Giro d'Italia - Stage One


Stage 1, Lido di Venezia circuit , 128 km:

  1. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco          2.38.17
  2. Nicola Minali (Ita) Batik
  3. Endrio Leoni (Ita) Aki 
  4. Filippo Meloni (Ita) Amore e Vita
  5. Mirko Rossato (Ita) Scrigno
  6. Marcel W|st (Ger) Festina
  7. Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Refin
  8. Angel Edo (Spa) Kelme
  9. Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Mapei
 10. Sergei Usciakov (Ukr) Polti
 11. Fabio Baldato (Ita) Maglificio
 12. Jan Svorada (Cze) Mapei
 13. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) Amore Vita
 14. Mario Manzoni (Ita) Roslotto
 15. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat
 16. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) Polti.
 17. Marco Velo (Ita) Brescialat
 18. Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Kross
 19. Paolo Valoti (Ita) Cantina
 20. Massimiliano Gentili(Ita) Cantina   all s.t.

 21. FINESSO, Stefano (Ita) Ros Mary
 22. BERZIN, Eugeni (Rus) Batik
 23. SPRUCH, Zbigniew (Pol) Mapei
 24. MOLINARI, Maurizio (Ita) Asics
 25. ZAINA, Enrico (Ita) Asics
 26. BONTCHAR, Serguei (Ukr) AKI
 27. LODA, Nicola (Ita) Maglificio
 28. FERRIGATO, Andrea (Ita) Roslotto
 29. CALCATERRA, Guiseppe (Ita) Saeco
 30. CENGHIALTA, Bruno (Ita) Batik

 31. FAUSTINI, Stefano (Ita) AKI
 32. SCOPGI Manuel (Ita) Ros Mary
 33. COLOMBO, Gabriele (Ita) Batik
 34. SACCHI, Fabio (Ita) Polti  
 35. PETITO, Roberto (Ita) Saeco
 36. ANDRIOTTO, Dario (Ita) Amore Vita           all s.t.
 37. FAGNINI, Gian Matteo (Ita) Saeco              + 0.13
 38. APOLLONIO, Massimo (Ita) Scrigno              + 0.14
 39. CASSANI, Enrico (Ita) Polti                     s.t.
 40. ZANETTE, Denis (Ita) AKI                      + 0.16

 41. BRIGNOLI, Ermanno (Ita) Batik                 + 0.17
 42. SCIREA, Mario (Ita) Saeco                     + 0.18
 43. BORTOLAMI, Gianluca (Ita) Festina               s.t.
 44. SHEFER, Alexandre (Kaz) Asics                   s.t.
 45. MAZZANTI, Luca (Ita) Refin                    + 0.20
 46. GUERINI, Giuseppe (Ita) Polti 
 47. BUGNO, Gianni (Ita) Mapei        
 48. GONZALEZ, Arsenio (Spa) Kelme
 49. DOMINGUEZ, Juan Carlos (Spa) Kelme
 50. ROSCIOLI, Fabio (Ita) Asics    

 51. FORCONI, Riccardo (Ita) Amore Vita
 52. BONTEMPI, Fabrizio (Ita) Brescialat
 53. DOTTI, Fausto (Ita) Ros Mary
 54. LEBLANC, Luc (Fra)  Polti
 55. NOE, Andrea (Ita) Asics  
 56. MICELI, Nicola (Ita) AKI 
 57. MORETTI, Roberto (Ita) Kross  
 58. UGRUMOV, Piotre (Rus) Roslotto
 59. VERGNANI, Marco (Ita) Amore Vita  
 60. FRATTINI, Cristiano (Ita) Brescialat

 61. VATTERONI, Andrea (Ita) Scrigno
 62. POZZI, Alessandro (Ita) Cantina
 63. PELLICCIOLI, Oscar (Ita) Mercatone Uno
 64. PUTTINI, Felice (Ita) Refin    
 65. MERCKX, Axel (Bel) Polti
 66. DI SILVESTRO, Lorenzo (Ita) Cantina
 67. LECCHI, Angelo (Ita) Maglificio
 68. PISTORE, Roberto (Ita) Maglificio
 69. TANI, David (Ita) Ros Mary    
 70. GARCELLI, Stefano (Ita) Mercatone Uno

 71. JEKER, Fabian (Swi) Festina    
 72. GOTTI, Ivan (Ita) Saeco    
 73. TONKOV, Pavel (Rus) Mapei
 74. DI GRANDE, Giuseppe (Ita) Mapei
 75. OUSLAMINE, Serguei (Rus) Refin
 76. BRASI, Rossano (Ita) Polti
 77. BOTTARO, Dario (Ita) Mercatone Uno
 78. FINCATO, Marco (Ita) Roslotto
 79. SIBONI, Marcello (Ita) 
 80. SERRANO, Marcos (Spa) Kelme

 81. FRATTINI, Francesco (Ita) Batik
 82. FARESIN, Gianni (Ita) Mapei  
 83. PUMAR, Omar (Ven) Brescialat
 84. LADDOMADA, Michelle (Ita) Amore Vita
 85. COPPOLILLO, Michele (Ita) Maglificio
 86. PIANEGONDA, Gianluca (Ita) Mapei  
 87. BUENAHORA, Hernan (Col) Kelme
 88. RADAELLI, Mauro (Ita) AKI
 89. BARBAGLI, Alassio (Ita) Scrigno
 90. FORNACIARI, Paolo (Ita) Saeco

 91. RUBIERA, Josi Luis (Spa) Kelme
 92. CASAGRANDE, Stefano (Ita) Scrigno  
 93. POULNIKOV, Vladimir (Ukr) Kross
 94. DE PAOLI, Daniele (Ita) Ros Mary  
 95. BOBRIKE, Ladislav (Rus) Ros Mary  
 96. GALLORINI, Sauro (Ita) Scrigno
 97. SGAMBELLURI, Roberto(Ita) Brescialat
 98. GILI, Marco (Ita) Kross      
 99. SALVOLDELLI, Paolo (Ita) Roslotto  
100. CELESTINO, Mirco (Ita) Polti    

101. POSER, Michelle (Ita) Ros Mary
102. PANTANI, Marco (Ita) Mercatone Uno
103. DELLA COSTA, Oscar (Ita) AKI    
104. BELLI, Wladimir (Ita) Brescialat    
105. SIVAKOV, Alexei (Rus) Roslotto
106. LOZANO, Alvaro (Col) Kross        
107. PIEPOLI, Leonardo (Ita) Refin  
108. CALZAVARA, Leonardo (Ita) AKI  
109. SIMONI, Gilberto (Ita) Maglificio  
110. SPEZIALETTI, Alessandro (Ita) Batik

111. HERNANDEZ, Jaime (Spa) Festina
112. PODENZANA, Massimo (Ita) Mercatone Uno
113. PALAUNI, Andrea (Ita) Cantina  
114. CASAGRANDE, Filippo (Ita) Scrigno  
115. TRAVERSONI, Mario (Ita) Mercatone Uno
116. BRAMATI, Davide (Ita) Mapei      
117. CHIESA, Mario (Ita) Asics          
118. SANTAROMITA, Mauro (Ita) Maglificio
119. BETTIN, Mauro (Ita) Refin          
120. CONTI, Roberto (Ita) Mercatone Uno

121. POZZI, Oscar (Ita) Asics      
122. DOLCI, Andrea (Ita) Cantina      
123. PIERDOMENICO, Germano (Ita) Cantina
124. CITRACCA, Angelo (Ita) Kross    
125. PATUELLI, Andrea (Ita) Amore Vita  
126. BROGNARA, Andrea (Ita) Batik    
127. FRIGO, Dario (Ita) Saeco            
128. HALGAND, Patrice (Fra)  Festina
129. TOMI, Maurizio (Ita) Ros Mary
130. LIETTI, Marco (Ita) Refin          

131. CABELLO, Francisco (Spa) Kelme
132. VIDAL, Josi Angel (Spa) Kelme  
133. ALBERATI, Paolo (Ita) Scrigno  
134. LARSEN, Nicolay (Den)  Amore Vita    
135. LAURENT, Thierry (Fra)  Festina
136. GIRALDI, Stefano (Ita) Kross    
137. CAUZ, Michelangelo (Ita) AKI    
138. BARBERO, Sergio (Ita) Mercatone Uno
139. CALZORALI, Alessandro (Ita) Kross  
140. AGGIANO, Eglio (Ita) Refin        

141. LANFRANCHI, Paolo (Ita) Mapei  
142. VOLPI, Alberto (Ita) Batik        
143. GOMEZ GONZALO, J. Javier (Spa) Kelme
144. CASAGRANDA, Stefano (Ita) Maglificio
145. CARUSO, Roberto (Ita)  Ros Mary    
146. GALLETI, Alessio (Ita) Ros Mary    
147. MEIER, Armin (Swi) Batik            
148. STENHAUSER, Tobmas (Ale) Refin
149. GUALDI, Mirko (Ita) Polti
150. SCHMIDT, Torsten (Ger) Roslotto

151. FONTANELLI, Fabiano (Ita) Maglificio
152. BONETTI, Enrico (Ita) Asics 
153. MONDINI, Gianpaolo (Ita) Amore Vita
154. MURTAS, Emiliano (Ita) AKI        
155. GASPERONI, Cristian (Ita) Scrigno  
156. WERNER, Jurgen (Ale) Refin 
157. DELLA VEDOVA, Marco (Ita) Brescialat
158. SIMEONI, Filippo (Ita) Asics    
159. SECCHAARI, Francesco (Ita) Scrigno
160. DONATI, Massimo (Ita) Saeco      

161. DJAVANIAN, Viacheslav (Rus) Roslotto
162. KONYSCHEV, Dimitri (Rus) Roslotto  
163. BORTOLAMI, Gianluca (Ita) Festina  
164. GARCIA CASAS, Felix (Spa) Festina  
165. GONZALEZ, Jose Jaime (Col) Kelme    
166. PADRNOS, Pavel (Czech Rep) Roslotto
167. TEBALDI, Valerio (Ita) Festina
168. BARONTI, Alessandro (Ita) Asics
169. LEBRETON, Lilian (Fra)  Festina
170. RONCANCIO, Cello R. (Col) Kross

171. PESCHEL, Uwe (Ale) Cantin)        
172. BIASCI, Simone (Ita) Kross        
173. BETTINI, Paolo (Ita) Maglificio
174. MOOS, Alexander (Swi) Saeco                    all s.t.
175. GIACOMELLI, Sandro (Ita) Amore Vita             + 1.48
176. CONTRINI, Danielle (Ita) Brescialat               s.t.
177. DI RENZO, Marco Antonio (Ita) Cantina           + 2.16
178. HVASTIJA, Martin (Slo) Cantina                  + 2.16
179. MILESI, Marco (Ita) Brescialat                  + 3.21.

 
Abandon: BORGHERESI, Simone (Ita) Mercatone Uno 

Report

It was a tight squeeze but Mario Cipollini produced his expected victory on the opening day of the 80th Giro d'Italia on Saturday.

The towering Tuscan found space through a narrow gap between fellow Italian Nicola Minali and the spectator barriers to ensure the pink jersey of Giro leader is on his shoulders for Sunday's race to Cervia.

The victory, his ninth of the year and 17th in a Giro, was worth a deduction of 12 seconds from his race time of two hours 38 minutes and 17 seconds.

It gave him the race colours by four seconds from Minali with third-placed Endrio Leoni a further four seconds back after 16 laps fought out at 48.52 kph on an eight-km circuit on the Lido island.

When his team plan fell apart in the last 800 metres, Cipollini's Giro mission looked lost, but the showman sprinter the fans call the Lion King found his bite.

``Our tactics did not work so I was alone and I had to be intelligent to gain ground,'' he said. ``Then I had to shout at Minali in the last 100 metres to move out because he was forcing me too close to the barriers.''

His ambition is to be 'in the frame' again on Sunday, so that he has a photo of himself winning clad in the pink jersey.

After the finish he was presented with a cycle frame in matching pink, which he will ride on Sunday, but some leading contenders, 1996 winner Pavel Tonkov among them, were red with embarrassment.

They were caught out in the back end of a splitting field in a high speed final lap and lost 20 seconds on Cipollini.

Simone Borgheresi, teammate of contender Marco Pantani, crashed into a bush as the 180 riders sped to the finish.

Mario Cipollini, known as Re Leone (Lion King) in the jungle of the massed sprint finishes, wants to adopt a puma cub.

After winning Saturday's hunt for the first pink jersey of this year's Giro d'Italia, the Italian talked about his growing menagerie at his home in the Tuscan countryside.

``I would like a puma and I am told that if you have one while it is still a cub it can be brought up to be tame.''

Cipollini's wife Sabrina is likely to cage his dream, especially with their first child due next month, but the Lion King has other options.

``I also would like an ostrich,'' he said. ``It could act as a sentinel in our garden because with its long neck it can see over the garden wall.''

Cipollini already has two watchdogs, a boxer, a Yorkshire terrier, two cats, a parakeet, a cockatoo and a mynah bird which squawks ``Jalabert, Jalabert'' to remind him of his rival and French number one cyclist Laurent Jalabert.