36th Trofeo Laigueglia, Cat 1.4

Italy, February 16, 1999

1998 Results     Starting List     Past Winners     Report     Results    

Report

The Laigueglia Trophy was the opening race for the Italian calendar and was a great race. The decisive action in the race came from 4 riders from the same area - Bologna - Savoldelli, Ferrigato, Belli and Rebellin (the latter winning the recently completed Tour of the Mediterranean). The 4 gained a small advantage and held onto it even though the Mapei riders - Merckx and Figueras - were in hot pursuit. Then in the last km, Savoldelli, knowing he didn't have the finishing sprint to win against the other three, attacked and his surprise move proved successful.

The race began just after 11.00 when the Mayor of Laigueglia Silvano Silvano Montaldo signalled the 185 riders to begin. The first attack came on the first climb at Testico when Gentili (Cantina Tollo-Alexia) escaped from a small leading group and got a few seconds advantage. After a small distance, a new group formed at the front. The first hour of the race was slow - 32.7 km/h average. The next major move went at the 44 kms mark when four riders - Wuyts (Bel, Lotto-Mobistar), Van Lancker (Bel, Vlaanderen 2002), Stremersch (Bel, Vlaanderen 2002) and Radaelli (Ita, Vini Caldirola-Sidermec) attacked. They were pursued by Bramati (Ita, Mapei-Quick Step) and at S. Damiano (km 46.8) they had 25 seconds gap. They had an increased advantage by km 57, with their lead being 55 seconds. The chasing group had absorbed Bramati now.

Through the first passage of Laiguelglia at km 73.2 the break had 2.28 on a group being driven by the Polti and Lampre-Daikin teams. After 2 hours of racing the average was 37.5 km/h. The chasing bunch accelerated and the gap was down to 2.05 by the 79 kms mark. At km 81 it was 1.50. Over the climb at Testico for the second time, the leading group of 4 disintegrated. At km 84 (Crocetta) it was Radaelli and Van Lancker, then 15 seconds to Stremersch and Wuyts. The chasing peloton was now 1.25 from the leading 2. At km 90, the leaders had 30 seconds on their former breakaway companions and 1.20 on Ferrigato (Ita, Ballan-Alessio), who had attacked from the chasing group. The peloton was at 1.28. Soon after, Ferrigato was absorbed back into the peloton.

Again through Testico, with 75 kms to go, the two small leading bunches merge again as Stremersch and Wuyts recovered. The four leading riders now had a gap of 1.18. With 62 kms to go, as they worked well together, the gap went out to 2.05 again. However, the head wind became stronger. After 3 hours the average speed was 37.9 km/h. The leading bunch now had 2.18. At this point, the Polti team took the responsibility for the chase and the lead started dropping. First to around 2.00. With 56 kms to go, Radaelli, Van Lancker, Stremersch and Wuyts had a lead of 1.39 on the bunch being driven by Polti. At 50 kms to go it was down to 1.06. The pace was now very fast and some 10 kms later, with 40 kms to go, the 4 leaders were caught and the peloton was complete.

The major climb of Paravenna then beckoned. On the first ramp of the climb it was Steinhauser (Ger, Mapei-Quick Step) driving the bunch with Sebastian Demarbaix (Bel, Lotto-Mobistar) on his wheel. But the bunch didn't let them get away and a large bunch of around 50 riders climbed the hill together. There were still some attempts but all were futile. World Champion Oskar Camenzind (Swi, Lampre-Daikin) trailed the bunch up the hill. Over the top of Paravenna (with 30 kms to go), Davide Rebellin (Ita, Polti), Ferrigato (Ita, Ballan-Alessio), Savoldelli (Ita, Saeco-Cannondale) and Belli (Ita, Festina) made their move. They were chased by a splintered group of 8 riders - Figueras (Ita, Mapei Quick Step), then at 18 seconds the other 7 riders - Merckx (Bel, Mapei-Quick Step), Frigo (Ita, Saeco-Cannondale), Voigt (Ger, Credit Agricultural), Verheyen (Bel, Lotto-Mobistar), Palumbo (Ita, Rice Scotti Vinavil), Baldato (Ita, Ballan), and Noé (Ita, Mapei Quick Step). The rest of the peloton were in pursuit. Figueras was quickly absorbed and a group of 10 riders were now chasing rising to 18 by the 23 kms to the finish point. The leaders had 20 seconds with 15 kms to go with Belli and Savoldelli the most active of the 4. MMerckx was driving the pursuit.

At Albenga (8 kms to go) Rebellin was riding the tempo of the break and they had a gap of 32 on the chasing bunch of 15. The situation remained unchanged in the final kms: 6 to go, 34 seconds, -4, 30 seconds, -2, 33 seconds. As they came into the last km before Alassio the four leaders prepared for the sprint. But in a surprising move, Savoldelli attacked and quickly gained a lead of 30 metres and had enough to hold on to that.

There was a surprise waiting for Paolo Savoldelli when he finished as the winner of the Trophy Laigueglia - a victor's crown and the military police. He said: "I know they are working to try to fix up the problems of drugs in cycling. But it is surely not the dream of a rider, especially a young rider who has just fought hard to win the important and prestigious race like the Laigueglia Trophy, to have to go to the police station for interviews about drugs and smuggling."

26-year old Paolo Savoldelli, a native of Bergamo and one of the great hopes for the Saeco-Cannondale team, had to contend with all of this after his biggest triumph to date. Having broken away from a small group of 4 riders in the last km - he won alone. His breakaway companions - Ferrigato, Rebellin and Belli, fought out the minor placing in that order. Upon finishing he was told that he had to attend the police barracks of the Carbionieri (NAS) at 17.30 at Alassio. He was to be accompanied by Ivan Gotti, Pavel Tonkov, Alessandro Bertolini, Gianluca Bortolami, and Axel Merckx. They were listed as "persons who would be acquainted with the facts" of a drugs inquiry being held by Bologna's District Attorney Giovanni Spinosa. They were requested to provide evidence in the investigations pertaining to the commercialization, prescription and supply to athletes of dangerous drugs.

Savoldelli said: "There are no problems for me in this. I am calm. I am convinced that these enquiries are for the good of cycling and the riders. I prefer to think about the racing though. This year I have trained better than in past year - I am leaner and have avoided any illness. I am obviously in good form as a result and I was expecting to go well here today. I could not think of a better start to the season."

Laigueglia, 172.6 kms:

 1. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 		     4.23.27 (38.915 km/h)
 2. Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Ballan Alessio 			0.12
 3. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Team Polti				0.12
 4. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina				0.12
 5. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step			0.41
 6. Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Riso Scotti-Vinavil			0.41
 7. Fabio Baldato (Ita) Ballan Alessio				0.41
 8. Mirko Celestino (Ita) Team Polti				0.41
 9. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia			0.41
10. Michael Bladzun (Den) Team Home-Jack & Jones		0.41
11. Geert Verheyen (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
12. Roberto Petito (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
13. Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole
14. Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
15. Chris Horner (USA) La Francaise des Jeux
16. Andrea Noe (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
17. Bradley McGee (Aus) La Francaise des Jeux
18. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) Mapei-Quick Step
19. Axel Merckx (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
20. Sebastien Demarbaix (Bel) Home Market-Ville Charleroi	3.03

Started: 185
Finished: 82

Complete Starting List

Lampre-Daikin			Ballan-Alessio			Liquigas

 1. Oskar Camenzind (Swi)	41. Fabio Baldato (Ita)		 81. Biagio Conte (Ita)
 2. Franco Ballerini (Ita)	42. Andrea Ferrigato (Ita)	 82. Rodolfo Ongarato (Ita)
 3. Simone Bertoletti (Ita)	43. Martin Hvastija (Slo)	 83. Nicola Miceli (Ita)
 4. Massimo Codol (Ita)		44. Nicola Loda (Ita)		 84. Andrei Teteriouk (Kaz)
 5. Matteo Frutti (Ita)		45. Alberto Ongarato (Ita)	 85. Marco Milesi (Ita)
 6. Gabriele Missaglia (Ita)	46. Alexandre Gontchencov (Rus)	 86. Oscar Mason (Ita)
 7. Mariano Piccoli (Ita)	47. Piotre Ugrumov (Rus)	 87. Fausto Dotti (Ita)
 8. Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita)	48. Matteo Tosatto (Ita)	 88. Daniele Contrini (Ita)
 9. Marco Serpellini (Ita)	49. Filippo Baldo (Ita)		 89. Cristiano Frattini (Ita)
10. Raivis Belohvosciks	(Lat)	50. Carlo Finco (Ita)		 90. Ruslan Ivanov (Mda)

Riso Scotti-Vinavil		Mapei-Quick Step		Vini Caldirola-Sidermec

11. Kurt Asle Arvesen (Nor)	51. Davide Bramati (Ita)	 91. Massimo Apollonio (Ita)
12. Carlo Marino Bianchi (Ita)	52. Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita)	 92. Ruggero Borghi (Ita)
13. Cristian Bianchini (Ita)	53. Giuliano Figueras (Ita)	 93. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita)
14. Alessio Bongioni (Ita)	54. Leif Hoste (Bel)		 94. Filippo Casagrande (Ita)
15. Fabio Malberti (Ita)	55. Alex Merckx (Bel)		 95. Massimo Donati (Ita)
16. Oscar Pozzi (Ita)		56. Daniele Nardello (Ita)	 96. Andrej Hauptman (Slo)
17. Arnoldas Saprykinas (Ltu)	57. Andrea Noè (Ita)		 97. Emanuele Lupi (Ita)
18. Samuele Schiavina (Ita)	58. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger)	 98. Mauro Radaelli (Ita)
19. Alex Shefer (Kaz)		59. David Tani (Ita)		 99. Guido Trentin (Ita)
20. Alain Turicchia (Ita)	60. Pavel Tonkov (Rus)		100. Romans Vainsteins (Ltu)

Team Polti			Cantina Tollo-Alexia		Saeco-Cannondale

21. Enrico Cassani (Ita)	61. Alessandro Baronti (Ita)	101. Valentino China (Ita)
22. Stefano Cattai (Ita)	62. Oscar Cavagnis (Ita)	102. Dario Frigo (Ita)
23. Mirko Celestino (Ita)	63. Gabriele Colombo (Ita)	103. Alessandro Guerra (Ita)
24. Ivan Gotti (Ita)		64. Luca Di Danilo (Ita)	104. Vitali Kokorine (Rus)
25. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita)	65. Massimiliano Gentili (Ita)	105. Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita)
26. Leonardo Guidi (Ita)	66. Bo Hamburger (Den)		106. Roberto Petito (Ita)
27. Denis Lunghi (Ita)		67. Luca Mazzanti (Ita)		107. Igor Pugaci (Mda)
28. Davide Rebellin (Ita)	68. Paolo Gian Mondini (Ita)	108. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita)
29. Cristian Salvato (Ita)	69. Germano Pierdomenico (Ita)	109. Francesco Secchiari (Ita)
30. Gianluca Valoti (Ita)	70. Guido Trenti (Ita)		110. Mario Traversoni (Ita)

Amore & Vita-Giubileo 		Mobilvetta-Northwave		Amica Chips-Costa Almeria

31. Maurizio De Pasquale (Ita)	71. Pascal Richard (Swi)	111. Berzin Eugeni (Rus)
32. Massimo Gimondi (Ita)	72. Alessandro Bertolini (Ita)	112. Felice Puttini (Swi)
33. Timothy Jones (Zim)		73. Stefano Faustini (Ita)	113. Daniele De Paoli (Ita)
34. Simone Leporatti (Ita)	74. Davide Scalmana (Ita)	114. Armand De Las Cuevas (Fra)
35. Andrea Patuelli (Ita)	75. Marco Giroletti (Ita)	115. Francesco Arazzi (Ita)
36. Mirko Puglioli (Ita)	76. Mario Manzoni (Ita)		116. Daniele Galli (Ita)
37. Michele Ferti (Ita)		77. Gabriele Dalla Valle (Ita)	117. Alessandro Varocchi (Ita)
38. Artur Krzeszowec (Pol)	78. Ivan Quaranta (Ita)		118. Simone Campagnari (Ita)
				79. Leandro Fioroni (Ita)	119. Marco Gili (Ita)
				80. Graziano Reginella (Ita)	120. Pietro Caucchioli (Ita)


Selle Italia-Loteria B.		Vlaanderen 2002			Post Swiss Team

121. Alvaro Lonzano (Col)	161. Wilfred Cretskens (Bel)	201. Roger Beuchat (Swi)
122. Marco Bellini (Ita)	162. Glen D'Hollander (Bel)	202. Bruno Boscardin (Swi)
123. Fulvio Frigo (Ita)		163. Kris Gerits (Bel)		203. Philipp Buschor (Swi)
124. Gianluca Tonetti (Ita)	164. Davy Daniels (Bel)		204. Cedric Fragriene (Swi)
125. Alessio Girelli (Ita)	165. Lucas Gulk (Bel)		205. Yvan Haymoz (Swi)
126. Fortunato Balliani (Ita)	166. Tom Stremersch (Bel)	206. Sven Montgomery (Swi)
127. Giuseppe Di Fresco (Ita)	167. Marc Lancker (Bel)		207. Daniele Schnider (Swi)
128. Fabio Trinci (Ita)		168. Steve Vermaut (Bel)	208. Frederic Vifian (Swi)

Team Home-Jack & Jones		La Française des Jeux		Team Ericsson-Villiger

131. Jesper Skibby (Den)	171. Cristophe Bassons (Fra)	211. Josef Christen (Swi)
132. Nicolai Bo Larsen (Den)	172. Franck Bouyer (Fra)	212. Cristoph Goehring (Swi)
133. Marc Streel (Den)		173. Stéphane Heulot (Fra)	213. Urs Graf (Swi)
134. Christian Andersen (Den)	174. Christopher Horner (USA)	214. Christian Heule (Swi)
135. Michael Blsadzun (Den)	175. Xavier Jan (Fra)		215. Christian Sidler (Swi)
136. Arvis Piziks (Lat)		176. Yvon Ledanois (Fra)	216. Michael Themann (Swi)
137. Rene Jorgensen (Den)	177. Bradley McGee (Aus)	217. Daniele Von Flue (Swi)
138. Michael Rosborg (Den)	178. Anthony Morin (Fra)	218. Lukas Zumsteg (Swi)

Vitalicio Seguros-Generali	Credit Agricole

141. Elio Aggiano (Ita)		181. Chris Boardman (GB)
142. Santiago Blanco (Spa)	182. Friederic Delalande (Fra)
143. Francisco Cerezo (Spa)	183. Sébastian Hinault (Fra)
144. Daniele Clavero (Spa)	184. Cristopher Jenner (NZ)
145. Alvaro Gonzales (Spa)  	185. Stuart O'Grady (Aus)
146. Serguei Smetanine (Rus)	186. François Simon (Fra)
147. Andrei Zintchenko (Rus)	187. Cedric Vasseur (Fra)
148. Tomas F. Garcia (Spa)	188. Jens Voigt	(Ger)

Lotto-Mobistar			Navigare-Gaerne

151. Koen Beeckman (Bel)	191. Cristian Auriemma (Ita)
152. Sebastien Demarbaix (Bel)	192. Nicklas Axelsson (Swe)
153. Christophe Detilloux (Bel)	193. Luca Cei (Ita)
154. Jacky Durand (Fra)		194. Vladimir Duma (Ukr)
155. Thierry Laurent (Fra)	195. Aldo Zanetti (Ita)
156. Jean-D Vandenbrouke (Bel)	196. Luca Belluomini (Ita)
157. Geert Verheyen (Bel)	197. Gabriele Balducci (Ita)
158. Peter Wuyts (Bel)		198. Dario Pieri (Ita)
				199. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita)
				200. Stefano Panetta (Ita)

Past Winners

1964 Guido Neri (Ita)
1965 Marino Vigna (Ita)
1966 Antonio Bailetti (Ita)
1967 Franco Bitossi (Ita)
1968 Michele Dancelli (Ita)
1969 Claudio Michelotto (Ita)
1970 Michele Dancelli (Ita)
1971 Italo Zilioli (Ita)
1972 Wilmo Francioni (Ita)
1973 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1974 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1975 Giambattista Baronchelli (Ita)
1976 Franco Bitossi (Ita)
1977 Freddy Maertens (Bel)
1978 Knut Knudsen (Nor)
1979 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1980 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1981 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita)
1982 Theo De Rooy (Ned)
1983 Claudio Torelli (Ita)
1984 Giuseppe Petito (Ita)
1985 Ron Kiefel (USA)
1986 Mauro Longo (Ita)
1987 Gilbert Glaus (Swi)
1988 Paolo Cimini (Ita)
1989 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1990 Rolf Sorensen (Den)
1991 Pascal Richard (Swi)
1992 Sammy Moreels (Bel)
1993 Lance Armstrong (USA)
1994 Rolf Sorensen (Den)
1995 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1996 Franky Vandenbroucke (Bel)
1997 Michele Bartoli
1998 Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
Past Winners by Mario Stiehl, Berlin