Davide Ballerini wins Memorial Pantani

Davide Ballerini (Androni-Sidermec) won the Memorial Marco Pantani after he out-paced 18-man leading group in Cesenatico. The Italian beat David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) into second place while his Androni teammate Francesco Gavazzi took third.

The final lap of the finishing circuit was animated by a late attack from Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), who clipped clear of the front group with three kilometres remaining. Nibali, who was testing his sharpness in what is his final outing before next Sunday’s World Championships road race in Innsbruck, was caught within sight of the flamme rouge.

In the ensuing group sprint, Ballerini proved the quickest in the sprint to claim the biggest victory of his career to date. His victory also meant that all fifteen editions of the Memorial Marco Pantani have been won by Italian riders, dating back to Damiano Cunego’s win in the inaugural event in 2004.

Coming a week ahead of the Worlds, this year’s race served as an important tune-up for a number of contenders, including Nairo Quintana (Movistar), who rode strongly and finished in the front group. Italian national coach Davide Cassani fielded a strong squad that included Fabio Aru (UAE-Team Emirates), a rider desperately in search of form ahead of next weekend’s appointment on Austrian roads.

The first break of the day took shape after 10 kilometres, with Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani-CSF) and Alexander Evtushenko (Lokosphink) joining Samuele Battistella (Italy), Daniel Turek (Israel Cycling Academy) and Davide Gaburro (Amore & Vita-Prodir) at the head of the race.

This quintet built up a lead of 6 minutes before Nibali’s Bahrain-Merida squad took up the reins of pursuit after 50km. Their pressure saw the gap reduced to 4 minutes come the top of the first climb of Montevecchio.

The race sparked into live on the second ascent of Montevecchio, when Quintana went on the offensive from the main peloton in the company of Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida), Eddie Dunbar (Team Sky), Dario Cataldo (Italy) and Marco Tizza (Nippo-Vini Fantini). This move was ultimately deemed too dangerous to be allowed clear, but only after a frantic pursuit that also saw the earlier escape snuffed out by the main bunch.

On the next climb, Dunbar was again on the offensive, and his initial forcing would help to trigger what proved to be the race-deciding move, as Vincenzo Nibali, Franco Pellizotti, Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida), Nairo Quintana (Movistar), David Gaudu-Groupama FDJ), Davide Brambilla (Italy), Ben Hermans (Israel Cycling Academy), Serge Pauwels (Team Dimension Data), Davide Ballerini, Marco Cattaneo, Francesco Gavazzi, Fausto Masnada, (Androni-Sidermec), Warren Barguil (Team Fortuneo Samsic), Ivan Santaromita, Marco Tizza (Nippo Vini Fantini), Guillaume Martin and Xandro Meurisse (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) joining the Irishman off the front.

Quintana and Gaudu were to the fore once they hit the climb of Longiano, but while they were unable to shed their companions, they did help to stretch the break’s lead out to two minutes, meaning that the race was down to just 18 contenders come the finishing circuit around Cesenatico.

Bahrain-Merida and Androni-Sidermec were the teams with strength in numbers on the run-in, and they duly exchanged the weightiest blows in the finale. Nibali’s attack with 3 kilometres remaining was a determined one, but the red jerseys of Androni massed on the front to bring him back. The stage was then set for Ballerini, who produced a fine sprint to claim the spoils.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Davide Ballerini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec5:03:07
2David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 1 - Cell 2
3Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 2 - Cell 2
4Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 3 - Cell 2
5Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) ItalyRow 4 - Cell 2
6Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Bahrain - MeridaRow 5 - Cell 2
7Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Edward Dunbar (Irl) Team SkyRow 7 - Cell 2
9Marco Tizza (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 8 - Cell 2
10Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 9 - Cell 2
11Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Bahrain - MeridaRow 10 - Cell 2
12Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 11 - Cell 2
13Serge Pauwels (Bel) Team Dimension DataRow 12 - Cell 2
14Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 13 - Cell 2
15Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:00:03
16Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 15 - Cell 2
17Fausto Masnada (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec0:00:24
18Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain - Merida0:00:40
19Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini0:03:46
20Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 19 - Cell 2
21Simone Velasco (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 20 - Cell 2
22Matteo Montaguti (Ita) ItalyRow 21 - Cell 2
23Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 22 - Cell 2
24Simone Ravanelli (Ita) Biesse Carrera GavardoRow 23 - Cell 2
25Mark Donovan (GBr) Team WigginsRow 24 - Cell 2
26José Rojas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 26 - Cell 2
28Pierpaolo Ficara (Ita) Amore & Vita - ProdirRow 27 - Cell 2
29Danilo Celano (Ita) Caja Rural - Seguros RgaRow 28 - Cell 2
30Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 29 - Cell 2
31Manuel Senni (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 30 - Cell 2
32Ildar Arslanov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 31 - Cell 2
33Dayer Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Jon Irisarri Rincon (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros Rga0:03:49
36Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 35 - Cell 2
37Ivan Martinelli (Ita) D'amico UtensilnordRow 36 - Cell 2
38Ettore Carlini (Ita) D'amico UtensilnordRow 37 - Cell 2
39Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Sky0:03:50
40Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 39 - Cell 2
41Steve Morabito (Swi) Groupama - FdjRow 40 - Cell 2
42Ben O'connor (Aus) Team Dimension Data0:03:51
43Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 42 - Cell 2
44Michal Golas (Pol) Team SkyRow 43 - Cell 2
45Sebastian Schönberger (Aut) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 44 - Cell 2
46Jérémy Maison (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 45 - Cell 2
47Dario Cataldo (Ita) ItalyRow 46 - Cell 2
48Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Team SkyRow 47 - Cell 2
49Joaquim Silva (Por) Caja Rural - Seguros RgaRow 48 - Cell 2
50Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 49 - Cell 2
51Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia0:03:53
52Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain - MeridaRow 51 - Cell 2
53Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain - Merida0:03:57
54Fabio Aru (Ita) Italy0:04:04
55Davide Formolo (Ita) ItalyRow 54 - Cell 2
DNFAntonio Nibali (Ita) Bahrain - MeridaRow 55 - Cell 2
DNFKristijan Koren (Slo) Bahrain - MeridaRow 56 - Cell 2
DNFJorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
DNFMikel Landa Meana (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
DNFEduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
DNFNatnael Berhane (Eri) Team Dimension DataRow 60 - Cell 2
DNFScott Davies (GBr) Team Dimension DataRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFNicholas Dlamini (RSA) Team Dimension DataRow 62 - Cell 2
DNFLachlan Morton (Aus) Team Dimension DataRow 63 - Cell 2
DNFJaco Venter (RSA) Team Dimension DataRow 64 - Cell 2
DNFLeonardo Basso (Ita) Team SkyRow 65 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Lawless (GBr) Team SkyRow 66 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Bonnet (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 67 - Cell 2
DNFMatthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 68 - Cell 2
DNFTobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Groupama - FdjRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Seigle (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 70 - Cell 2
DNFArthur Vichot (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFSamuele Battistella (Ita) ItalyRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFAlessandro Covi (Ita) ItalyRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFManuel Belletti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFMattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFVincenzo Albanese (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Bresciani (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFMirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFAlessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 79 - Cell 2
DNFJulen Amezqueta Moreno (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RgaRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFJustin Alexander Oien (USA) Caja Rural - Seguros RgaRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFJosu Zabala Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RgaRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFYannis Yssaad (Fra) Caja Rural - Seguros RgaRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFAmaro Antunes (Por) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFFrantisek Sisr (Cze) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFPiotr Brozyna (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFPawel Cieslik (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFPatryk Stosz (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFKamil Malecki (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Paluta (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFElie Gesbert (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Le Roux (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Ledanois (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFAmael Moinard (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFFranck Bonnamour (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFIgor Boev (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFSergey Firsanov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFStepan Kuriyanov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFDenis Nekrasov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Badilatti (Swi) Team Vorarlberg SanticRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFJose Manuel Diaz Gallego (Spa) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFKrists Neilands (Lat) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFGuy Niv (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFKristian Sbaragli (Ita) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Turek (Cze) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFNicola Bagioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFSho Hatsuyama (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFSimone Ponzi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Deruette (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFEliot Lietaer (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFKenny Molly (Bel) Ago - Aqua ServiceRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Masson (Fra) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Mortier (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFAntoine Warnier (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFMiguel Eduardo Florez Lopez (Col) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFIlia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFLuca Pacioni (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFGiuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFSimone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFOdd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFAlberto Amici (Ita) Biesse Carrera GavardoRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFRaul Colombo (Ita) Biesse Carrera GavardoRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFLorenzo Delcó (Swi) Biesse Carrera GavardoRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Colleoni (Ita) Biesse Carrera GavardoRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFEnrico Salvador (Ita) Biesse Carrera GavardoRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFMichel Piccot (Ita) Biesse Carrera GavardoRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFFederico Zurlo (Ita) Mstina FocusRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFMattia Marcelli (Ita) Mstina FocusRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Ruscetta (Ita) Mstina FocusRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFRiccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Mstina FocusRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFDenis Marian Vulcan (Rom) Mstina FocusRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFElia Ciabocco (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis - VegaRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFLuca Colnaghi (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis - VegaRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFAntonio Di Sante (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis - VegaRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Draperi (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis - VegaRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFAlessandro Marinozzi (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis - VegaRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFGeremia Goffi (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis - VegaRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Evtushenko (Rus) LokosphinxRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFArseny Nikiforov (Rus) LokosphinxRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFDmitrii Sokolov (Rus) LokosphinxRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Vdovin (Rus) LokosphinxRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFSavva Novikov (Rus) LokosphinxRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Bernardinetti (Ita) Amore & Vita - ProdirRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFMichele Corradini (Ita) Amore & Vita - ProdirRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Gabburo (Ita) Amore & Vita - ProdirRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFViesturs Luksevics (Lat) Amore & Vita - ProdirRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFColin Chris Stüssi (Swi) Amore & Vita - ProdirRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFMirko Trosino (Ita) Amore & Vita - ProdirRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFFrancesco Bettini (Ita) D'amico UtensilnordRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Garosio (Ita) D'amico UtensilnordRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFEmanuele Onesti (Ita) D'amico UtensilnordRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFFranco Orocito (Arg) D'amico UtensilnordRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Raffaele (Ita) D'amico UtensilnordRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFKristijan Budimir (Cro) Meridiana Kamen TeamRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Jabuka (Cro) Meridiana Kamen TeamRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFEmanuel Kiserlovski (Cro) Meridiana Kamen TeamRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFAntonino Schillaci Pugliese (Ita) Meridiana Kamen TeamRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Rabottini (Ita) Meridiana Kamen TeamRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFIvan Vojskovic (Cro) Meridiana Kamen TeamRow 161 - Cell 2
DNSMateo Frankovic (Cro) Meridiana Kamen TeamRow 162 - Cell 2

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Latest on Cyclingnews