David Veilleux (Europcar) took the biggest victory of his career as he the took as solo win in the Tre Valli Varesine in Luino, on the banks of Lake Maggiore. The 24-year-old French-Canadian, who won the Mi-Août en Bretagne stage race the week before, managed to escape a ten-man group with 17km to go, and held on to take the race, which was the third and last event in the unofficial Trittico Lombardo.
Andrea Palini (Team Idea) won the sprint for second place, 1’06” behind the Canadian, ahead of Danilo Di Luca (Acqua & Sapone).
"What David did today is huge,” said directeur sportif Dominique Arnould “He is in brilliant form and stood up to a chasing group which included some big names. The Italians were especially watching Thomas [Voeckler], and David took advantage of this.”
The 198.5km race began in Maestri Campionesi, on the banks of Lake Lugano, and the rolling course over the hilly roads of the Varese region saw the peloton steadily shrink in size. By the time the race reached the three, decreasing, hilly circuits around Luino, the front group was down to just eleven riders.
With Veilleux, Palini and Di Luca were François Parisien (Spidertech p/b C10), Luca Wackermann and Mattia Cattaneo (both Lampre-ISD), Angel Madrazo (Movistar), Francesco Reda (Acqua & Sapone), Paolo Bailetti (Utensilnord-Named), Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF Inox), and Veilluex’s Europcar teammate Thomas Voeckler.
Voeckler attacked several times, but was chased down by the rest of the group until, with 17km to go, Veilleux made his own move and the group was unable to respond. The Canadian managed to steadily increase his lead over the disorganised chasers, and was able to sit up to celebrate his biggest ever win.
Veilleux's victory, along with 24th in the Coppa Bernocchi and 42nd in the Coppa Agostini in the days before, was enough to secure him the unofficial overall classification of the Trittico Lombardo.
Result Tre Valli Varesine
1. David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar
2. Andrea Palini (Ita) Team Idea @ 1’06”
3. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
4. François Parisien (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10
5. Luca Wackermann (Ita) Lampre-ISD
6. Angel Madrazo (Spa) Movistar Team
7. Francesco Reda (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
8. Paolo Bailetti (Ita) Utensilnord-Named
9. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox