Gavazzi sprints to victory in Lombardy

Image 1 of 17

Mattia Gavazzi (Colnago - CSF Inox) won the second stage of the Settimana Lombarda Ciclistica in a bunch sprint ahead of Roberto Ferrari (De Rosa - Stac Plastic) and Alberto Loddo (Androni Giocattoli).

Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli) remains the overall race leader.

A two-man break escaped after 31km and included Giairo Ermeti (De Rosa - Stac Plastic) and the Mikhail Antonov (Itera - Katusha). The two built a lead of up to three minutes and 28 seconds; however, they were caught after 130km off the front and with 13km to go.

Team Colnago-CSF Inox led the chase, helped at first by Diquigiovanni-Androni, and set up its sprinter Gavazzi, who finished off the job with a victory. With his win, Gavazzi proved he was fully recovered from the tonsillitis that hospitalized him at the start of the season and interupted his training.

"It's fate that I should win," said Gavazzi after the winner's ceremony. "I'm happy for both me for the team, which did a lot of work yesterday and today. And yesterday, because the route was shortened, we couldn't catch the break."

After crediting his teammates for the leadout, he said, "In the sprint, once all my men were spent, I sought and found the wheel of Ferrari, and then flew away at the right time, with the right gear, and victory followed."

Full Results