54th GP Industria e Commercio di Prato, Cat 1.2

Report: In Prato, Italian Alessandro Baronti (Cantina Tollo) won the 54th edition of the Italian classic GP Industria e Commercio di Prato (GP Prato) in the Tuscany region of Central Italy. He won a sprint finish from 3 breakaway companions - Marco Velo (Mercatone Uno-Bianchi), Francesco Casagrande (Vini Caldirola) and Cristian Gasperoni (Cantina Tollo). All four are vying for a place in the Italian World's team. It was a great race - a high average speed considering the hilly terrain. Francisco Casagrande was the most eager rider all day. Alexander Baronti was the most likely at the end though once it came down to a 4 up sprint given the help he received from teammate Cristian Gasperoni. The race also showed the potential of Ivan Basso (Riso Scotti), Danilo Di Luca (Cantina Tollo), and Giuliano Figueras (Mapei-Quick Step) who with Sergio Barbero (Mercatone Uno) were the aggressors of the race. The race exploded in the last 60 as the peloton came to the foot of the Passo della Crocetta, the major climb of the race. Without warning, Casagrande attacked and went clear. It was seemingly too far out from the end to be sensible. Casagrande normally waits. So it was unexpected and surprising. Barbero shadowed Casagrande and they engaged in a two-person battle with Barbero giving way. Only 20 or so riders were competitive. Riders like Ivan Gotti, Johan Museeuw and Paolo Savoldelli went out the back and abandoned. Casagrande built a lead of 36 seconds on Tonetti, 0.43 on Gasperoni and the rest of the final top 20 (see below). Behind Casagrande a chase was formed with Simoni, Velo, Basso, and Forconi forcing the issue. At Vernio with 35 kms left to go they caught Casagrande who had been away for 25 kms. The top group then gathered its resources before they tackled the tough climb of Migliana (30 km from the finish). Casagrande went again. Behind him was Gianluca Valoti, then Dif Luca, with short gaps up the climb to Barbero, Vergnani, Tonetti and Gasperoni. With 12 kms to go Figueras went to the front of the chase and Casagrande was hauled in. The activity was frenetic to say the least. With 10 kms to go, a decisive move was made - Casagrande went again with Baronti, Velo and Gasperoni. The winning move. Casagrande had misjudged the move though. He knew that he would not be quick enough against Baronti (being helped by Gasperoni). He thus kept trying to force the issue and break the 4 up. But Gasperoni controlled the breaks every time and dragged Baronti back each time. In the final sprint, Baronti was too quick for Casagrande and Velo. It was his 5th professional victory and his 2nd this season. He said: "I am in good form and happy. I went off on the climb but fought back. With the help of Gasperoni the sprint was not a difficult one. The blue world's jersey? I went to the worlds in 1997. I have hopes." For Velo, Baronti is something of a "nemesis". He beat him earlier at the Giro di Siracusa. Velo said: "Baronti is my bete noir. But it is good that I am in good form. The Worlds? I will race the ITT I hope. I also hope to get a place in the road team." Casagrande was less pleased: "Yes I attacked because if I had have stayed calm you journalist would have been highly critical of me. I tried to get away on the climb of the Crocetta. Then again up Migliana. But the climb was too short to make a break. I could just sit back now as I have nothing at all to show for Antonio Fusi. I am now taking a break for 10 days and will return at the Giro di Lazio." Prato, 199 kms: AVS: 42.055 km/h 1. Alessandro Baronti (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia 4.44.46 2. Marco Velo (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Bianchi 3. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Vini Caldirola 4. Cristian Gasperoni (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia 5. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia 0.25 6. Sergio Barbero (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Bianchi 0.25 7. Ivan Basso (Ita) Riso Scotti-Vinavil 0.25 8. Marco Vergnani (Ita) Selle Italia 0.25 9. Andrea Patuelli (Ita) Amore e Vita 0.25 10. David Delrieu (Fra) Casino 0.47 11. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) Polti 0.47 12. Gianluca Tonetti (Ita) Selle Italia 0.50 13. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 0.53 14. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Ballan-Alessio 0.53 15. Emiliano Murtas (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips 1.30 16. Christoph Göhring (Swi) Ericsson-Villiger 1.30 17. Vladimir Miholievic (Cro) KRKA 1.30 18. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Bianchi 1.30 19. Riccardo Forconi (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Bianchi 1.40 20. Maximilian Sciandri (GB) La Française des Jeux 1.40 21. Pezzè (Ita) 7.08 22. Alessandro Calzolari (Ita) Mobilvetta-Northwave 7.08 23. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) Vini Caldirola 7.08 24. Alessandro Varocchi (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips 7.08 25. Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia 7.08 26. Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 7.08 27. Felice Puttini (Swi) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips 7.08 28. Gianmario Ortenzi (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Bianchi 7.08 29. Mirko Puglioli (Ita) Amore e Vita 7.08 30. Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) Polti 9.50 31. Bracci (Ita) 9.50 32. Renzo Ragnetti (Ita) Mobilvetta-Northwave 9.50 33. Cesar (Fra) 9.50 34. Cariulo (Ita) 9.50 35. Andrea Tonti (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia 9.50 36. Giuseppe Di Fresco (Ita) Selle Italia 9.50 37. Mirko Lauria (Ita) Riso Scotti-Vinavil 9.50 Started: 147 Finished: 37