Coppa Lella Mentasti - GP Città di Stresa (ITT)

Columbia-HTC's Marco Pinotti ended his year on a high note on Sunday when he powered home to a convincing victory in the GP Citta di Stresa time trial in Italy. Pinotti's win brings down the curtain on the 2009 season for Columbia-HTC, and it also brings the men's team's final tally of season wins to 86 - one more than in 2008.

Pinotti completed the 33.8 kilometre course one minute and five seconds ahead of Italy's Alessandro Raisoni. Ivan Basso finished third at 1-29. "It was a good win, and knowing this was the 86th victory for Columbia-HTC this year really is the icing on the cake," Pinotti said afterwards."

"The time trial course was simple. It went out and back alongside a lake, so I really gave it everything on the second half. That's where I made the difference. Taking a victory here on home soil in Italy as a way to round off the year is a nice feeling. It's a good way to start my winter holidays!" Pinotti recognised that finishing well over a minute ahead of his closest rival was "a big gap. But a lot of the guys did the Tour of Lombardy the day before, and maybe that affected them. I myself was worried after not performing so well there, but things went completely the other way for me today and I managed to win."

Pinotti's victory came in the last race for Columbia-HTC this year, a season in which the men's and women's squads have taken a combined total of 132 victories by 21 different riders.

For Pinotti it's his third individual win of the season after winning a stage in the Vuelta a Pais Vasco and the Italian Time Trial Championships. Next to that he won with Columbia-HTC the team time-trial in the Tour de Romandie and the Giro D'Italia. He was also 3rd in the Tour of Missouri, 5th in the time-trial at the Worlds in Mendrisio, 5th in the Tour of Ireland, 6th in the Sachsen Tour and 10th in the Classica San Sebastian. On his 2009 season he said the following: "Now the season is over I am really happy on how it ended. Especially in the 2nd half of the season I showed some strong rides. The only weak point was my ride in Lombardia . I wanted to do well and trained hard for that. Luckily it all turned well with my win of today"

Result
1. Marco Pinotti (Columbia Htc) 40’48”5 49.690
2. Alessandro Raisoni (Carmiooro A-Style) 41’53”7
3. Ivan Basso (Liquigas Doimo) 42’17”1
4. Ivan Santaromita (Liquigas Doimo) 42’40”9
5. Dario Cataldo (Quick Step) 43’01”4
6. Simon Clarke (Isd Neri) 43’24”5
7. Sylwester Szmyd (Liquigas Doimo) 43’27”1
8. Pavel Brutt (Katusha) 43’39”9
9. Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre NGC) 43’41”5
10. Francesco Ginanni (Diquigiovanni Androni) 44’01”9
11. Paolo Longo Borghini (Barloworld) 44’17”4
12. Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto) 44'30"8
13. Paolo Bailetti (Fuji Servetto) 44’47”8
14. Marco Cattaneo (LPR Farnese) 44’48”4
15. Valerio Agnoli (Liquigas Doimo) 45’14”3
16. Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2r La Mondiale) 45’16”3
17. Kjell Carlstrom (Liquigas Doimo) 45’24”9
18. Santo Anzà (Isd Neri) 45’29”3
19. Giairo Ermeti (Lpr Farnese) 45’40”1
20. Giampaolo Cheula (Barlowolrd) 46’10”7
21. Leonardo Bertagnolli (Diquigiovanni Androni) 46’15”8
22. Damiano Cunego (Lampre NGC) 47’50”6

• Discuss the sport with fans from around the world on the Daily Peloton Forums & Chat Room.
• Sponsor the daily peloton - advertise your product - contact us.
• Would you like to try your had at writing about the sport? contact us.
• Link your site or blog to www.dailypeloton.com
  
  

• Discuss this race and the sport with other cycling fans from around the world on the Daily Peloton.com Forums and Chat Room.
• Sponsor the daily peloton & advertise your product - contact us.
• Do you have a passion for cycling and a yen to write? contact us.