Lombardi sprints to Girobio lead

Italy's Omar Lombardi of the Lucchini Unidelta team won the open stage of the nine-day Girobio, the under-23 version of the Giro d'Italia.

The 139km stage was held on a circuit near Savona and named after Fausto Coppi. Lombardi beat 20 other riders after the hilly circuit split the peloton. Colombia's Moreno Arredondo (Team SCAP) was second, ahead of Italian fast finishers Enrico Battaglin (Zalf Desiree) and Federico Rocchetti (Casati NGC).

Carlos Betancur (Colombia) and Gian Luca Randazzo (Team Hoppla' Magis) tried to get away on the last climb but only managed to split the peloton, leaving a large part of the field already 27 seconds down in the overall standings. Lombardi pulled on the first red and white leader's jersey of the race.

Only a total of 172 riders started the race after the Russia national team was not allowed to ride due to an incomplete official race registration. National teams competing against the best Italian teams include Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Argentina.

This year's race is the second edition of the Girobio and is organised by Giancarlo Brocci, who also runs the Eroica sportif on the dirt roads of Tuscany. The race has a strong anti-doping ethic as Italian cycling tries to fight doping in the under 23 peloton.

All the riders stay together in basic accommodation. They eat together and have massage from their team soigneur but they are not allowed to have contact with their directeur sportif away from the race. Even mobile phones and video games are discouraged. Instead the riders are given talks by important people and former riders in Italian cycling.

They are also followed by special team that carries out a full medical and anti-doping check on the riders. Teams have to provide detailed blood tests of riders before the race. This year doctors and university researchers will also study rider's DNA as part of a study on performance and natural ability.

Saturday's stage is from Serravalle Scrivia to Salsomaggiore Terme near Milan, over a distance of 168.9km. The key stages of the race include a mountain finish at the summit of Monte Grappa, the climb that was recently used in the Giro d'Italia. The race ends on Sunday June 20, with a stage on the dirt roads of Tuscany from Florence to Gaiole in Chianti.

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