Only three days after becoming Road World Championship in Zurich, Lorenzo Finn triumphed at the Italian U19 race Olgiate Molgora-Ghisallo. This victory made him the first GRENKE - Auto Eder rider to win a race wearing the World Champion's jersey with the famous rainbow stripes.
Winning in the World Champion’s jersey is a rare privilege in the U19 category. Since the World Championships are typically held at the end of the year and the older riders transition to the U23 level, only a select few have the chance to actually race in the iconic white jersey with rainbow stripes. Lorenzo Finn, however, did just that. The freshly crowned World Champion from Zurich lined up just three days after his triumph at the one-day race Olgiate Molgora-Ghisallo in his native Italy – and quickly claimed another victory. After 105.3 kilometers, the 17-year-old crossed the line solo, marking his first win as the reigning World Champion.
Finn’s triumph is also a special moment for GRENKE - Auto Eder. For the first time in the team’s history, a rider won a race in the iconic World Champion’s jersey with the famous rainbow stripes. While Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe’s U19 team had already produced a road world champion in 2022 with Emil Herzog (Germany), Herzog did not compete in any U19 races after his World Championship victory in Wollongong, Australia, as he moved up to the U23 age group. For Finn, the race at Olgiate Molgora-Ghisallo marked both his final race of the season and his last U19 race. Next year, he will also transition to the U23 category.
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“Winning my final race of the season is amazing, especially doing so in the World Champion's jersey, just three days after the World Championships. A huge thank you to our sponsor, Sportful, for getting the jersey ready so quickly. Now, I’m excited for the winter break and what comes next.” – Lorenzo Finn
Photo: Paolo Radaelli