Gerald Ciolek wins Milan-San Remo

Gerald Ciolek (MTN-Qhubeka) won a shortened version of Milan-San Remo, as snow forced organisers to cut the first two climbs. The German sprinter took the close win ahead of Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Leopard) in a thrilling sprint finish.

As so often this season, the weather played a major role in the race. Snow forced the organizers to take the Turchino and La Manie climbs out of the race, with the nearly-frozen riders re-starting the race in Cogoleto, after a nearly two-hour break.

Ciolek was part of a six-rider group which formed on the descent of the Poggio that included Sagan, Cancellara, Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Ian Stannard (Team Sky), and Luca Paolini (Katusha). The German sprinter let the others take the lead on the sharp, steep descent, and played his cards cleverly in the finale.

Stannard led the way in the final kilometre, and Sagan opened the sprint once the break caught sight of a closing Taylor Phinney (BMC). However Ciolek, came off Sagan’s wheel to take the biggest win of his career and firmly put the MTN-Qhubeka team on the map. Chavanel, who had attacked with Stannard on the Cipressa, was forced to settle for fourth.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Ciolek after crossing the finish line. “This is an unbelievable success for us and just an incredible day. We just came here as a wildcard and now we’re standing here with the trophy. This is great. I knew I had to follow all the best riders on the Poggio and it worked out perfectly.

“When I chose this team, people wondered why I would join a Pro Continental team but it’s just been unbelievable. The coaching and staff on this team is so professional. I have never seen management care so much for the riders. I am happy to be on this team."

Snow, rain, cold and buses

Slate grey skies and low temperatures greeted the riders as they gathered in Milan’s Piazza Castello and much of the start-line chatter was focused on the weather forecast, although at that point few anticipated the severity of the impact it would have on the day’s events. A light rain began to fall just as the peloton began to snake its way out of the city centre, but 150 kilometres away, the Passo del Turchino was already banked with snow.

When the flag dropped, however, rumours of a neutralised Turchino were just that, and there was a typically fast start to proceedings. The early break went away shortly beyond the city limits, with Diego Rosa (Androni-Venezuela), Pablo Lastras (Movistar), Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol), Matteo Montaguti (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Maxim Belkov (Katusha) and Francesco Fortin (Bardiani-CSF Inox) forging clear, and after 15km, their lead was already five minutes.

At Pavia (40km), the sextet had 10:35 in hand, and they averaged a brisk 46.4kph for the first hour of racing. By that point, however, the rumours of snow on the Turchino had been confirmed and the race organisers were compelled to come up with an ad hoc solution to ensure the safety of the riders.

It was decided that the race would be neutralised for 46km between Ovada and Arenzano: rather than climb the Turchino, the peloton would stop at the 117km point and clamber back aboard their team buses, re-starting over an hour later.

Given that snow had fallen overnight on the Turchino, questions will be asked as to why the race organisers had not taken more satisfactory measures beforehand to circumvent the climb, but there was no time for the break to debate the whys and wherefores as they sped through the snow towards Ovada. Their race had now become something of a time trial, as they sought to build up as big a lead as possible before the re-start, and they duly reached the stop with 7:10.

La Manie, the next climb, was also taken out, and the race was restarted in heavy rain at Cogoleto. Not all the riders took to the second part of the race, with Omega Pharma-Quick Step's Tom Boonen being the biggest name to remain in the bus, with hard words for race organizers.

The weather stayed cold and wet, and more riders abandoned as the race went on. With 40km to go, the climbing finally started, but by then only three riders were still in the lead. Bak, Rosa and Belkov had shed their other three companions along the way, with the trio holding a two-minute lead up the Capo Berto.

A reduced peloton, by now shedding its extra layers of clothing, was determined to catch the break group before the Cipressa. The cold conditions began to take a toll on even the best and Vincenzo Nibali was the biggest casualty as he pulled out due to the cold.

By now, Sky had attempted to stamp their authority on the race and it appeared to be working until a crash saw Geraint Thomas and several teammates hit the deck along with Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp).

The first attack on the Cipressa, led by Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Sylvain Chavanel, was not successful, while surprisingly, Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen fell off the back of the group. He was not the only one, as Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol), Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) and 2005 winner Alessandro Petacchi all lost the struggle to hang on.

The group topped out on the Cipressa with only about 40 riders. World Champion Philippe Gilbert of BMC led the way down, perhaps hoping to build up enough of a lead to stay away for the remaining 20 kilometres. It was not to be, as Chavanel lead a group of six, including Sagan up to the Belgian.

The next lead group to form was Chavanel, Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) and Ian Stannard (Sky). The field didn't want to let them go, and kept them within 30 seconds, as the rain started again. Vorganov lost ground on the Poggio and was quickly passed by Maxim Iglinskiy.

But on the descent Sagan led a counter attack with Cancellara and reeled in Chavanel and Stannard. Ciolek also made the move.

They caught the two leaders with just less than 4km to go. Stannard jumped, but Sagan led the chase, and then took off on his own. Cancellara gave chase, with all coming together, until Stannard jumped again with 1.8km to go.

The six came through the final kilometre with a sufficient gap, but it was the sight of Phinney tearing across that ignited the sprint and set the wheels in motion for Ciolek.

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Full Results
1Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka5:37:20
2Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 1 - Cell 2
3Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack LeopardRow 2 - Cell 2
4Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 3 - Cell 2
5Luca Paolini (Ita) KatushaRow 4 - Cell 2
6Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 5 - Cell 2
7Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha0:00:14
9Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 8 - Cell 2
10Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky ProcyclingRow 9 - Cell 2
11Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 11 - Cell 2
13Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM CyclingRow 12 - Cell 2
14Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 14 - Cell 2
16Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 15 - Cell 2
17Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 16 - Cell 2
18John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 17 - Cell 2
19Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJRow 18 - Cell 2
20Oscar Gatto (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle ItaliaRow 19 - Cell 2
21Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) KatushaRow 21 - Cell 2
23Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 22 - Cell 2
24Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) KatushaRow 23 - Cell 2
25Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team EuropcarRow 25 - Cell 2
27Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 26 - Cell 2
28Daniele Bennati (Ita) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 27 - Cell 2
29Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 28 - Cell 2
30Grégory Rast (Swi) RadioShack LeopardRow 29 - Cell 2
31Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 30 - Cell 2
32Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 32 - Cell 2
34Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle ItaliaRow 33 - Cell 2
35Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) IAM CyclingRow 36 - Cell 2
38Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia0:00:20
39Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 38 - Cell 2
40Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 39 - Cell 2
41Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ0:00:56
42Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky ProcyclingRow 41 - Cell 2
43Eduard Vorganov (Rus) KatushaRow 42 - Cell 2
44Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack Leopard0:02:39
45Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:02:42
46Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida0:03:26
47Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 46 - Cell 2
48Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team0:03:35
49Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:04:40
50Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 49 - Cell 2
51Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 50 - Cell 2
52Davide Appollonio (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale0:05:13
53Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-QhubekaRow 52 - Cell 2
54Mark Renshaw (Aus) Blanco Pro Cycling TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Fabio Felline (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 54 - Cell 2
56Danilo Hondo (Ger) RadioShack LeopardRow 55 - Cell 2
57Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 56 - Cell 2
58André Greipel (Ger) Lotto BelisolRow 57 - Cell 2
59Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM CyclingRow 58 - Cell 2
60Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM CyclingRow 59 - Cell 2
61Mauro Finetto (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle ItaliaRow 60 - Cell 2
62Ricardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 61 - Cell 2
63Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto BelisolRow 63 - Cell 2
65Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 64 - Cell 2
66Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 65 - Cell 2
67Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 66 - Cell 2
68Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 67 - Cell 2
69Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) RadioShack LeopardRow 68 - Cell 2
70Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-SharpRow 69 - Cell 2
71Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
72Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
73Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 72 - Cell 2
74Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin-SharpRow 73 - Cell 2
75Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 74 - Cell 2
76Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 75 - Cell 2
77Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
78Grega Bole (Slo) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 78 - Cell 2
80Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
81Jorge Azanza Soto (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi0:07:49
82Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco Pro Cycling Team0:08:59
83Marco Bandiera (Ita) IAM Cycling0:09:20
84Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 83 - Cell 2
85Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 84 - Cell 2
86Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge0:09:22
87Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin-SharpRow 86 - Cell 2
88Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) Euskaltel-Euskadi0:11:19
89Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:11:21
90Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol0:11:29
91Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto BelisolRow 90 - Cell 2
92Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin-SharpRow 91 - Cell 2
93Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 92 - Cell 2
94Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-SharpRow 93 - Cell 2
95Alessandro Proni (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia0:11:39
96Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:11:44
97Murilo Antonio FISCHERRow 96 - Cell 2
98Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 97 - Cell 2
99Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 98 - Cell 2
100Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 99 - Cell 2
101David Tanner (Aus) Blanco Pro Cycling TeamRow 100 - Cell 2
102Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) MTN-Qhubeka0:11:46
103Jacobus Venter (RSA) MTN-QhubekaRow 102 - Cell 2
104Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 103 - Cell 2
105Boy van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 104 - Cell 2
106Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 105 - Cell 2
107Massimo Graziato (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 106 - Cell 2
108Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 107 - Cell 2
109Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:11:49
110Alex Howes (USA) Garmin-SharpRow 109 - Cell 2
111Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 110 - Cell 2
112Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 111 - Cell 2
113Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
114Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Vini Fantini-Selle ItaliaRow 113 - Cell 2
115Rick Flens (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling TeamRow 114 - Cell 2
116Gustav Larsson (Swe) IAM CyclingRow 115 - Cell 2
117Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto BelisolRow 116 - Cell 2
118Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 117 - Cell 2
119Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team EuropcarRow 118 - Cell 2
120Maxim Belkov (Rus) KatushaRow 119 - Cell 2
121Tomas Aurelio Gil Martinez (Ven) Androni GiocattoliRow 120 - Cell 2
122Diego Rosa (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 121 - Cell 2
123Michael Morkov (Den) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 122 - Cell 2
124Baden Cooke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge0:11:56
125Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick Step0:13:09
126Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 125 - Cell 2
127Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 126 - Cell 2
128Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN-QhubekaRow 127 - Cell 2
129Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJRow 128 - Cell 2
130Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadioShack LeopardRow 129 - Cell 2
131Dominic Klemme (Ger) IAM CyclingRow 130 - Cell 2
132Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 131 - Cell 2
133Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJRow 132 - Cell 2
134Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia0:15:03
135Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Katusha0:18:25
DNFMatthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFManuel Belletti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFSteve Chainel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Houle (Can) AG2R La MondialeRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFFranco Pellizotti (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFRiccardo Chiarini (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFJackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni GiocattoliRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFMiguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni GiocattoliRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFEmanuele Sella (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFVincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFFrancesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFSimone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFSacha Modolo (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFFrancesco Manuel Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFNicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Canola (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFFilippo Fortin (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF InoxRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFLars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Blanco Pro Cycling TeamRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFTom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling TeamRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFMaarten Wynants (Bel) Blanco Pro Cycling TeamRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFThor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing TeamRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFEgoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFMiguel Minguez Ayala (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Vrecer (Slo) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFMickael Delage (Fra) FDJRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-SharpRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Millar (GBr) Garmin-SharpRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFAliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) KatushaRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFDiego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Hansen (Aus) Lotto BelisolRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Willems (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFAndrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFEloy Teruel Rovira (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Reimer (Ger) MTN-QhubekaRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFSongezo Jim (RSA) MTN-QhubekaRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFJay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN-QhubekaRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFTom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFNiki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFStijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFGiacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack LeopardRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFHayden Roulston (NZl) RadioShack LeopardRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFEdvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFVasil Kiryienka (Blr) Sky ProcyclingRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFKanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Sky ProcyclingRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFGeraint Thomas (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFKoen De Kort (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFJi Cheng (Chn) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFMatthieu Sprick (Fra) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 192 - Cell 2
DNFJerome Cousin (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 193 - Cell 2
DNFYohann Gene (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 194 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Veilleux (Can) Team EuropcarRow 195 - Cell 2
DNFManuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 196 - Cell 2
DNFKris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 197 - Cell 2
DNFMirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 198 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Monsalve (Ven) Vini Fantini-Selle ItaliaRow 199 - Cell 2

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