Boasson-Hagen, Petacchi, Bennati and others fight over the front places of
the field as they are about to hit the Cipressa. No wonder they're doing
that, you cannot win the race on such climb, but you sre can lose it.
1620 CET- Grabovskyy is being caught. 3km to the Cipressa - just wait
for the peloton to shred. Cancellara is making sure he is near the front
Sooo the peloton is back as one again. But it's the quiet before the storm.
Ladies and gentleman. there comes the Cipressa! Thor Hushvold has been
dragged up to the front and Hincapie is there too
1623 CET - No significant moves so far in the ascent. Cavendish is
present - so are Italy's Ginanni and Gavazzi. Cav is hanging on, saving his legs
and hoping that they might be of help at the right time, just the way they were
a dozen months ago.
The peloton is holding back trying to conserve every bit of energy, not
surprised at an average of 9%.
Attack!! It must be Kolobnev. Yes, it's the Team Katusha Russian.
Pellizotti and Garzelli counter, so does Cunego. Alexander Kolobnev didn't
succeed in his bid to open a gap. Assuming opening a gap for himself was his
real aim, of course. It's eased up a little - Cavendish is losing contact, passed
by Visconti. Mark - Cavendish seems to be struggling off the back of the field.
1630 CET - 24 kilometres to go. The
only big news we were told on the Cipressa is that Mark Cavendish is in poor
form. But that's not much of a surprise. No second win in a row for the Brit, we
tend to think ...
Liquigas is making the pace with 23.2 km. left.
2.6 km to the top. The race is close to the Cipressa summit, with no real attacks
being made. Try again on the Poggio, folks! About 30 riders left on the front,
with all main favorites but Cavendish (and Hincapie if you considered him a
favourite) inside. The flat section is about 8km or so which will probably
see some consolidation. Expect to see Cavendish rejoin, then lose contact again
1633 CET - They're coming down the Cipressa now, it's a tough descent.
Francesco Ginanni attacked in the descent. His move could be crucial. The
Tuscan opened a little gap along with the three riders who managed to follow
him.
Threre's still a long way (like 19 km) to the finish, but this attempt by
Ginanni, Chavanel and a couple more guys is very interesting. Luca Paolini
joined the front group. This is a wise move - it's the time to risk it all.
Wise ... and perhaps key move! It made collateral damage on the peloton, that
apparently broke into pieces. The peloton has started looking at each other
1638 CET - The situation stays fluid; now we have like 30 riders in a
first, front group, and among them Simon Clarke. FDJ 126 is making a break It's
France's Yoann Offredo
15km to go - Ivanov and Chavanel
are also giving a shot at breaking clear The riders are shedding rubbish like a
bird... We're not talking much about Cancellara and Freire now, but they're
still there, keeping things under control. Next on the move is Michael Rogers,
he can't get that far either... Gaps are Offredo then 8" to a chasing group then
34" to the next/
1641 CET - The FDJ attacker slightly extended his lead to a dozen
seconds. Not that he has any chance to make it to the finish anyway ...That's
generous of the others, but the Poggio is going to feel like a wall Attack by
Astana... or perhaps just a bit of control-taking.- 2km to the foot of the
Poggio.
Final 6.8 km
© 2010 Gazzetta
dello Sport
Unlike Cav, Tom Boonen looked in excellent form in the past climbs, so watch
out for the Belgian ALSO on the upcoming ascent. Scarponi is up at the front,
and so is Petacchi not far back Boonen, Hushovd are rushing to the front as they
get close to the ascent. But they're not getting closer to the french leader:
Offredo is still 13" ahead.
1644 CET - 10.8 km to go. Yoann Offredo's
time in the sun is likely to run out as the race meets the next (and last)
uphill thingy, But never say never, eh! Offredo is not to be discounted,
and hsi lead has crept up, but I agree that his fate is writ large.
here we are ... the Poggio! A domestique of Hushovd drives the bunch over the
key ascent. Bernucci, Petacchi, Ginanni quickly takes over on the front. There
is a fair bunch ready to take it on. Yoann Offredo was still a dozen seconds
clear at the latest check. Garzelli is forcing the pace behind
he Frenchman's lead is dropping exponentially. It's over - good try.
And you gotta blame mostly team Axcqua & Sapone for that. Paolini's domestiques
are doing a good job. The climb hasn't sorted things out as we thought it might.
Daniel Bennati is near the bottom of the pack!But Pettachi is going well.
There's a strong hedwind blowing on the Poggio, making things harder for any
would-be attacker. Garzelli is just managing to tow everyone up the climb -
thank's mate they'll be saying.
Garzelli keeps dictating the pace, Petacchi stays in the front spots.Freire
is climbing well too. Nobody can attack with this pace. There comes an
acceleration, courtesy of Michael Rogers.Now, this is having an effect. and
Pozzato covers the Belgian's move. That's hacked the bunch in half
Francesco
Ginanni Francesco and Vincenzo Nibali Vincenzo attack on the descent of the
Poggio. Photo © 2010 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Rogers couldn't make the gap for real, but Gilbert isn't being more
successful.
Now the descent - 6km to go - The
favourites are there.
1653 CET - Climbs over. Time for the descent into Sanremo.About 15
riders left in the front group. Vincenzo Nibali tries an all-out attack. Thank
goodness for dry roads.
With 5k to go. Cancellara is scything through the group - Ginanni, Hushovd
and Breschel joined Nibali. The Liqui-guy is taking a lot of risks. Cancellara
has to be the strongest of the chasers. As a good "domestique" of
Breschel, Fabian Cancellara slowed down the pace But that wasn't much of
help to the lead quartet. All of them were caught. All of them but Ginanni..
Nibali has gone again
Final Kilometer
© 2010 Gazzetta
dello Sport
1656 CET - Descent over. They're into Sanremo now. Skirmishes coming
again. Pozatto has gone with him.Pozatto has gone with him The gap is massive.
2 km to go - Pozzato has gone with
Nibali, but now he has dropped the Liquigas man. Pippo is on fire, but Liquigas
are taking over the chase. Pozzato has given up, he realized his fight against
the lime green & blue army was a lost cause.
Sacha Modolo, Daniele Bennati, Tom Boonen, Oscar Freire rush for the line....
Photo © 2010 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
1 km to go - It's going to be a real
fight to the death
1658 CET - Get ready for the sprint, folks! 500 metres ...
Boonen is there, Bennati is getting the lead out Petachhi is watching,
but there comes Freire ... and wins!!! by two bike lengths.
OSCARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
FREIREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
And Oscar Freire Wins! Photo © 2010 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Amazing pace from the Spaniard - he's won this before, he seemed to come
nowhere. Did anyone notice the Spaniard in the race before?
Nope. Oscar stayed covered basically all race lonmg, and came out at the
right time to clinch his THIRD win at Sanremo.Oscar raced the perfect race.
Nothing spectacular during the day - hardly mentioned as a favourite. The 34
year old made it look casual.
and celebrates his third victory in the Milano - Sanremo race
Photo © 2010 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Results
1 Oscar Freiere 2. BOONEN 3. PETACCHI 4. MODOLO 5. BENNATI
Excellent fourth place finish for young sprinter Sacha Modolo.
Freire made history as he joined a certain Fausto Coppi in the club of MSR
three-time winners.
The sprint started quite a long way with Freire carving out a seruosu chunk of
daylight back to Tom Boonen In fact at the end it was only Freiere and Boonen
gaining ground.
Bennati started his sprint too early instead, while Petacchi was not much of a
factor, neither in the early part of the sprint, nor in the end. "It was
not the "average" MSR today, mainly as in the end no teams were really capable
of controlling the race" was Paolo Savoldelli's opinion about this year's event.
If Freire was the (biggest) winner of course, today's biggest loser - besides
Cavendish, and even more than him - was Edvald Boasson Hagen. He was NEVER a
factor today. In the end even Flecha was more active than the Norwegian.
Tom Boonen conceded defeat (of course): "I
gave it everything I could today, but against Freire it was just useless. I was
okay today, I had a good race, also a good sprint. I tried to follow his wheel,
but he quickly took a two-bike lead and, well, I don't have any problems in
admitting that he was the strongest in the sprint today".
101st Milan - Sanremo Results
March 20, 2010
298 km - 6:57:28 - 42,829 Km/h
1 Freire Gomez Oscar Esp Rab Rabobank - 6:57:28
2 Boonen Tom Bel Qst Quickstep - 0:00
3 Petacchi Alessandro Ita Lam Lampre - Farnese Vini - 0:00
4 Modolo Sacha Ita Csf Colnago - Csf Inox - 0:00
5 Bennati Daniele Ita Liq Liquigas - Doimo - 0:00
6 Hushovd Thor No Ctt Cervelo Test Team - 0:00
7 Ginanni Francesco Ita And Androni Gioc: - Diquigiovanni - 0:00
8 Iglinskiy Maxim Kaz Ast Astana - 0:00
9 Gilbert Philippe Bel Olo Omega Pharma - Lotto - 0:00
10 Paolini Luca Ita Asa Acqua & Sapone - 0:00
11 Breschel Matti Den Sax Team Saxo Bank - 0:00
12 Geslin Anthony Fra Fdj Française Des Jeux - 0:00
13 Gasparotto Enrico Ita Ast Astana - 0:00
14 Lequatre Geoffroy Fra Rsh Team Radioshack - 0:00
15 Martens Paul Ger Rab Rabobank - 0:00
This concludes our live coverage of the Milan - Sanremo; tanks for joining us
for the live ticker. Full results, Photos and team reactions to come.
