Fabio Aru returned to his roots and finished his last cyclo-cross race since his U23 days in the colors of UAE Team Emirates.

He missed the podium in the fourth round of the Trofeo Le Velò series in Ancona on Sunday, finishing fourth behind Joelle Bertolini, Luca Pescarmona (both Team Bramati), and Stefano Capponi.

Alu told Tuttobiciweb, "I enjoyed it, but what a struggle!" he said.

He will race his last race of the season on Tuesday in Saint Fior before moving to the Qhubeka Assos team.

The 30-year-old rode cyclocross throughout his junior and U23 years before signing his first professional contract with the Astana team in 2012 to focus on the road.

He has won the Vuelta a España and was runner-up in the 2015 Giro d'Italia, but in recent years he has suffered from a narrowing of the iliac artery, which required surgical treatment, and a cytomegalovirus infection that forced him to withdraw from the 2019 Vuelta.

The calendar was only interrupted by a coronavirus pandemic, and he started 2020 with the expectation of eventually competing the season at full strength. when he returned in August at the Vuelta a Burgos, Aru was hopeful, but the Tour de France 9th He was shot in the back early in the stage and dropped out of the race.

"When I spoke to the team doctor yesterday, I told him I was feeling better and confident for the rest of the race. Now here I am, stuck in a hole.

Due to the lack of results, he left UAE Team Emirates and was not under contract until Qhubeka Assos finally signed a deal after the Swiss apparel company bailed out the team in late November.