Taking to the start line just a day after a heavy fall and withdrawal from Strade Bianche, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka pushed aside any discomfort to sprint to a commendable sixth place at Sunday’s UCI 1.1 Trofeo Oro in Euro.

The 106.8km parcours was neatly split into five flat, fast laps before two almost-as-fast circuits that featured the Fortezza climb (4.8 km at 4.7%). Early aggression saw two riders break clear on the second lap, with a third joining them on the fourth. Their lead peaked at 1:40 minutes, but they were never granted full freedom.

CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto controlled much of the race, forming a strong presence at the helm of the peloton. Jule Märkl and Joëlle Messemer set tempo for the team during the flat portion, leading Agnieszka, Antonia Niedermaier, Ricarda Bauernfeind, and Justyna Czapla into the base of the first decisive ascent.

Once the two young Germans had completed their roles, Joëlle impressing in her first elite-level race, the remaining trio of German teammates worked to support their Polish leader in the final 40 kilometres.

On the first ascent of the Fortezza, a small group edged clear close to the summit, including Pieterse (FDC), Vanpachtenbeke (VWT), and Magnaldi (UAD). Agnieszka, Justyna, and Antonia made the select 20-rider chase group, with Justyna and Antonia driving the effort to close the gap.

Ricarda rejoined the front, and the team worked to create the ideal scenario for Agnieszka as the second ascent beckoned with 19 kilometres remaining. From there, it became largely a test of remaining physical strength and mental fortitude – particularly for those who had already raced the previous day.

The Polish all-rounder stayed within touching distance of the lead until the final kilometre of the climb, where she was distanced by the eventual podium finishers – Swinkels and Włodarczyk (UAD), and Pieterse (FDC). She resettled into a chasing group alongside Antonia, but despite their efforts and those of other teams with multiple riders, the trio up front evaded capture.

In the finish, Agnieszka showcased her trademark versatility to cross the line third in the chasing group, finishing sixth overall. She reflects on the race from her perspective:

“The race started really fast already from kilometre zero. We were riding together in the front, the whole team, and I’m really proud of this because these young girls did an amazing job today. It was already a super hard pace on the first climb. I was there with Antonia and also Justyna, and then we had to close the gap to the three riders, so Antonia and Justyna did this job. I was really lucky and happy to have them with me. The last climb was also super hard, and I just missed those 100 metres to be with the three riders. But I did my best-ever 10-minute power today, so I’m happy with that – especially after my crash yesterday. I started the sprint already with 300 metres to go, so the Volkervessels rider was a bit faster, and the rider from Uno-X passed me just on the line.”

The team now bounces between Belgium and Italy, starting with Ixina GP Oetingen on 13 March, then back to Italy for the weekend with Trofeo Alfredo Binda, returning to Belgium for Danilith Nokere Koerse on 19 March, before heading once more to Italy for the historic first-ever Sanremo Women on 22 March.