Sella seals overall victory

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Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) secured overall victory in the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali after he and his teammates controlled his rivals during the final 173.4km stage from Fiorano Modenese to Sassuolo.

Italian national champion Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli) won the final stage, out sprinting his rivals after several late attacks were pulled back.

Sella and Androni Giocattoli set up overall victory by winning the team time trial stage on the afternoon of the first day of racing. Sella then won the hilly stage to Gaggio Montano to open a gap on his closest rival Diego Ulissi (Lampre-ISD). The former double junior world champion eventually finished 30 seconds down overall on Sella, with Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago-Csf Inox) third overall at 32 seconds.

Visconti finished fourth overall at 38 seconds, with time trial stage winner Adriano Malori (Lampre-ISD) fifth at 43 seconds.

The final stage again twisted and turned through the Apennine hills and sparked an aggressive day of racing.

The early break formed after 30km when Giuseppe Muraglia (D'Angelo & Antenucci – Nippo) jumped away. He was joined by Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Johan Esteban Chaves Rubio (Colombia es Pasion - Café de Colombia), Emanuele Vona (Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli), Patxi Vila (De Rosa Ceramica Flaminia) and Paolo Longo Borghini (Liquigas Cannondale). It looked like a good move but the hill took their toll and they were caught after 135km.

The race then largely stayed together until the finish in Sassuolo but several riders tried to avoid a sprint finish.

Luca Fioretti and then Stefano Pirazzi tried lone attacks but were quickly caught. Luca Ascani (D'Angelo & Antenucci) also had a go in the final kilometre. He got a gap and gave it everything to hold off the chasers but he was caught in sight of the line, with Visconti getting past him to win. Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli) was second, with Gianni Meersman (FDJ) third.

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