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88th Giro dell'Emilia - 1.HC
Italy, October 8, 2005
2004 Results Results Past winners
Late season form for Simoni
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With an attack with one kilometre to go, Gilberto Simoni (Lampre-Caffita) has won the 88th edition of the Giro dell'Emilia. Simoni, a winner of this race in 2000, was the strongest rider in the finale, and led home Frank Schleck (Team CSC) by six seconds, and Mirko Celestino (Domina Vacanze) by eight. Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) was fourth, showing that his season isn't quite finished yet.
"I was thinking about today for a long time," said Simoni. "I've always liked this race. To win it you don't have to be only a climber, you also have to be very attentive, especially when it is raining like today.
"I felt I was in good condition in the Vuelta a España. Today I wanted to do the race and from the first climb I attacked. CSC team caught me several times but I didn't surrender and now I'm very happy I did it. I won. but all the team did great moves all day with the break of Marzano and the attack of Cunego on the San Luca, it is a great day for all of us."
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Directeur sportif Giuseppe Martinelli was very satisfied with his rider's performance: "In the last 40 km, Gilberto made all the selection. He is in great condition and it is clear now he will be our leader for Giro di Lombardia: he is able to fight with Bettini and Di Luca."
Simoni is fine with that: "I want to make a great end of season. Now I'll be in Piemonte and Lombardia, there will be fights and I'll be there!
How it unfolded
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The race started in wet conditions with 154 riders, and the first serious attack was by Iñigo Chaurreau (AG2R), who escaped after 45 km and wasn't seen again until the climb of Monzuno (km 120). A dangerous group of 16 formed on the climb, containing a strong CSC presence: Andrea Peron, Frank Schleck, Carlos Sastre and Nicki Sorensen, along with Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner), Mirko Celestino (Domina Vacanze), Marco Marzano and Gorazd Stangelj (Lampre Caffita), Juan Miguel Mercado (Quick Step), Pieter Weening (Rabobank), Andrea Noè and Vladimir Miholjevic (Liquigas-Bianchi), Luca Mazzanti and Sergiy Matveyev (Panaria), Ivan Fanelli (Team LPR) and Vladimir Efimkin (Team Barloworld-Valsir).
Sastre led over the top of the climb, but on the descent, Efimkin attacked and had gained 30 seconds on the break, that had been caught by a few counter-attacking riders. Simoni was one of these, and on the first of four climbs of Santuario di San Luca, he attacked and took Sastre with him. By the time they had reached the finish line for the first time, they had been joined by Rebellin (Gerolsteiner), Solari and Celestino (Domina Vacanze), Cunego (Lampre), Mercado (Quick.Step), Miholjevic (Liquigas) and Mazzanti (Panaria). Schleck and Arekeev also made contact, and the winning group had been formed.
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Simoni was on a good day, and kept forcing on the Santuario di San Luca, which averaged 10 percent for 1.9 km with a maximum gradient of 18 percent. On the last lap, Simoni managed to crack the rest and with one kilometre to go, he got clear of Schleck and Celestino, who took the minor placings.
Tomorrow, the GS Emilia will organise its final race of the season, the 9th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli, which starts at 11:00 in Monteveglio (Bologna).
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net
- Inigo Chaurreau (Ag2r) was the first rider to attack
- Paolo Bettini (Quick.Step) didn't repeat his success of Zurich today
- The peloton tackles the wet circuit
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) played a vital role for his teammate Simoni today
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) was aggressive all day
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) wins in the rain
- The podium (L to R): Frank Schleck (2nd), Gilberto Simoni (1st) and Mirko Celestino (3rd)
- Simoni on the podium with daughter Sofia
Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti
- The big three together: Cunego, Simoni amd Rebellin ride out front
- Gilberto Simoni rides hard in front of teammate Damiano Cunego
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) was strong in the tough conditions
- Another trophy for Mr Simoni and he looks pleased to have it
- Simoni and daughter Sofia enjoy their time on the podium
- The podium (l-r): Frank Schleck (2nd), Gilberto Simoni (1st) and Mirko Celestino (3rd)
- Not second, first, Gilberto! Simoni looks pretty darn happy with his win
- That's tops! Gilberto Simoni rode a great race to win in the wet
- Gilberto Simoni celebrates as he wins the Giro dell'Emilia
- Lampre dominate the front of the bunch as Simoni went on to win the event
- Simoni dominated teammate Cunego and mastered the tough conditions
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) pushes it to get away
- Simoni rides alone on his way to victory
- Simoni rides ahead of Damiano Cunego as Cunego finished ninth, and Simoni won
- Simoni pulls away as he rides to victory in the Giro dell'Emilia
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) works hard for his win
- Juan Miguel Mercado (QuickStep) attacks
- Frank Schleck and Gilberto Simoni ride together
- Simoni keeps Schleck in check
- Frank Schleck (CSC) rides hard out front
- The winning trio ride together as Simoni checks Celestino and Schleck
- Simoni, Celestino and Schleck doing it tough
- Simoni leads Celestino and Schleck
- Gilberto Simoni looking composed as he rides with Schleck and Celestino
- The leading trio of Simoni, Schleck and Celestino out front by themselves
- Schleck checks the progress of the riders behind him
- Frank Schleck (CSC) arrives in second behind Simoni
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) on the podium as the winner of the Giro dell'Emilia
- A happy Gilberto Simoni clutches his winner's trophy
- Simoni arrives in the dark to win his second Giro dell'Emilia
- Frank Schleck takes second in the gloom of the foggy afternoon
- Don't eat the towel, Gilberto!
- Simoni cools down after finishing in the dark of the evening
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) wins
- Paolo Bettini (QuickStep) didn't finish among the classified riders
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) visits doping control after finishing ninth
- Man, have I told you... Simoni gives Celestino a big kiss
- Gilberto Simoni and Mirko Celestino look happy together at the end of the race
- Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) wins the 88th Giro dell'Emilia
- The podium (L to R): Frank Schleck (2nd), Gilberto Simoni (1st) and Mirko Celestino (3rd)
Results - 194 km
1 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 5.13.50 (37.09 km/h) 2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 0.06 3 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Domina Vacanze 0.08 4 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 0.16 5 Alexandr Arekeev (Rus) Acqua & Sapone-Adria Mobil 6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC 0.22 7 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.40 8 Juan Miguel Mercado Martin (Spa) Quick Step 0.49 9 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 1.29 10 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 1.34 11 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 2.25 12 Andrea Noe' (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 13 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 2.39 14 Luca Solari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 2.54 15 Massimo Codol (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3.04 16 Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spa) Team L.P.R. 3.53 17 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Team L.P.R. 3.57 18 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Lampre-Caffita 19 Devis Miorin (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 3.59 20 Antonio Quadranti (Ita) Naturino-Sapore di Mare 4.03 21 Santo Anza (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Adria Mobil 4.23 22 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 4.49 23 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Fassa Bortolo 4.56 24 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 5.11 25 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 5.21 26 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Naturino-Sapore di Mare 5.28 27 Philip Deignan (Irl) Ag2r Prevoyance 7.02 28 Raffaele Ferrara (Ita) Team Androni Giocattoli-3C Casalinghi 9.37 29 Ivan Degasperi (Ita) Team L.P.R. Starters: 154 Classified: 29
Past winners
2004 Ivan Basso (Ita) CSC 2003 Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Spa) iBanesto.com 2002 Michele Bartoli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2001 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 2000 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre 1999 Michael Boogerd (Ned) 1998 Mirko Celestino (Ita) 1997 Alexandre Gontschenkov (Rus) 1996 Michele Bartoli (Ita) 1995 Davide Cassani (Ita) 1994 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) 1993 Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) 1992 Gianni Bugno (Ita) 1991 Davide Cassani (Ita) 1990 Davide Cassani (Ita) 1989 Dimitry Konychev (Rus) 1988 Tony Rominger (Swi) 1987 Jean-Francois Bernard (Fra) 1986 Hubert Seiz (Swi) 1985 Acacio Da Silva (Por) 1984 Ezio Moroni (Ita) 1983 Cesare Cipollini (Ita) 1982 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita) 1981 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita) 1980 Gianbattista Baronchelli (Ita) 1979 Francesco Moser (Ita) 1978 Bernt Johansson (Swe) 1977 Mario Beccia (Ita) 1976 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel) 1975 Enrico Paolini (Ita) 1974 Francesco Moser (Ita) 1973 Franco Bitossi (Ita) 1972 Eddy Merckx (Bel) 1971 Gianni Motta (Ita) 1970 Franco Bitossi (Ita) 1969 Gianni Motta (Ita) 1968 Gianni Motta (Ita) 1967 Michele Dancelli (Ita) 1966 Carmelo Preziosi (Ita) 1965 Michele Dancelli (Ita) 1963 Italo Zilioli (Ita) 1962 Bruno Mealli (Ita) 1961 Diego Ronchini (Ita) 1960 Pierino Baffi (Ita) 1959 Ercole Baldini (Ita) 1958 Diego Ronchini (Ita) 1957 Bruno Monti (Ita) 1956 Bruno Monti (Ita) 1955 Nino Defilippis (Ita) 1954 Nino Defilippis (Ita) 1953 Gino Bartali (Ita) 1952 Gino Bartali (Ita) 1951 Luciano Maggini (Ita) 1950 Luciano Maggini (Ita) 1949 Virgilio Salimbeni (Ita) 1948 Fausto Coppi (Ita) 1947 Fausto Coppi (Ita) 1946 Adolfo Leoni (Ita) 1943 Nedo Logli (Ita) 1942 Adolfo Leoni (Ita) 1941 Fausto Coppi (Ita) 1940 Osvadlo Bailo (Ita) 1939 Serafino Biagioni (Ita) 1938 Carrado Ardizzoni (Ita) 1937 Cesare Del Cancia (Ita) 1936 Giuseppe Olmo (Ita) 1935 Aldo Bini (Ita) 1934 Marco Cimatti (Ita) 1931 Glauco Servadei (Ita) 1930 Mario Bonetti (Ita) 1929 Allegro Grandi (Ita) 1928 Alfonso Piccin (Ita) 1927 Domenico Piemontesi (Ita) 1925 Constante Girardengo (Ita) 1924 Pietro Linari (Ita) 1923 Michele Gordini (Ita) 1922 Constante Girardengo (Ita) 1921 Constante Girardengo (Ita) 1920 Giovanni Brunero (Ita) 1919 Constante Girardengo (Ita) 1918 Constante Girardengo (Ita) 1917 Angelo Gremo (Ita) 1914 Ezio Corlaita (Ita) 1913 Alfonso Calzolari (Ita) 1912 Ugo Agostoni (Ita) 1911 Clemente Canepari (Ita) 1910 Luigi Ganna (Ita) 1909 Eberardo Pavesi (Ita) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
