Trofeo Laigueglia 2025

March 5, 2025 The Trofeo Laigueglia is a bit of an hors d'oeuvre for Milano-Sanremo, traversing the Ligurian coastline and taking on the Capo Mele five times, the last of which tops out just 2KM from the finish. The first half of the 197KM race is predominantly inland and has more sustained climbs of between 3-7KM long but when they hit the finishing circuit along the coast, the route becomes a saw tooth with the Colla Micheri (2KM at 8.4%) and Capo Mele each coming four times in the last 50KM. Conditions couldn't have been more ideal for the start with crystal clear skies and even clearer blue water lapping the shore as the riders set off. After about 30KM, a break formed consisting of nine riders including Victor Guernalec of Arkéa-B&B Hotels, Kevin Colleoni of Intermarché-Wanty, Asbjørn Hellemose of Jayco AlUla, Matteo Badilatti of Q36.5, Mattia Bais of Polti-VisitMalta, Odd Christian Eiking, Alex Tolio of VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè, Johan Meens of Wagner-Bazin WB, Luca Cretti of MBH Bank Ballan CSB. Their gap had been as high as 4 minutes but was down to 1 minute 45 seconds with 46KM to go as they were starting the local laps. The pace in the peloton was rapid going into the Colla Micheri for the first time. UAE-XRG rode hard up the climb and by the time they turned on to the main road after the descent, the peloton was in pieces with only about 40 riders in the front with numerous groups scrambling to get on behind. Badilatti, Bais, and Eiking were the only remaining riders from the original break as they started the second ascent of the Colla Micheri. A small group got away from the peloton after the Colla Micheri but they were closed down by UAE-XRG as were the original break during the downhill off the Capo Mele with 24KM to go. António Morgado of UAE-XRG set a hard pace up Colla Micheri on the third ascent, reducing the group down to around 15 riders. Juan Ayuso made a big attack one kilometer from the top but he would not have it his own way like he did in Faun Drome on Sunday. Christian Scaroni of XDS-Astana and Neilson Powless of EF-Education EasyPost caught on. Powless blew up just before the top though, leaving Scaroni and Ayuso to start the descent with Powless just behind and a chase group about 15 seconds back. Powless made a dare-devil descent and got back on to the leaders before the Capo Mele. Michael Storer of Tudor Pro Cycling also did a great descent, latching on before the Capo Mele, to make four at the front. With 11KM to go, the leaders started the Colla Micheri for the final time. A group of around ten were about to make contact with the leaders when Ayuso attacked again. Scaroni had the measure of him and the pair went over the top with a 15 seconds lead on Powless, Storer, as well Louis Barré of Intermarché-Wanty, and Alberto Bettiol of XDS-Astana who were part of the chase group of ten. Just like last lap, Powless descended faster than everyone else and joined Ayuso and Scaroni with 6KM to go. Storer was closing in on the leaders as were other riders behind so Ayuso put in one more attack on the Capo Mele. Scaroni followed, Powless could not respond but he did not give up. He clawed his way back to the front with 2.6KM to go as did Storer, just one kilometer later. Ayuso led through 500M to go and started the sprint long at 250M from the line. He got the jump on everyone else and held the gap to the line for his second win in as many races. Scaroni took second place with Storer in third and Powless in fourth.