Trentin turns injury-marred season around with European Championships victory
Italy's Matteo Trentin turned what has been a season full of injuries around into a moment of emotional success by winning the men's road race at the UEC European Championships in Glasgow on Sunday. Racing for the squadra azzurra, Trentin out-sprinted a six-rider breakaway to secure the title and distinctive jersey.
Trentin cracked a rib in pre-season training and then fractured his spine at Paris-Roubaix in April. He has spent eight months fighting back from injury.
"It's incredible to have won after everything I've been through recently," Trentin said. "We rode perfectly as a team, and I have to thank everyone who has supported me during my problems and injuries. Nothing went right for eight months, and so I want to thank everyone who was there for me. This is a great day!"
Moving from the Quick-Step program over to Mitchelton-Scott this season was meant to be an exciting time for Trentin but his crash while training in January, where he broke one rib and sustained superficial wounds, set him off on the wrong foot. Once recovered, he started racing at the Volta a Valenciana to make up for lost training time ahead of the 'opening weekend' of the Classics at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, where he assumed a leadership role. He managed 55th and 16th place, respectively, but played vital roles in breakaways at both races.
He went on to respectable performances during the Classics season; 11th at E3 Harelbeke, 7th at Gent-Wevelgem, but the worst of his injuries followed a crash on the d'Haveluy à Wallers sector at Paris-Roubaix. He suffered a stable compression fracture of his thoracic spine, and although he was thankful his injuries weren't worse, he wore a back brace for one month during his recovery period.
It took eight weeks before he could return to racing at the Adriatica Ionica Race in June, but he only just started to show top form when he finished third in the opening stage at the Tour de Pologne last week. The result in Poland bode well for his goals to race with the Italian national team at the European Championships.
Italy and Cassani celebrate
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