Petacchi shines on Calabria's stage two

Image 1 of 20

Alessandro Petacchi took his first win for the Lampre-Farnese Vini on day two at the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria in southern Italy on Sunday.

Petacchi dominated the finish with his powerful sprinting style after a lead out from new last man Danilo Hondo. He beat Spain’s Francisco Ventoso (Carmiooro-NGC) and fellow Italian Mattia Gavazzi (Colnago-CSF Inox).

"Winning is good, it cancels any doubts you might have and increases your determination," Petacchi told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I knew I was feeling good, I felt it during yesterday’s stage when I stayed with the leaders over the top of the last climb."

"The finale was a but hectic. There was a roundabout and then immediately a right hand corner at 400 metres to go, then another softer corner left at 200 metres out, with the finish slightly uphill. Both me and Hondo went for it, he was on the right and I was on the left. We came back together with 150 metres to go and he let me through before I took over."

After the pouring rain and cold conditions of Saturday’s opening stage, stage two from Cosenza to Crotone was far more suited to early season racing.

After just three kliometres Luigi Gitto (Miche), Leonardo Scarselli (ISD-Neri), Bruno Rabotic (Meridiana) e Domenica Agosta (CDC-Cavaliere) went on the attack and opened a five-minute lead. But Lampre again took up the chase, working for Petacchi, and with some help from Liquigas and De Rosa, the race came back together with 20km to go.

Nobody wanted to carry Petacchi to the finish and several riders made strong attacks but they all came to nothing as the peloton flexed its muscle for a high-speed bunch sprint.

Liquigas tried to set up their talent young sprinter Jacopo Guarneri but Lampre were in charge and Petacchi emerged to win and take the 155th win of his career.

Montaguti (De Rosa-Stac Plastic) kept the overall race lead thanks to winning stage one on Saturday.

Monday’s third stage is from Catanzaro to Crotone. The hilly 171km stage and climb to the finish in Crotone is likely to shake up the overall standings before Tuesday’s flat final stage to Reggio di Calabria.