Edoardo Affini and Mattia Cattaneo, one-two punch at European Championships

Edoardo Affini and Mattia Cattaneo, one-two punch at Europeans

They are starting the road cycling Europes for Italy with a bang. Edoardo Affini, in fact, won the Elite men’s time trial on the streets of Limburg, graduating himself European champion. But there'è more: in third place was another Italian, Mattia Cattaneo, who gave the Tricolor a historic double.

For the Team Visma-Lease a Bike rider this is the first continental title in the top category in a specialty that had already seen him triumph among the U23s, in 2018 in Glasgow. The 28-year-old from Mantua retains a special relationship with the Union jersey, having also worn it as a junior, winning in 2014 in Nyon in the road race.

Fifth at the 10-kilometer mark, he took the lead in the second bearing by 6 tenths over the Swiss. In the final 11 kilometers he increased his lead again, finishing with a time of 35’15”47 at an average of 53.26. Kung è second at 9”59. Mattia Cattaneo’s performance was excellent, also able to catch up with his opponents in the second and transiting at 19”66 from the winner.

In the elite women’s trial, Lotte Kopecky of Belgium won in 39’. Vittoria Guazzini è author of a beautiful test that allows him to take fifth place, at 1'08 from the new European champion and 6" from bronze.