The 26-year-old was the Wolfpack’s top finisher at the 184km one-day race.
Our team’s Australian summer came to a conclusion on Sunday, when Filippo Zana showed again not just his climbing skills, but also the speed he is capable of at the end of a hard race, to take seventh at the Cadel Evans Road Race.
The Italian led Soudal Quick-Step at the tenth edition of the season’s first World Tour one-day race, where he lined out just one week after securing a top ten overall at the Tour Down Under, and he made sure he was in the right place every time it mattered. It came as no surprise that the main attacks of the day came on the Challambra circuit – similar to the one used at the 2010 World Championships – and it was on the final lap that a small group went clear over the top of the climb.
Filippo was there, one of the dozen or so riders to book a place, and took some strong turns to make sure the move would make it. A few other men managed to join them on the descent, but despite this and a couple of attacks that risked fragmenting the group, it all stayed together and the race came down to a sprint of the Geelong waterfront.
Zana produced a powerful seated acceleration to finish in seventh place, behind winner Tobias Lund (Decathlon CGA CGM), his best ever result in a World Tour one-day race, and at the same time, one that underlines his remarkable consistency over the past few weeks.
“It was a hard race, especially in the final part, where several teams decided to go full gas. The last time up the Challambra, I did my best and got away together with a couple of guys, then others joined us in the descent. I tried to do a good sprint and I can be content with seventh”, Filippo said. “I had a good time in Australia, I am happy with my results and the way I felt. Being top ten in these two races is a confidence-boost before returning to Europe, where I hope to continue on the same trajectory.”
Photo credit: ©Con Chronis / Getty Images
