48th Coppa Placci, Cat 1.1

Preview

Imola is transformed this weekend into the "capital of the two wheels". On Sunday, at the car racing track it is the 500 cc motor bikes with Mick Doohan aiming to win again and seal the 1998 Championship. And today, it is quieter, as the other two wheel vehicles race from the track to San Marino (the finishing place for the last 10 years).

It is a Cat 1.1 race and attracts a strong field. Nearly all the best one-day riders will be present - from Michele Bartoli, the number one classic rider, Andrea Tafi, Davide Rebellin, Daniel Nardello, Andrea Ferrigato, Mirko Celestino and Gianni Faresin.

The contest is also on for places in the Italian team for the Worlds. Bartoli said: "The past week has been a period of rest for me. I already feel good as a result. I have drained the tiredness from my legs. I also have learned to be patient. If I have had a bad day. I do not have to chase a 'no result'. I also have to leave some space for my teammates to do their own thing rather than work for me always. This will give them their chance to earn a place in the Italian team."

Tafi, other possible Italian team leader at the worlds also returns after forfeiting in the Trophy Melinda because of a respiratory virus. He said: "I have had to take some antibiotics, and my whole family has been sick. I was breathing badly at the beginning of this week and finding it difficult to sleep. I started back on my bike on Tuesday but only short distances. Today will serve to restore my confidence. Fortunately, I have not had any fever and I do not feel too run down." On Sunday, Tafi is not riding in the Giro de Romagna but will instead go to the GP Scherens in Belgium.

Imola - San Marino, 200 kms:

 1. Mauro Zanetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola 		     5.02.10  (39.713)
 2. Mirko Celestino (Ita) Team Polti 			0.12
 3. Massimo Donati (Ita) Saeco 				0.13
 4. Stephane Heulot (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux		0.18
 5. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina			0.20 
 6. Filippo Simeoni (Ita) Asics-CGA			0.30 
 7. Marco Vergnani (Ita) Kross-Selle Italia		0.42
 8. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Cantina Tollo			0.52
 9. Sandro Giacomelli (Ita) Amore e Vita		1.40
10. Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) Ros Mary 			1.41
11. Marco Magnani (Ita) Cantina Tollo	 		1.42
12. Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Ballan			1.48
13. Michele Coppolillo (Ita) Asics-CGA			1.51
14. Alessandro Baronti (Ita) Cantina Tollo		2.00
15. Marco Velo (Ita) Mercatone Uno			3.21 
16. Alexandre Gontchenkov (Rus) Ballan			3.31
17. Michele Bartoli (Ita) Asics-CGA			3.31
18. Fabio Roscioli (Ita) Asics-CGA			4.03
19. Fabrizio Bontempi (Ita) Ros Mary			4.25
20. Valentino China (Ita) Saeco				4.27
21. Gianpaolo Mondini (Ita) Kross-Selle Italia		4.57
22. Fabio Baldato (Ita) Riso Scotti			7.00

Started: 142
Finished: 35

Past Winners

1923	Enea Dal Fiume (Ita)
1924	Emilio Petiva (Ita)
1925	Emilio Petiva (Ita)
1926	Ermano Vallazza (Ita)
1927	Aleardo Simoni (Ita)
1928	Pietro Fossati (Ita)
1946	Nedo Logli (Ita)
1948	Luigi Casola (Ita)
1949	Renzo Soldani (Ita)
1950	Giacomo Zampieri (Ita)
1962	Franco Cribiori (Ita)
1963	Ercole Baldini (Ita)
1964	Guido De Rosso (Ita)
1965	Michele Dancelli (Ita)
1966	Felice Gimondi (Ita)
1967	Luciano Armani (Ita)
1969	Roberto Ballini (Ita)
1970	Ugo Colombo (Ita)
1971	Ugo Colombo (Ita)
1972	Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1973	Italo Zilioli (Ita)
1974	Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1975	Francesco Moser (Ita)
1976	Fausto Bertoglio (Ita)
1977	Marino Basso (Ita)
1978	Gianbattista Baronchelli (Ita)
1979	Giovanni Battaglin (Ita)
1980	Giovanni Battaglin (Ita)
1981	Alfio Vandi (Ita)
1982	Alfredo Chinetti (Ita)
1983	Mario Amadori (Ita)
1984	Acacio Da Silva (P)
1985	Silvano Contini (Ita)
1986	Guido Bontempi (Ita)
1987	Massimo Ghirotto (Ita)
1988	Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1989	Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)
1990	Mauro Gianetti (Swi)
1991	Laurent Dufaux (Swi)
1992	Johan Bruyneel (Bel)
1993	Maximilian Sciandri (Ita)
1994	Angelo Lecchi (Ita)
1995	Francesco Casagrande (Ita)
1996	Andrea Tafi (Ita)
1997	Beat Zberg (Swi)