchi: 102° edizione" [Bernocchi Cup: 102nd edition]. Coppa Bernocchi (in Italian). Gruppo Sportivo Emilia. 30 September 2021. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- ^ a b "COPPA BERNOCCHI, A LEGNANO SI APRE IL TRITTICO LOMBARDO" [BERNOCCHI CUP: THE LOMBARD TRIPTYCH OPENS IN LEGNANO]. Tuttobiciweb (in Italian). Prima Pagina Edizioni s.r.l. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ "Volg hier de Coppa Bernocchi 2021" [Follow the Coppa Bernocchi 2021 here] (in Dutch). Wielerflits. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ "Evenepoel solos to victory at Coppa Bernocchi". CyclingNews. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.