Fontana wins Italian cross country championship

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Cannondale Factory Racing's Marco Aurelio Fontana took home the national cross country championship title in Italy this weekend.

On the fast and challenging course inside the town of Brescia, nobody could follow Fontana on his brand new Cannondale Flash bicycle. Not even a flat tire could stop him from taking his first title in three years.

"I felt really good today," said Fontana. "After I flated on some stairs, I caught up quickly and pushed hard until the finish line."

Johnny Cattaneo (Full Dynamix) came in second after 39 seconds. Alessandro Gambino (KTM - Dayco ASD) was third.

Eva Lechner (Colnago Arreghini Esereito) won the women's race with a 1:27 advantage over Roberta Gaparini (KTM-Dayco AST) and with a 3:13 margin over third placed Elena Gaddoni (Promo Bike).

Racing in his native city, Cristian Cominelli (TX Active-Bianchi) won the under 23 men's race over Roberto Crisi and Elia Silvestri. Cominelli is already the Italian cyclo-cross under 23 champion, and this win marks his tenth title overall and fifth in the cross country. He's got four total titles in cyclo-cross and one in the marathon.

"Becoming Italian champion is always a great emotion," said Cominelli, "even more when it happens in my city and in front of crowds."