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Oscar the Cat takes his second Sanremo win

By Cycling News

published 14 March 2008

ProTour standings Freire's feline instinct brings victory in 100th...

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Freire wins(Image credit: Sirotti)

Bettini leads Ballan(Image credit: Sirotti)

TV Time(Image credit: Sirotti)

The chase(Image credit: Sirotti)

The top three(Image credit: Sirotti)

Axel Merckx (T-Mobile) at the start in Milano.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) with Colnago the man behind the famous machine that the 2007 Sanremo was won on.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Erik Zabel (Milram) at the start in Milano.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Riders gather at the start in Milano, Castello Sforzesco.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Saturday morning at Castello Sforzesco, the riders wait to race.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

La Partenza of the 98th Milano-Sanremo.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The riders roll out to start the 294 kilometre journey.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) looks ready to race.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Tom Boonen thinking about the sprint on the Via Roma.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Belgian Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) is always very polite, even when the camera is on him all day.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) rolls on.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

David Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir).(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

David Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir) looks happy to be racing (he finished 23 seconds down).(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The trees of Lombardy form a beautiful backdrop for a beautiful race.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Many round-abouts dot this country.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

2005 Sanremo winner Alessandro Petacchi (Milram)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Cofidis control affairs.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Riding along the Ligurian coast.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The Ligurian coast offers stunning scenery.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Riders are streaming along the parcours of the Milano-Sanremo (Descending the Poggio).(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The peloton rolls along.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The early escape of Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff Credit Systems), Andrei Kunitski (Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo), Koen De Kort (Astana), Emanuele Sella (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare), Roberto Traficante (Team LPR) and Aitor Hernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi).(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The day's escape led by Aitor Hernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi).(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The last minute escape of Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux) descend the Poggio.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Riccò lived up to his word of attacking in the race(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Bettini leads Ballan on the descent of Poggio(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Freire corners on the Poggio(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) corners on the downhill to Sanremo(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) on the Poggio(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

2006 Winner Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) on the run down to Sanremo(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) followed by Manuele Mori (Saunier Duval-Prodir)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

TV Time for Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) did not have great day(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) followed by Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Fondital)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The chase is on.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Welcome to Sanremo.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Freire wins his second Milano-Sanremo(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) takes the sprint.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Fists are pumping! Oscar Freire (Rabobank) wins the 98th Milano-Sanremo.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank) wins Sanremo.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Freire punches the air.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Arms raised... Oscar Freire (Rabobank) confirms he has won his second Sanremo.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Freire conquered Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) and Allan Davis (Discovery Channel).(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

2X Sanremo and 3X World Champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) awarded.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) opening the bubbly.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) on the podium.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Freire with the Trophy.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Flowers and Trophy for Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Kisses ... Oscar Freire (Rabobank) kissed the trophy(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

The top three Allan Davis (Discovery Channel), Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) (l-r)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Davis, Freire and Boonen (l-r) on the podium.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) is well wrapped up at the start.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Pettachi rolls out for the start in Castello Sforzesco.(Image credit: La Partenza)

The ceremonial start in Castello Sforzesco.(Image credit: La Partenza)

The peloton cruising in the early stages.(Image credit: La Partenza)

The day's breakaway group negotiate a railway crossing.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Warning: Staring at this photograph may have serious side-effects.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Frédéric Guesdon (Française Des Jeux) and José Enrique Gutierrez (Team LPR) got tangled up midway through the race but both managed to re-join.(Image credit: La Partenza)

David Kopp (Gerolsteiner) had a nasty crash on Capo Cervo.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Kopp sustained a broken nose in the crash but was fortunate to avoid more serious injury.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery) goes for it on the Cipressa.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Andrea Moletta (Gerolsteiner) crashed on the Cipressa and broke his thigh.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Paolo Bettini (QuickStep) picks himself up after a fall on the Cipressa.(Image credit: La Partenza)

The World Champion climbs back into the race.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Freire sits comfortably behind Boonen on the Poggio.(Image credit: La Partenza)

QuickStep set a ferocious tempo on the Poggio to bring things together for Tom Boonen.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Philippe Gilbert (Francaise des Jeux) tried his luck with a huge attack on the Poggio.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Gilbert flies away with Matthias Kessler (Astana) and Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval) glued to his wheel.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Gilbert leads Kessler and Ricco near the Poggio summit.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Riccò drives it up the Poggio as Gilbert checks the gap.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Riccò was super strong today but couldn't break the sprinters' teams.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Riccò and Gilbert fly down the Poggio.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Milram gave Petacchi a great lead-out but the Italian couldn't seal the deal.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) wins the 89th Milan - San Remo.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Freire celebrates as Allan Davis (Discovery) and Tom Boonen (QuickStep) lunge for second and third places.(Image credit: La Partenza)

A delighted Freire was mobbed by journalists and photographers at the finish.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Filippo Pozatto (Liquigas) didn't figure in the finale today, placing a disappointing 19th.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval) interviewed by Italian TV station RAI at the finish.(Image credit: La Partenza)

The podium (l-r): Allan Davis (Discovery), Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Tom Boonen (QuickStep).(Image credit: La Partenza)

Oscar Freire now has two victories in Milan - San Remo, his first coming in 2004.(Image credit: La Partenza)

Freire lets loose with the champagne.(Image credit: La Partenza)

A beautiful castle and landscape to start Milano-Sanremo(Image credit: Bettini Photo)