Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani) continued his hugely consistent performances in 2014 when he finished 2nd in yesterday's GP Lugano. Despite taking his 6th top 5 result of the season, the Italian was hugely disappointed with the result after having come close to a win in a race that should actually have been too hard for the fast finisher.

Sonny Colbrelli has taken on more leadership at the Bardiani team this season after Sacha Modolo has joined Lampre-Merida. After the first month of racing, the team has no reason to regret putting so much confidence in their fast finisher as Colbrelli has been one of the most consistent performers at the highest level.

Prior to yesterday' GP Lugano, Colbrelli had taken no less than 5 top 5 results in race like Etoile de Besseges, Tour Mediteraneen and Trofeo Laigueglia. However, the elusive win had escaped and yesterday he again got close.

On a course that could easily have been too hard for him, Colbrelli made it into the 20-rider group that sprinted for the win. In the end, he was beaten into 2nd by Mauro Finetto and he regretted another near-miss.

”My teammates did a fantastic effort today and I tried to reward them with a win," he said. "I did an incredible effort to stay in the leading group on the last climb and then Bongiorno led me very well in the next descent. I started my sprint from the left side but Pineau of IAM Cycling closed me. I had to stop, loosing speed, and in this way I couldn’t do anything against Finetto’s comeback. It’s a month that I’m close to win, I hope that my time will arrive soon.

"I can't take much morale from this result. I wanted to win today. When I survived the final climb, I thought it was my day because there had always been one or two riders ahead of me, but I really wanted to do well in the sprint. I was closed by Pineau and I could not do as well as I wanted. But this is cycling, we look forward.

"It was a really tough race, even too much for my characteristics. We arrived at the finish with a very small group. However, I am going through a period with very good condition. The season is just beginning and we hope to continue in the next races."

Earlier in the race, the Bardiani team had been active with Marco Canola who was one of the early escapees to survive the longest, and Francesco Bongiorno who tried to attack on the last climb.

”It could have been a perfect day," sports director Roberto Reverberi said. "We raced really well with Canola, then Bongiorno and lastly Colbrelli who showed again a superb shape. This podium doesn’t reflect our performance because for me we deserved to win. Now there are only few days and then we’ll seek the revenge in GP di Camaiore."