"I didn't expect to go so fast for so long!" - Alberto Bettiol puts down monument marker with incredible Milano-Torino victory

Alberto Bettiol came prepared at Milano - Torino, taking to the startline in a skinsuit and a time-trial helmet. When he attacked solo with 30km to go, this paid off as he narrowly held off the chasers to claim a brilliant win.

"It's a nice victory. I'm really proud of winning in Italy and winning one of the most iconic races in the world," the 30-year-old Italian of EF Education-EasyPost reflected in his post-race interview. "I am really happy."

As mentioned, Bettiol attacked clear on the penultimate climb of the day, 30km out from the finish line. "I tried because I was feeling good and I just wanted to test my legs after Tirreno-Adriatico and before Milano-Sanremo," he explains. "I didn't expect to go so fast for so long! I expected a bunch of riders behind but yeah, it was really tough."

In the finale, Bettiol was tantalisingly dangling in front of the chasers almost within touching distance but they just could not complete the catch. "I didn't plan to suffer so much," Bettiol laughs. "I am really proud to win today. For the team it's important because it's an extra motivation for the upcoming races. This team put in an extra effort for us with the material and in modern cycling you have to ride really fast."