The most important one-day race of the year was held today and the result was the same as last year, Paolo Bettini won. Although the race was far more exciting than last year, the Italian was too strong for everyone. As there happened too mucht, I'm only going to tell something about the last round.In the last round the final break was made with 17 riders, among them Bettini, Schumacher, Boogerd and Bettini but no Freire, Valverde and Zabel. In that group Bettini did everything to get away and it worked out. He sprinted away together with Kolobnev, Fränk Schleck, Schumacher and Evans. In the other group the Belgians Gilbert and Leukemans tried everything to get back but the five were too strong. They rode to the finish, Kolobnev pulled out an amazing pace but the little Italian won on grinta !
Samuel Sanchez tried to get away in the 17 men group but it didn't work out and when Bettini attacked it looked like he didn't have the power anymore to follow. Although in the last metres he pulled out a great sprint to get past Gilbert and become 7th. Unai Etxebarria was in front of the peloton the whole time, we could see him easily because he was really colourful. He probably worked for the Spaniards and he finished in the bunch with a good 39th place.
Result
1 Paolo Bettini (Italy) 6.44.43 (39.642 km/h)
2 Alexandr Kolobnev (Russian Federation)
3 Stefan Schumacher (Germany)
4 Frank Schleck (Luxembourg)
5 Cadel Evans (Australia)
6 Davide Rebellin (Italy) +0.06
7 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spain) +0.08
8 Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
9 Fabian Wegmann (Germany)
10 Martin Elmiger (Switzerland)
...
39. Unai Etxebarria +0.49
8 opmerkingen:
Yeah, it was a pity that Sanchez couldn't follow on the most important moment. But he was the best Spanish rider on the WC, so he should be team leader in 2009 (in 2008 it is an almost flat race). In 2009 the WC are in Switserland, and the climbs look a bit like the one in the Championship of Zürich.
Well, that should suit him :D
Is Varese flat ?? On Belgian tv they said that it was something like Suttgart. Mendrisio will indeed be something for Samuel !
And yeah he was the best spanish rider in the team, but we already knew that of course :P
http://www.varese2008.org/eng/percorsi/schedagara.asp?c=61&i=404
This is the profile. Flatter than Stuttgart for sure, and the hills are not as steep.
Btw why are we talking English, we both speak Dutch :D
It looks once again a race for Freire :s
We talk english because I don't/didn't know you :P Are you from Belgium or The Netherlands ??
Ik ben Nederlands :)
Ok nen Hollander :P
Toch niet dicht bij de Belgische grens want overlaatst dacht ik iemand te zien fietsen in een Euskaltel outfit ?
Nee, ergens in het midden. En ik heb (nog) geen Euskaltelshirt
Ah Ok :P
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