Sinkewitz extends with ISD and takes first season win

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Patrik Sinkewitz secured his first victory of the season on Sunday and only his second win since completing his doping ban, by beating Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago – CSF)  to win the Giro della Romagna. The ISD-Neri rider subsequently announced that he would stay with the team in 2011.

The Giro della Romagna also saw the return to racing of Stefan Schumacher after his two-year doping ban, as well as Riccardo Ricco's debut with Vacansoleil. Ricco' finished 25th, in the chase group that was 58 seconds behind Sinkewitz. Schumacher failed to finish.

Sinkewitz beat Pozzovivo after the two brokeway 33km from the finish and then the German was able to outsprint his rival and take the win by two seconds.

After much deliberation, Sinkewitz signed a contract extension with the ISD-Neri team, which will be known as Farnese Vini next year. “That was naturally a great weekend for me, with the contract extension and the race success,” he told Radsport-News.com. “I can hardly describe the feeling.”

Schumacher was riding for the Italian Miche team. It was his first race appearance since the 2008 world championship road race after serving a two-year ban after testing positive for EPO-CERA at the 2008 Tour de France.

“I hit my physical limits today,” he told the “dpa” news agency after the race. “Up until the last climb I was in the 30-man leading group, and then had awful cramps.”

He vowed to keep on with his comeback. “I won't stick my head in the sand. All beginnings are difficult.”