Elia Viviani described his stage 2 sprint victory at the Dubai Tour as the best cycling birthday present he has ever received. The confidence he gained from holding off Mark Cavendish and Alexander Kristoff boosted his own self-belief and the belief that the Quick-Step Floors team have in him.
Viviani perhaps received one birthday present a few months early when his agent Giovanni Lombardi suggested last summer that he end his contract with Team Sky and move to Quick-Step Floors for 2018. With Marcel Kittel heading to Katusha-Alpecin, the Belgian team needed a second sprinter that would not clash with Fernando Gaviria's ambitions at the Tour de France.
Viviani is happy to ride the Giro d'Italia, while the road will decide who leads in Milan-San Remo and the other spring Classics.
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At Team Sky, Viviani often had to rely on his track skills to fight for his chances in the sprints. Now Quick-Step Floors lead him out with experience and precision, which he is discovering is invaluable.
"When I lose, the day after I'm really hungry and motivated to do better. Cav (Cavendish) put me on the limit in the sprint but thanks to a great lead-out I could win," Viviani explained, savouring a television replay on his stage 2 sprint.
"This year there's no excuse. I have a really strong team. Nine times out of ten they bring me in a good position with the open road ahead of me. I was scared of being trapped in like yesterday. I really wanted to do my sprint and so thought that if someone passed me, then good for him. But nobody arrived.
Holm welcomes Viviani into the Quick-Step Floors 'wolf pack'
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