1st Giro Riviera Ligure Ponente - 2.4

Italy, February 21-24, 2001

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Stage 3 - February 23: Vazazze-Varazze, 168.4 km

Bartoli or Bodrogi?

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Laszlo Bodrogi
Photo: © Roberto Bettini

That was the question faced by spectators at the finish of the third stage of the Giro Riviera Ligure Ponente. A mapei rider wearing a "Tricolore" jersey crossed the line in victory, but it wasn't the 2000 Italian champion, Michele Bartoli. It was the young Hungarian Laszlo Bodrogi who beat Andrea Ferrigato (Alessio) and Giuliano Figueras (Panaria) in the sprint, taking over the race lead in the process. The green on Bodrogi's jeresy was at the bottom, not the top as it is with the Italian champion's.

Even Mapei were surprised, as Serge Parsani commented. "I wouldn't have expected Bodrogi to triumph in the sprint. I was surprised. We knew he had optimum qualities, but we didn't expect him to be in a position to hold his own at the end of a hard race with a lot of climbs. In a land not his own, it was a great test of his character."

It is Bodrogi's first victory in a race ranked higher than 2.5, and the 24 year old is part of Mapei's up and coming stars, along with Fabian Cancellara (currently leading the Tour of Rhodes), Evgueni Petrov and Michael Rogers.

Unfortunately for Mapei, Stefano Zanini lost his leader's jersey after he fell on the final descent, and couldn't regain the bunch. However, with one stage to go there is a good chance that Bodrogi can take the overall GC for Mapei.

Results

1 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step            4.28.53 (37.578 km/h) 
2 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Alessio
3 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo
4 Roberto Petito (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
5 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo        
6 Fabio Malberti (Ita) Liquigas
7 Massimo Donati (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola
8 Fredy Gonzalez (Col) Selle Italia-Pacific 
9 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis
10 Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Alessio
 
General classification after stage 3
 
1 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step          12.13.57
2 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita)  Alessio                    0.04
3 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo   0.06
4 Fredy Gonzalez (Col) Selle Italia-Pacific          0.10
5 Fabio Malberti (Ita) Liquigas                 
6 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 
7 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis
8 Bo Hamburger (Den) CSC-World Online
9 Roberto Petito (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 
10 Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Alessio