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12th GP Costa degli Etruschi - 1.1
Italy, February 10, 2007
2006 Results Results Past winners
Petacchi takes three in a row in Donoratico
By Gregor Brown
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Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) has put himself firmly in the annals of Donoratico by taking the one-day race for a third year running. Lo Spezzino topped Gabriele Balducci (Acqua & Sapone) and Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital) in the sprint to the line after 193 kilometres of racing. With the win he wipes out the bad memories of being conquered in the Tour of Qatar and marks his 120th career victory.
Asked about taking his first win for ten months, Petacchi told Rai 3, "I am content, really content. In the end it was not easy but I did well."
"I started in Qatar with good feelings but today it [the sprint] worked. It was a difficult sprint. The last kilometre with a small descent. I thought I stayed on the front for too long. Because De Jongh had anticipated the sprint first at 250 metres, forcing me to start early; first to take his wheel and then to continue to the line. It seemed like the finish line would never arrive. Being a favourite is not so easy."
He commented on his season ahead, "The season is long but the more I race the better I feel. I lack a lot of races in my legs. At my age I need more racing."
How it unfolded
The race was dominated by an escape of four, Rubens Bertogliati (Saunier Duval-Prodir), Yauhen Sobal (Cinelli-Endeka-OPD), Giuseppe Palumbo (Acqua & Sapone) and Cristiano Salerno (Tenax-Salmilano). The escapees were away for 152 kilometres, only be to be taken in at 15 kilometres to go.
In the sprint Steven De Jongh (Quick-Step) crashed after bumping with Balducci. The Dutchman lodged a complaint with the race jury, claiming irregular sprinting on the behalf of the Italian of Acqua & Sapone. World Champion Paolo Bettini (Quick-Step) finished in the group to conclude the start of his 2007 season.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net
- The Barloworld team riders are presented at the start.
- Stefano Zanini (Predictor-Lotto) does his best Spiderman impression.
- How many bikes can you fit into the boot of a Lamborghini?
- Ivan Quaranta (Amore & Vita-McDonalds) with his Ferrari team car.
- Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir) in his first race of the new season in europe.
- Just incase you forgot who the Italian, Olympic and World Champion is...
- Paolo Bettini (QuickStep) is all smiles at the start.
- Bettini kept well wrapped up for today's race.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) asks where he can get a pair of white leg warmers.
- The Milram boys get their train going for Petacchi.
- Petacchi waits in third wheel with De Jongh behind.
- Petacchi hits out for the sprint as Steven De Jongh (QuickStep) hits the deck after touching wheels with Gabriele Balducci (Acqua & Sapone).
- What's that noise? Petacchi checks the carnage behind.
Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti
- Bettini with daughter before the start.
- Paolo Bettini at the start.
- Racing along south of Livorno.
- Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) talking with the team DS.
- Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) looking good as World Champion.
- Bettini keeping an eye on the action in his first race of the year.
- Bettini racing on home roads.
- A slight rise early on.
- Welcome to Europe and its roads.
- Dario Cioni (Predictor-Lotto) in his new 2007 team kit.
- Fabio Baldato (Lampre-Fondital) negotiates a turn.
- Petacchi with shoe covers - it is still cold in Italy.
- Petacchi in the group and looking good.
- Peloton rides along.
- Peloton rides to Bolgheri in the Italian 2007 opener.
- Lovely riding south of Livorno, heading towards Bolgheri.
- The trees of Bolgheri.
- The peloton heads towards Bolgheri.
- The famous tree lined road that leads to Bolgheri.
- Simoni talks to Pietro Algeri of Saunier Duval-Prodir.
- Simoni and Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) ride along.
- Steven De Jongh (Quickstep-Innergetic) is on the floor.
- Professional riding... the sprinting continues as Steven De Jongh (Quickstep-Innergetic) takes a spill.
- The sprint is on.
- The sprint with Steven De Jongh (Quickstep-Innergetic) taking a tumble.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) near his first win of 2007.
- Petacchi flies to first win of 2007.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) with his victory salute.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) zooms to the win.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) wins.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) overpowers Balducci.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) flies to the win.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) on the podium.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) signals three.
- Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) signals three wins in the GP Etruschi.
- Opening the 2007 season... Petacchi hopes to have more of these bottles.
- Podium time for Ale-Jet
- Milram gives congratulations.
- Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir) finishes his first race of 2007.
- Paolo Bettini finishes his first race of 2007.
- The podium (l-r): Gabriele Balducci (Acqua & Sapone), Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) and Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital)
Results 193 km
1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Milram 4.38.00 2 Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 3 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 4 Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld 5 Giosuè Bonomi (Ita) Barloworld 6 Crescenzo D'Amore (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 7 Krzysztof Szczawinski (Pol) Miche 8 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas 9 Jochen Summer (Aut) Elk Haus-Simplon 10 Tiziano Dall'Antonia (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 11 Claudio Cucinotta (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 12 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 13 Werner Riebenbauer (Aut) Volksbank 14 Enrico Rossi (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 15 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 16 Andrus Aug (Est) Ceramica Flaminia 17 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 18 René Weissinger (Ger) Volksbank 19 Stefan Rucker (Aut) Elk Haus-Simplon 20 Roy Sentjens (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 21 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 22 Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) Saunier Duval-Prodir 23 Roberto Petito (Ita) Liquigas 24 Adam Wadecki (Pol) Ceramica Flaminia 25 Marco Velo (Ita) Milram 0.05 26 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld 27 Balint Szeghalmi (Hun) Team Cornix 28 Wolfgang Murer (Aut) Elk Haus-Simplon 29 Harald Totschnig (Aut) Elk Haus-Simplon 30 Tobias Eggli (Swi) Hadimec 31 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Elk Haus-Simplon 32 Ivan De Nobile (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 33 Marco Carletti (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 34 Emanuele Bindi (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 35 Hubert Krys (Pol) Ceramica Flaminia 36 Bert Roesems (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 37 Donato Cannone (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 38 Christian Murro (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 39 Gergely Kiss (Hun) Team Cornix 40 Manuele Mori (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 41 Sergio Lagana (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 42 Diego Caccia (Ita) Barloworld 43 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Elk Haus-Simplon 44 Giairo Ermeti (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 45 Lorenzo Cardellini (Pol) Miche 46 Daniele Di Nucci (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 47 Rino Zampilli (Ita) Aurum Hotels 48 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 49 Matteo Priamo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 50 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick-Step 51 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick-Step 52 Simon Wyss (Swi) Hadimec 53 Adrian Honkisz (Pol) Miche 54 Marco Jimenez (Swi) Hadimec 55 Juan David Torres Durango (Ven) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD 56 Alfonso Falzarano (Ita) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD 57 Maurizio Bellin (Ita) Team LPR 58 Gergely Ivanics (Hun) Team Cornix 59 Jonathan Righetto (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 60 Attila Arvai (Hun) Team Cornix 61 Yauhen Sobal (Blr) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD 62 Luca Solari (Swi) Team LPR 63 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas 64 Alessio Signego (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 65 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Milram 66 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 67 Marco Bertozzi (Ita) Hadimec 68 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 69 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Milram 70 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 71 Leonardo Giordani (Ita) Aurum Hotels 72 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 73 Andrei Kunitski (Blr) Acqua & Sapone 74 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Milram 75 Slawomir Kohut (Pol) Amore & Vita-McDonald's 76 James Perry (RSA) Barloworld 77 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick-Step 78 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 79 Jure Golcer (Slo) Tenax-Salmilano 80 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quick-Step 81 Stefano Boggia (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia 82 Pascal Hungerbühler (Swi) Volksbank 83 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 84 Patrick Riedesser (Aut) Volksbank 85 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Barloworld 86 Walter Proch (Swi) Team LPR 87 Alberto Di Lorenzo (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 0.20 88 Piergiorgio Camussa (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 89 Francesco Reda (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 90 Zoltan Csomor (Hun) Team Cornix 91 Samuele Marzoli (Ita) Team LPR 92 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Predictor-Lotto 93 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 0.35 94 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 95 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick-Step 96 Massimiliano Maisto (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 97 Florian Stalder (Swi) Volksbank 98 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick-Step 99 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Miche 100 Alessandro Maserati (Ita) Team LPR 101 Fabio Gilioli (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 102 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 103 Gerhard Trampusch (Aut) Volksbank 104 Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld 105 Mattia Turrina (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia 106 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 107 Moisés Aldape Chavez (Mex) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 108 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) Acqua & Sapone 109 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld 110 Denis Shkarpeta (Uzb) Miche 111 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Milram 112 Michael Randin (Swi) Hadimec 113 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 114 Nicola D'Andrea (Pol) Miche 115 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 116 Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia 117 Alexander Gufler (Ita) Hadimec 118 Luis Felipe Laverde (Col) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 119 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick-Step 120 Hugo Sabido (Por) Barloworld 121 Volodymyr Dyudya (Ukr) Milram 122 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Milram 123 Mikhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) Ceramica Flaminia 124 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 125 Daniele Colli (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 126 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 127 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 128 Eugenio Loria (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 129 Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 130 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital 131 Jan Valach (Svk) Elk Haus-Simplon 132 Guido Trenti (USA) Liquigas 133 Massimo Codol (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 134 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 135 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Saunier Duval-Prodir 136 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Team LPR 137 Luca Pierfelici (Ita) Aurum Hotels 138 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Aurum Hotels 139 Juan Pablo Dotti (Arg) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD 140 Andras Berkesi (Hun) Team Cornix 141 Eddy Serri (Pol) Miche 142 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Liquigas 143 Carlo Scognamiglio (Ita) Milram 144 Francesco Tizza (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 145 Luca Sabatino (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 146 Diego Genovesi (Ita) OTC Doors-Lauretana 147 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Elk Haus-Simplon 148 Marco Fabbri (Ita) Aurum Hotels 149 Miculà De Matteis (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 150 Dario Cioni (Ita) Predictor-Lotto 151 Luigi Sestili (Ita) Aurum Hotels 152 Geert Steurs (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 153 Michele Scotto D'Abusco (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia 154 Maxim Rudenko (Ukr) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD 155 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval-Prodir 156 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick-Step 157 Leonardo Scarselli (Ita) Quick-Step 158 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 159 Giuseppe Muraglia (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 1.05 160 Domenico Loria (Ita) Universal Caffè-Ecopterol 161 Elia Rigotto (Ita) Milram 162 Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld 163 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 1.20 164 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 165 Emanuele Rizza (Ita) Aurum Hotels 166 Marius Stoica (Rom) Amore & Vita-McDonald's 167 Stefan Koychev Hristov (Bul) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD 168 Stefan Cohnen (Ned) Aurum Hotels 169 Andrea Noè (Ita) Liquigas 170 Luca Celli (Ita) Team LPR 171 Piotr Mazur (Pol) Saunier Duval-Prodir 172 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 173 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick-Step 174 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 175 Manuele Spadi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia 176 Adriano Angeloni (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia 177 Santo Anzà (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia Starters: 179 Classified: 177
Past winners
2006 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 2005 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
2004 Yuriy Metlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 2003 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r-Prevoyance 2002 Yuriy Metluschenko (Ukr) Colnago-Landbouwkrediet 2001 Nicola Gavazzi (Ita) 2000 Mario Cipollini (Ita) 1999 Endrio Leoni (Ita) 1998 Mario Cipollini (Ita) 1997 Biago Conte (Ita) 1996 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita)
