Archie Ryan (Jumbo Visma Development) has made a very successful return to racing after 10 months away from the peloton due to injury. And while the Irish rider also came down with a bout of Covid-19 last month, which he told stickybottle impacted him quite badly, he also seems to have shrugged off that illness.
On the strength of his performance today he can go into Tour de l'Avenir next week with the Irish team with the confidence he is definitely at the level to race at the front, something he said just days ago he believed he could do.
In today's Gran Premio Sportivi di Poggiana-Trofeo Bonin Costruzioni, a 164.2km U23 one-day race in northern Italy, Ryan made the front group that was sprinting for victory. And in the 10-man dash to the line, he placed 4th.
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While the race was four hours in length and featured some climbs, those ascents were not long enough or hard enough for Ryan to be in a position to really make the difference and completely split the lead group.
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Today's race was won by Nicolo Pettiti (Sias Rime) from Giacomo Villa (Biesse-Carrera) and Manuel Oioli (Q36.5 Continental Team), with Ryan next, on the same time as the winner.
Finishing in the 10-man select group, which was just over two minutes clear of the nearest chasers, offers evidence the Irishman is in decent shape, in what was his first race of the season following the flare up of a knee injury during the winter break late last year.
More to come.
