Tour of Estonia

First year professional Alessandro Perracchione impressed on the opening stage of today’s Tour of Estonia with the 19-year-old Italian finishing in the top 20 for Team Novo Nordisk after a tough finale in Tartu.

“Alessandro did well once again today,” said Sports director Gennady Mikhaylov. “He’s eager to learn and adapt to the pro level and shows this every time he races and here in Estonia is a good place for our younger riders to gain some experience without so much stress. This is one of the best things that we can do for our neo pros, give them a solid environment in which to develop and try to create a racing program that gives them time to do that.”

The 193km stage wound south from the capital Tallinn to the picturesque, historic university city of Tartu on what was for the main a tranquil day in warm sunshine behind the breakaway turned into fireworks at the end as the uphill cobbled finale dug into the legs.

“We rode really steady throughout,” said Perracchione. “So much so that you don’t realize how much the distance takes out of you until you get to the final and then it hurts. I did the best I could on the climb to the finish, but I didn’t have the legs to make it into the top ten.”

“It’s only a short climb to the line, but it’s really sharp on the cobbles and the gradient rises very quickly, and that’s when I felt the 200km in the legs. Nevertheless I really enjoyed the day, every race I do as a neo pro is all about learning and gaining experience, but I’m hungry and I always want to get the best result possible.”

Tomorrow’s final stage in Tartu takes in the very same cobbled climb repeatedly over 15 laps and will certainly thin out the bunch in what is usually a classics style finish to the race.

The 2024 Tour of Estonia came to a close with sixteen laps of a punishing hilly circuit in Tartu with the familiar cobbled ascent of yesterday’s first stage again the key characteristic that proved to be the undoing of over half the peloton.

Talented Italian prospect Alessandro Perracchione was once again the protagonist for Team Novo Nordisk and in a weird touch of Deja vu, the 19-year-old finished in exactly the same place as stage one…18th. 

Talk about consistency!

“We got a good look at the cobbled climb on yesterday’s stage,” said Perracchione. “And if I thought it took it out of me then, well today it pushed us all to the limit. It really was full gas from the start and every lap the group got smaller and smaller and the climb got harder and harder.”

“I had a puncture on the cobbles with seven laps to go and it took another four laps to get back in to the front and with two laps remaining I made it, but like yesterday I missed that extra bit of top end to finish in the top ten. I’m happy with how the race went in general though, more time with my teammates, more experience and more race rhythm.” Racing in Estonia has always been a positive experience for the worlds first all diabetes professional cycling team, and to continue to carry the message of inspire, educate and empower with a new generation of athletes living with type 1 diabetes is what drives us on.