Tirreno Adriatico Stage 7
Campli - San Benedetto del Tronto
Rabobank led the charge into the finishing circuit this morning and let the
sprinters teams of Milram take the lead to the finish in the last 4 kms. Thomas
Dekker rode in with the bunch to collect the Tirreno Adriatico to his growing
list of palmares.
Zabel celebrates with Petacchi at the finish, McEwen and Grillo
photo c.Fotoreporter Serotti
Milram led the charge to the finish with Erik Zabel leading Petacchi with
Thor Hushvod on Ale-jets wheel at 800 metres. As they approached the line
it was Robbie McEwen and Grillo coming around Hoshvod and Zabel. As the
lads hit the line the Zabel/Petacchi combination had their mojo finely tuned as
Ale-Jet Petacchi denied McEwen, and Grillo at the line. Hushvod and Zabel fourth
and fifth.
Petacchi and Zabel we got our mojo working for Milan - San
Remo
Photo c. Fotoreporter Serotti
Stage 7 left Campli, with the starters gun fired by the honorable Pietro
Camaioni the city council's representative of Sport. 171 riders started with
Bram Tankink (QuickStep), Ianetti of Lampre not showing for the start.
An hour and half into the race Spainard Joseba Albizu Lizaso of
Euskaltel-Euskadi escaped at the 43km marker by and by the first Grand Prix of
the Mountains at km 64 Albizu, lead with 4:04. Contrini, Veil and Priamo
take the remaining points.
The brave Albizu increases the gap in his solo effort to six minutes by the
half way point in this 166 km stage over an indifferent peloton. Joseba is
intent on getting some quality time in the sun, after a week of rain without the
shadows of the peloton; and grabs some solid TV time for his sponsors as he is
the first of the riders to greet the fans along the race route today.
Credit Agricole and Milram began to share the effort at the front as the
first of seven laps of the 8.2 km circuit loom in the distance; by the entrance
to the circuit in San Benedetto Tronto the gap had come down to 3:04 as the
speed of the chase was upped to 42 km/h by a peloton led by the sprinter's
teams.
Each lap steadily closed the gap to the rider in the orange jersey of the
Euskadi, as Joseba attempted to escape the final stampede; but alas, the gap
slowly but steadily diminished in spite of Joseba's efforts.
By the 3rd lap of 7 and the intermediate sprint it was Joseba with one minute
gap on the peloton as George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) picked up the points
for second as he led the peloton. Kroon and Kemps took the left over points as
the peloton settled in the chase. "Young Gun" Thomas Dekker flatted, but got a
fast wheel change and an Rabobank escort to re-join the peloton as the group
entered the 4th lap and absorbed the Euskatel rider, Albizu after his solo romp
in the sun.
Sixth circuit, and it was gruppo compacto with the main group now closing the
distance to the finish at 45 km an hour as the lap times declined from to under
ten minutes... by the final circuit the peloton was racing through the streets
of San BenedettoTronto at 54 kilometres an hour, with Milram, Credit Agricole,
Discovery and Davitmon exchanging duty at the front towards the finish. As the
line approached it was the solid blue parade in of Milram taking charge and
launching their sprint duet Zabel and Allesandro Pettachi towards the line with
McEwen charging on his right but when the dust cleared it was Ale-jet with his
arms raised above his head with Zabel in a duplicate salute to his new companion
and sprint duet of Milram.
Thomas Dekker the 21 year old phenom of Rabobank came in with his Rabobank
escort to take the prize of his young career as the winner of the 41rst running
of Tirreno-Adriatico.
Now its on to Milan San Remo where all the usual suspects will meet in the
first of the Spring Classics; but more importantly the first meeting of the
season with Ale-Jet Petacchi and Zabel (a winner in the past of the Spring
treasure) to meet the Young Lion of Flanders Tom Boonen who stamped Paris Nice
with his stage victories this week. A contest the fans are anticipating to see
if the teams of the two super sprinters can deliver them to the line.
Provisional results, more to follow...
2006 Tirreno - Adriatico Podium finale Jorge Jakshe, Thomas
Dekker, Allesandro Ballan
photo c. Fotoreporter Serotti
CSC Comments: On Tuesday Alessandro
Petacchi (Milram) took the seventh and final stage in Tirreno-Adriatico, which
was won overall by 21-year-old Thomas Dekker (Rabobank).
”If we disregard the two crashes, Tirreno-Adriatico has been a good race for
us. We won a stage with Cancellara, and with three riders among the top-11 in
the overall standings we've been one of the strongest teams here. At the same
time the race has served as a really good preparation for Milano-Sanremo and the
other one day races waiting for us in April. It has also been good to see that
Basso's already at a high level, even though he hasn't worked specifically to
achieve results just yet,” said sports director Scott Sunderland after the stage
from Campli to San Benedetto del Tronto.
Team CSC took second place in the team's competition behind Discovery Channel.
'Kisses from the misses for Allesandro Ale-Jet Pettachi
Primazione Petacchi photo c. Fotoreporter Serotti
Stage 7 Campli -San Benedetto del Tronto:
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Milram)
2. Robbie McEwen (Davitamon/Lotto)
3. Paride Grillo (Ceramica Panaria)
4. Thor Hushovd (Credite Agricole)
5. Erik Zabel (Milram)
6. Steven de Jongh (Quick Step/Innergetic)
7. Mikhaylo Khalilov (Team L.P.R.)
8. Jimmy Casper (Cofidis)
41rst Tirreno-Adriatico
General Classification Final:
1. Thomas Dekker (RAB)
2. Jörg Jaksche (LSW) +14’’
3. Alessandro Ballan (LAM) +20’’
4. Paolo Savoldelli (DSC) +40’’
5. Michael Boogerd (RAB) +46’’
6. Leonardo Bertagnolli (COF) +54’’
7. Ivan Basso (CSC) 8. Karsten Kroon (CSC) +59’’
9. Thomas Danielson (DSC)
10. George Hincapie (DSC) +1’01
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