Italy’s Ulissi takes Montreal WorldTour cycling grand prix in sprint finish
MONTREAL — Diego Ulissi was mostly overlooked when he finished third last year, so the Italian made sure to be noticed this time by winning the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on Sunday afternoon.
The Team Emirates rider, who has won stages of the Giro d’Italia six times, easily took a six-man final sprint ahead of Movistar rider Jesus Herrada Lopez of Spain to post his biggest career victory in a one-day race.
“For sure, it’s important to win at the Giro d’Italia; it’s always a dream,” Ulissi said through an interpreter. “But I was looking for the opportunity to win a classic race and the Montreal grand prix was the perfect race for me.
“I was third last year behind two great champions (reigning world champion Peter Sagan and 2016 Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet). This year I tried to be a little bit more brave, trying to attack and go for the victory and I found it.”