9th Trofeo Melinda - 1.2
Italy, August 31, 2000
1999 Results Past
Winners
Bartoli nipped
Michele Bartoli had to be content with second place in the 9th Trofeo
Melinda today after he failed to catch the lone Slovene, Gorazd Stangelj
who had escaped in the first part of the 200 km race. The Liquigas rider
attacked at kilometre 80 on a wet and (almost) autumnal day and held
off a chasing group of five by 20 seconds to take the win.
Stangelj has been in a cloud himself this past month, when he was
temporarily excluded from the Slovenian Olympic team after he was found
positive from pseudoephedrine at the Slovenian Nationals in June (which
he won). He did score a morale boosting win today as the race finished
atop the climb of Fondo. Bartoli led Oscar Mason (Mercatone), Niki Aerbersold
(Rabobank), Michele Coppolillo (Saeco) and Denis Lunghi (Colpack) in
the unltimately unsuccessful pursuit of Stangelj, and Bartoli was the
strongest of the five up the final climb. He was looking to repeat his
win of 1997, but required 20 seconds more.
The chase had started in the second of three 30 km closing laps and
it looked as though Stangelj may lose it in the last 3 kilometres after
117 km in front. However, he maintained his rhythm and was extremely
happy with his fourth professional win. "I could profit from the situation
today. I am satisfied considering I will miss the Olympic Games," said
the former team member.
Bartoli refused to comment as he was quite annoyed, but national coach
Antonio Fusi gave him some support: "Sure, Bartoli wasted a perfect
occasion, but we do not know yet if it was a tactical or a physical
problem," he said afterwards.
Other members of the Italian Olympic team did not fare so well today:
Casagrande withdrew, Pantani did not start, and Bettini finished a long
way back. Pantani's next appointment is the Coppa Placci on Saturday,
but it is not yet known whether he'll ride.
Results - 200.6 km
1. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Liquigas-Pata 5.20.26 (37.561 km/h)
2. Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 0.20
3. Oscar Mason (Ita) Mercatone Uno 0.29
4. Niki Aebersold (Swi) Rabobank 0.50
5. Michele Coppolillo (Ita) Saeco-Valli&Valli 1.00
6. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Colpack 1.30
7. Massimo Cigana (Ita) Mercatone Uno 3.40
8. Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3.50
9. Mauro Valoti (Ita) Colpack
10. Beat Zberg (Swi) Rabobank
Past
Winners
1992:
1. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) 195 kms in 5.32.12
2. Gianni Bugno (Ita)
3. Vjatcheslav Ekimov (Rus)
1993:
1. Stefano Della-Santa (Ita) 198 kms in 5.19.11
2. Mauro Gianetti (Swi)
3. Wladimir Belli (Ita)
1994:
1. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) 245 kms in 6.06.35
2. Francesco Casagrande (Ita)
3. Gianni Faresin (Ita)
1995:
1. Pascal Richard (Swi) 196 kms in 5.10.00
2. Felice Puttini (Swi)
3. Gianni Faresin (Ita)
1996:
1. Andrea Tafi (Ita) 209 kms in 5.19.10
2. Massimo Podenzana (Ita)
3. Filippo Casagrande (Ita)
1997:
1. Michele Bartoli (Ita) 196.6 kms in 4.55.49
2. Wladimir Belli (Ita)
3. Stefano Checchin (Ita)
1998:
1. Rodolfo Ongarato (Ita) Ballan 200 kms in 4.49.50 (41.362)
2. Alessandro Baronti (Ita) Cantina Tollo
3. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco
1999:
1. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) Vini Caldirola 197 kms in 5.09.06
2. Carlo Finco (Ita) Ballan-Alessio
3. Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Ballan-Alessio
Past Winners by Mario Stiehl, Berlin
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