Gatto gives Farnese Vini another win

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The Farnese Vini-Sottoli Neri continued to dominate the early season sprints, with Oscar Gatto winning the second stage of the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria in Vibo Valentia just a few hours after teammate Andrea Guardini won his fourth stage at the Tour de Langkawi.

There were only 27 riders in the front group due to cold weather and heavy rain. Gatto was one of the last to make it but he quickly moved to the front and won the sprint by more than a bike length. Fellow Italians Daniel Oss (Liquigas-Cannondale) was second and Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-ISD) was third.

Stage one winner Daniele Pietropolli (Lampre-ISD) finished fourth after a dominant ride by his teammates, and so kept the overall race lead with just Sunday’s stage to go.

The stage was marked by a breakaway by Federico Rocchetti (De Rosa Flaminia) and Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago CSF). They were caught near the finish but Rocchetti won the sprint for a prime in Lamezia Terme, where seven cyclists were tragically killed in a car accident in December.

Sunday’s stage is from Pizzo Calabro to Reggio Calabria km over a distance of 171,9km.