Cantele bests Guderzo for tricolore

The right to wear the tricolore jersey for the next year came down to sprint finish between two riders, Noemi Cantele (Garmin-Cervelo) and Tatiana Guderzo (SC MCipollini Giordana), after the pair rode away from the peloton with 30km remaining. Cantele prevailed in the kick to the line to earn her first elite road national championship.

Silvia Valsecchi (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Ghezzi) soloed in for third place, 1:08 behind Cantele and Guderzo, while Valentina Bastianelli (Vaiana - Solaristech) won the field sprint for fourth 2:19 back. Reigning world champion Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno d'Asolo) finished in 7th place.

"I'm really happy to have achieved this goal," said Cantele. "I tried for several years to get this jersey but being alone without teammates it has always been impossible - however everything finally went right.

"The race was demanding from the start and after 3 of the 11 laps I was in the breakaway, the first with 9 riders. Then, with 4 laps to go, I attacked on the bottom of the hill and only Guderzo remained with me. In the last 8km she stopped working with me so I had to pull alone till the end, and had confidence that I could beat her in the sprint.

"I could not be more proud with this win and to wear the jersey of my country, it is an honor."

Cantele has previously won Italy's road championship as a junior in 1998 and added an elite time trial title in 2009. She also won silver and bronze medals at the 2009 world championships in the time trial and road race respectively.

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