Italian rider wins first professional race on last day of career
Alan Marangoni goes out with a bang after 11 years
If Nippo-Vini Fantini’s Alan Marangoni seemed particularly ecstatic when he won the 1.2-ranked Tour de Okinawa on Sunday, it was because it was the last race of his career after 11 seasons and also because it was his first professional victory. The Italian won with a late attack from the day’s breakaway.
Marangoni called it a “fairy tale finish to my career”, most of which he spent as a WorldTour rider at Cannondale. The 34-year-old Italian worked for Peter Sagan, Ivan Basso and Rigoberto Uran as part of the Argyle Armada.
Over the last two seasons he plied his trade for Italian Pro Continental outfit Nippo-Vini Fantini, which had eight Japanese riders racing in 2018. Since September he has raced almost entirely in Asia. His last WorldTour race was this year’s Tour de Suisse.
Marangoni said, “It was the perfect day I have always looked for in my career and I found it today. I took the risk of attacking in the last kilometres because I wanted to play all the cards to reach this goal, chased several times during my career. Crossing the final line first and winning on a day that was already special for me, was an emotion of an indescribable power. It was a month of sacrifice far from home, but I wanted to close in the best way my career.”
Complimenti, Alan.
