Meintjes escapes breakaway for solo victory at Giro dell'Appennino

published on 2-6-2022

Tesfazion wins bunch sprint for second ahead of Zimmermann

Natnael Tesfatsion, Louis Meintjes and Georg Zimmermann on the podium of the Giro dell'Appennino 2022. (Photo © Intermarché)

2022 Giro dell'Appennino

Italy | 1.1 | 191.7 km

POS	RIDER TEAM	TIME
01	Louis Meintjes Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert	4:56:30
02	Natnael Tesfazion Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli	+ 1:37
03	Georg Zimmermann Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert	+ 1:37
04	Simon Clarke Israel-Premier Tech	+ 1:37
05	Alessandro Verre Team Arkéa-Samsic	+ 1:37

Natnael Tesfatsion won the sprint for second place from Georg Zimmermann. (Photo © Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert

Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) won the Giro dell’Appennino for his first victory of the season. He broke free of a small breakaway group to win solo in Genoa.

Natnael Tesfazion (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli) won the bunch sprint for second while Meintjes' teammate Georg Zimmermann took third.

Both Meintjes and Zimmermann were in a leading group of five riders, accompanied by Alessandro Verre and Michel Ries for Arkéa-Samsic and Tesfatsion, on the fifth and final categorised climb of the long 191.7km route. On the winding path towards Bolzaneto, four riders bridged to the front to make it nine riders with 10km to go - Paul Double (Mg K Vis), Alessio Martinelli (Bardiani CSF Faizanè), Simon Clarke (Israel-Premier Tech) and Ivan Moreno (Equipo Kern Pharma).

With 4km to go Meintjes launched his attack and rode solo to the line, with the bunch sprint of the remaining eight riders taken by half a wheel by Tesfatsion, 1:37 back.

Finishing among the group of 10 chasers, who finished 4:42 and 4:46 behind the winner, was 50-year-old Davide Rebellin (Work Service Marchiol Vega), who finished 19th in his return to racing after suffering a double fracture to his leg in a crash at the Memorial Marco Pantani last September 2021.

Giro dell'Appennino 2022 (1.1)
Results (191.7 km)

1	louis meintjes	Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert
2	Natnael Tesfazion	Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli
3	Georg Zimmerman	Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert
4	simon clarke	Israel-Premier Tech
5	Alessandro Verre	Team Arkéa-Samsic
6	Paul Double	MG.K vis Colors for Peace VPM
7	Alessio Martinelli	Bardiani CSF Faizanè
8	Ivan Moreno	Kern Pharma Team
9	Michael Ries	Team Arkéa-Samsic