Gerrans wins in Milan-San Remo

Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge) captured an enthralling Milan-San Remo, outsprinting Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) at the end of the race. The three had gotten away on the final climb, the Poggio, and maintained a narrow lead to the end.

"I still haven't realized what we actually did today," said Gerrans. "This is an amazing feeling to win this monument. The team rode perfectly, and we played our cards just the right way."

The first decisive moment in the race came on La Manie, as World Champion Mark Cavendish fell back, and despite the great efforts of his teammates and in particular Matt Hayman, he was unable to rejoin the favourites. The Cipressa, the penultimate climb, saw no changes, but as so often happens, the Poggio played the deciding role.

Several attacks were made but the key moment came as Nibali and Gerrans attacked close to the summit. Cancellara quickly joined them, and from then on there was little doubt as to the race's outcome. The Swiss rider was unable to drop his companions though, either on the descent or the final flat run-in, and having led most for most of the finale, couldn't summon up the last bit of strength to beat Gerrans.

"We rode as a team all day. The guys were always looking after one another and making sure that Gossy was in the right position at the key moments. Simon had free reign to cover any big moves, and he certainly did. Boys rode super today. I'm very, very proud, " said GreenEdge's Matt White.

A moment of silence

The race started with a minute’s silence for the victims of the coach crash in Switzerland earlier this week.

But the racing began when a group of nine got away 21 kilometers into the race: Cheng Ji (Project 1t4i), Juan Pablo Suarez (Colombia-Coldeportes), Dmitriy Gruzdev (Astana), Angelo Pagani (Colnago-CSF), Vergard Stake Laengen (Team Type 1), Juan Jose Oroz (Euskaltel), Pierpaolo De Negri (Farnese Vini), Michael Mørkøv (Saxo Bank) and Oleg Berdos (UtensilNord). Their advantage ran out to 13 minutes.

With just under 100 kilometers to go, La Manie loomed, and as GreenEdge and Liquigas set the pace, the most notable victim was none other than Cavendish, who fell off the back of the field. Bernhard Eisel worked long and hard to try and bring his Sky teammate back up, while those at the head of the field increased their speed.

A serious crash with about 78 kilometers to go saw Carlos Quintero (Colombia Coldeportes) carried into an ambulance with suspected head injuries.

Eventually a group formed around Cavendish – he was not the only one to suffer – but even that proved futile.

BMC moved to the front and along with Omega Pharma-Quick Step kept the pace high. Philippe Gilbert put in a turn or two at the front, looking very comfortable.

With 60 kilometers to go, the break was caught by the chasing field. Behind them, and some 10 kilometers later, Cavendish called off the chase. He thanked his teammates for their work.

Favourites charge up Cipressa

BMC led the charge up the Cipressa, with Liquigas moving in to help. As they neared the top, the expected attacks came. The first to go was Francisco Javier Villa of UtensilNord-Named, with Vacansoleil's Johnny Hoogerland catching him. They gradually pulled away, causing Liquigas to pick up its speed again.

A crash with 22 kilometers to go took down Philippe Gilbert, amongst others. The Belgian champion was back on his bike again quickly but his chances of victory were over.

Hoogerland led the way on the descent, but the chasers were catching up. By the time they hit the bottom, a group including Tom Boonen, Cancellara and Daniele Oss came up and caught the two escapees.

The favourites all re-grouped on the seven flat kilometers between the Cipressa and the Poggio. Rabobank jumped into the lead with 11 to go, setting a blistering pace as they headed up the climb. Valerio Agnoli of Liquigas jumped out of the field, soon followed by Movistar's Angel Madrazo, as Rabo kept pace.

Madrazo pulled away from Agnoli on the steep, twisting climb. Hoogerland jumped again and Agnoli fell back into the field. Nibali and Gerrans were the next to go and quickly took the lead, with the Italian giving his all. Cancellara joined them, and the three forced a gap as they hit the sharp left hand turn which started the dizzying final descent.

The four-time World time trial champion had a few meters on his companions as they hit the bottom but he didn't pull away, as expected. The trio took a 12 second lead into the final two kilometers, with Katusha leading the furious chase.

Cancellara led out the sprint but Gerrans moved around to the right to take it by a nose, the second Australian victory in a row. A crash in the chasing field within sight of the finish line saw Omega Pharma-Quick Step's Trentin hit the barriers. Peter Sagan (Liquigas) won the sprint of the field, with John Degenkolb of Project 1t4i rounding out the top five.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Simon Gerrans (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team6:59:24
2Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRow 1 - Cell 2
3Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 2 - Cell 2
4Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale0:00:02
5John Degenkolb (Ger) Project 1T4IRow 4 - Cell 2
6Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 5 - Cell 2
7Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 8 - Cell 2
10Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanRow 9 - Cell 2
11Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha Team0:00:12
13Simon Geschke (Ger) Project 1T4IRow 12 - Cell 2
14Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 13 - Cell 2
15Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team0:00:20
16Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 15 - Cell 2
17Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Koen De Kort (Ned) Project 1T4IRow 18 - Cell 2
20Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 21 - Cell 2
23Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - Csf InoxRow 23 - Cell 2
25Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 24 - Cell 2
26Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 26 - Cell 2
28Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky ProcyclingRow 29 - Cell 2
31Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 33 - Cell 2
35Francesco Reda (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 34 - Cell 2
36Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 36 - Cell 2
38Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 38 - Cell 2
40Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 39 - Cell 2
41Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
42Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 42 - Cell 2
44Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Colnago - Csf Inox0:00:31
45Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep0:01:05
46Patxi Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Utensilnord Named0:01:24
47Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
48Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep0:01:35
49Francesco Failli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 48 - Cell 2
50Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team0:01:48
53Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatRow 52 - Cell 2
54Tony Gallopin (Fra) Radioshack-NissanRow 53 - Cell 2
55José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 54 - Cell 2
56Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 55 - Cell 2
57Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre - ISDRow 57 - Cell 2
59Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 58 - Cell 2
60Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 59 - Cell 2
61Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
63Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 62 - Cell 2
64Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
65Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo BankRow 64 - Cell 2
66Elia Favilli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 65 - Cell 2
67Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 66 - Cell 2
68Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Garmin - BarracudaRow 67 - Cell 2
69Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:02:20
70Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat0:02:41
71Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 70 - Cell 2
72Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo BankRow 71 - Cell 2
73Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale0:02:44
74Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank0:03:23
75Kiel Reijnen (USA) Team Type 1 - Sanofi0:03:27
76Rémi Cusin (Fra) Team Type 1 - Sanofi0:03:39
77William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat0:04:09
78Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan0:04:44
79Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Radioshack-NissanRow 78 - Cell 2
80Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 79 - Cell 2
81Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Barracuda0:05:37
82Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team0:07:37
83Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep0:07:43
84Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 83 - Cell 2
85Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 84 - Cell 2
86Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 85 - Cell 2
87Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 86 - Cell 2
88Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Cannondale0:09:28
89Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 88 - Cell 2
90Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 89 - Cell 2
91Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
92Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 91 - Cell 2
93Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 92 - Cell 2
94Baden Cooke (Aus) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 93 - Cell 2
95Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
96Paolo Bailetti (Ita) Utensilnord NamedRow 95 - Cell 2
97Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 96 - Cell 2
98Michael Morkov (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 97 - Cell 2
99Andreas Klier (Ger) Garmin - BarracudaRow 98 - Cell 2
100Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team0:14:39
101Frederico Rocchetti (Ita) Utensilnord Named0:15:54
102Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia0:17:04
103Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol Team0:20:18
104Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 103 - Cell 2
105Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - BarracudaRow 104 - Cell 2
106Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 105 - Cell 2
107Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin - BarracudaRow 106 - Cell 2
108Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 107 - Cell 2
109Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - BarracudaRow 108 - Cell 2
110Robert Wagner (Ger) Radioshack-NissanRow 109 - Cell 2
111Hayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanRow 110 - Cell 2
112David Millar (GBr) Garmin - BarracudaRow 111 - Cell 2
113Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
114Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) Garmin - BarracudaRow 113 - Cell 2
115Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 114 - Cell 2
116Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanRow 115 - Cell 2
117Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 116 - Cell 2
118Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 117 - Cell 2
119Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 118 - Cell 2
120Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
121Jeffry Johan Romero Corredor (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 120 - Cell 2
122Oleg Berdos (Mda) Utensilnord NamedRow 121 - Cell 2
123Juan Pablo Forero Carreno (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 122 - Cell 2
124Filippo Baggio (Ita) Utensilnord NamedRow 123 - Cell 2
125Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 124 - Cell 2
126Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 125 - Cell 2
127Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 126 - Cell 2
128Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 127 - Cell 2
129Arnaud Gerard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 128 - Cell 2
130Manuel Belletti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 129 - Cell 2
131Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha TeamRow 130 - Cell 2
132Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 131 - Cell 2
133Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 132 - Cell 2
134Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 133 - Cell 2
135Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 134 - Cell 2
136Julien El Fares (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 135 - Cell 2
137Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 136 - Cell 2
138Tom Veelers (Ned) Project 1T4IRow 137 - Cell 2
139Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Project 1T4IRow 138 - Cell 2
140Cheng Ji (Chn) Project 1T4IRow 139 - Cell 2
141Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 140 - Cell 2
142Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 141 - Cell 2
143Diego Caccia (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 142 - Cell 2
144Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 143 - Cell 2
145Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:23:02
146Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 145 - Cell 2
147Marco Coledan (Ita) Colnago - Csf InoxRow 146 - Cell 2
148Gianluca Maggiore (Ita) Utensilnord NamedRow 147 - Cell 2
149Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFStuart O'grady (Aus) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFTomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFSvein Tuft (Can) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Wilson (Aus) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFClaudio Corioni (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFCarlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) Acqua & SaponeRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Ciavatta (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFFrancesco Ginanni (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFDanilo Napolitano (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFFabio Taborre (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFEnrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFMaxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFFranck Osorio (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFLuis Felipe Laverde Jimenez (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFVictor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFCarlos Julian Quintero (Col) Colombia - ColdeportesRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Canola (Ita) Colnago - Csf InoxRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFEnrico Battaglin (Ita) Colnago - Csf InoxRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Locatelli (Ita) Colnago - Csf InoxRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Pagani (Ita) Colnago - Csf InoxRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFFilippo Savini (Ita) Colnago - Csf InoxRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFAmets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFGabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big MatRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFVladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Spilak (Slo) Katusha TeamRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFAlessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFGrega Bole (Slo) Lampre - ISDRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFDiego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFGreg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFRoy Curvers (Ned) Project 1T4IRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFRoger Kluge (Ger) Project 1T4IRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFMaarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFMark Cavendish (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFBernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky ProcyclingRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFMathew Hayman (Aus) Sky ProcyclingRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFSalvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky ProcyclingRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFIan Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 192 - Cell 2
DNFJonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 193 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo BankRow 194 - Cell 2
DNFGabriele Bosisio (Ita) Utensilnord NamedRow 195 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Fedi (Ita) Utensilnord NamedRow 196 - Cell 2
DNFDaniele Colli (Ita) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 197 - Cell 2
DNFVegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 198 - Cell 2
DNFMartijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 199 - Cell 2

 

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