Milan-San Remo - World Cup Round 1

Italy, March 22, 1997

1996 Results and Analysis 

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    MAPEI-GB has announced its team for Saturday's (March 22) Milano--San Remo, the first round of the 1997 World Cup. In-form sprinter Tom Steels -- with four stage wins in Paris--Nice and a third in the final time trial -- replaces Stefano Zanini, who has just recovered from chicken pox. The other Mapei team members for La Primavera are Johan Museeuw, seen climbing strongly in the Ventoux stage of Paris--Nice; Franco Ballerini; Carlo Bomans; Wilfried Peeters; Gianluca Pianegonda, the current leader of Tirreno--Adriatico; Zbigniew Spruch and Andrea Tafi. (Zanini rsumes racing Sunday in Cholet-Pays-de-Loire where he is joined by Zenon Jaskula and Jan Svorada.)

    ONCE team leader Laurent Jalabert is joined in Milano-San Remo by Alex Zulle, Melchor Mauri, Herminio Diaz-Zabala, Roberto Sierra, Luis Diaz de Otazu, KIko Garcia and David Extebarria.

    Cofidis team leader MAURIZIO FONDRIEST looks uncertain for Milano--San Remo after failing to start Stage 5 of Tirreno--Adriatico on Monday. The 1993 Primavera winner had been performing well in the race but suffering from back pains for some days. Fondriest, who was out of action with a discal hernia in 1994, travelled immediately to Milan for a medical consultation with a view to deciding whether he should start on Saturday.

    Saeco super-sprinter MARIO CIPOLLINI also feels short of form for a race he would dearly love to win. He abandoned Paris--Nice on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. After a five-hour training session in Monaco, where he resides (five hours entirely in Monaco!?), Super Mario reported "legs like cotton wool" and "not much in the way of morale". Nevertheless he insisted that there was no question for the moment of his not starting in Saturday's race.

    Jalabert and Museeuw to fight out Milan-San Remo

    Frenchman Laurent Jalabert, fresh from winning his third Paris-Nice title in a row, goes wheel to wheel with a man chasing a hat-trick of his own in this Saturday's Milan-San Remo cycling race, Belgian world champion Johan Museeuw.

    Museeuw will be looking for a solid start to his bid for a third successive World Cup title in the 294-kilometer race, won last year by Italian Gabriele Colombo.

    Yet his Mapei team director, Patrick Lefevere, admits he is nervous about Museeuw's prospects of holding off the in-form Frenchman in Saturday's first -- and longest -- classic of the season.

    "Johan is very fast, especially at the end of a long race," Lefevere said. "But Jalabert was well ahead in the Paris-Nice. If it comes down to a sprint between the two, it all depends if there is a small group just behind them. I hope Johan can do it but I'm not convinced."

    Both Museeuw and Jalabert will certainly be looking for an improvement on last year. Then, Museeuw finished eighth and Jalabert was forced to pull out with a knee injury caused in winning his second Paris-Nice title.

    Italian fans will be hoping that Michele Bartoli can muscle his way in amongst the two favourites though realistically he will do well to improve on his third place finish of last year.

    Britain's Italian-born Maximilian Sciandri will also fancy his chances after coming fourth a year ago when he lost out in a sprint by a breakway group of four headed by Colombo.

    One man who definitely won't be in contention is Olympic road-race champion Pascal Richard of Switzerland.

    Richard was knocked over by a car in training and suffered a brokem left hand and broken fingers on his right hand, as well as a fractured sternum.

    Milan-San Remo, 294 kilometres

      1. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom             294 km in 6.57.47 (42,223 km/h)
  2. Alberto Elli (Ita) Casino   
  3. Biagio Conte (Ita) Scrigno                      
  4. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Saeco                     
  5. Michele Bartoli (Ita) MG                    
  6 .Mirko Celestino (Ita) Polti                  
  7. Sergei Usciakov (Ukr) Polti                
  8. Rolf Svrensen (Den) Rabobank 
  9. Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Roslotto
 10. Andrea Noh (Ita) Asics
 11. Davide Casarotto (Ita) Scrigno
 12. Beat Zberg (Sch) Mercatone Uno
 13. Jesper Skibby (Den) TVM
 14. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM
 15. Max Sciandri (Gbr) La Francaise des Jeux
 16. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) Once
 17. Mirko Gualdi (Ita) Polti
 18. Mauro Gianetti (Sch) La Francaise des Jeux
 19. Rolf Jdrmann (Sch) Casino
 20. Stefano della Santa (Ita) Mercatone Uno
 21. Stephane Heulot (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
 22. Bo Hamburger (Den) TVM
 23. Dimitri Konychev (Rus) Roslotto
 24. Roberto Petito (Ita) Saeco
 25. Alexander Chefer (Kaz) Asics
  ------
 26. Kai Hundertmarck (Ger)
 27. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita)
 28. Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) 
 29. Franco Ballerini (Ita) 
 30. Marco Pantani (Ita)

 31. Peter Farazijn (Bel)
 32. Didier Rous (Fra)
 33. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa)
 34. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) 
 35. Jan Ullrich (Ger) 
 36. Axel Merckx (Bel)
 37. Marc Wauters (Bel)
 38. Tom Steels (Bel)
 39. Johan Museeuw (Bel)          all s.t.
 40. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned)       + 0.22

 41. Laurent Dufaux (Sch)           + 1.21
 42. Enrico Zaina (Ita)
 43. Richard Virenque (Fra)         + 1.26
 44. Mauro Bettin (Ita)             + 3.07
 45. Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita)
 46. George Hincapie (Usa)
 47. Stephane Barthe (Fra)
 48. Andrej Tchmil (Ukr)
 49. Sergio Previtali (Ita)
 50. Rob McEwen (Aus)

 51. Leon Van Bon (Ned)
 52. Michael Andersson (Swe)
 53. Fabrizio Bontempi (Ita)
 53. Fabrizio Bontempi (Ita)
 54. Stuart O'Grady  (Aus)
 55. Nicola Loda (Ita)
 56. Jo Planckaert (Bel)
 57. Elio Aggiano (Ita)
 58. Adriano Baffi (Ita)
 59. Fabio Baldato (Ita)

 60. Henk Vogels (Aus)
 61. Vjatjeslav Djavanian (Rus)
 62. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Mapei
 63. Scott Sunderland (Aus)
 64. Laurent Desbiens (Fra)
 65. Endrio Leoni (Ita)
 66. Fabrizio  Guidi (Ita)
 67. Michael Blaudzun (Den)
 68. Rossano Brasi (Ita)
 69. Stefano Casagranda (Ita)
 70. Tony Rominger (Sch) 

 71. Bruno Thibout (Fra)
 72. Juan-Carlos Dominguez (Spa)
 73. Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
 74. Sergei Gontchar (Ukr)
 75. Andrea Tafi (Ita)
 76. Luca Sironi (Ita)
 77. Marco Artunghi (Ita)
 78. Markus  Zberg (Sch)
 79. Marty Jemison (Usa)
 80. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa)

 81. Hernandez (Spa)
 82. Nicola Minali (Ita)
 83. Vjatjeslav Ekimov (Rus)
 84. Dario Nicoletti (Ita)
 85. Alexei Sivakov (Rus)
 86. Laurent Roux (Fra)
 87. Simone Borgheresi (Ita)
 88. Rolf Aldag (Ger)
 89. Pavel Padrnos (Cze)
 90. Mario Chiesa (Ita)

 91. Marco Velo (Ita)
 92. Dario Bottaro (Ita)
 93. Marcos Antonio Serrano (Spa)
 94. Silvio Martinello (Ita)
 95. Tristan Hoffman (Ned)
 96. Santiago Blanco (Spa)
 97. Bjarne Riis (Den)
 98. Angelo Lecchi (Ita)
 99. Angel Casero (Spa)
100. Filippo Simeoni (Ita)

101. Vicente Aparicio (Spa)
102. Marco Lietti (Ita)
103. Luc Leblanc (Fra) 
104. Gabriele Colombo (Ita)
105. Alex Z|lle (Sch)
106. Armin Meier (Sch)
107. Mario Cipollini (Ita)
108. Evgeni Berzin (Rus) 
109. Luis Diaz De Otazu (Spa)      + 4.09
110. Gianmatteo Fagnini (Ita)      + 4.26

111. Laurent Madouas (Fra)
112. Mauro Radaelli (Ita)
113. Massimiliano Lelli (Ita)
114. Massimo Apollonio (Ita)
115. Frederic Pontier (Fra)
116. Aart Vierhouten (Ned)
117. Simone Rebellin (Ita)
118. Darren Baker (Usa)
119. Abraham Olano (Spa)
120. Luca Scinto (Ita);

121. Andrea Peron (Ita)
122. Cedric Vasseur (Fra)
123. Andrea Brognara (Ita)
124. Ronan Pensec (Fra)
125. Carlo Bomans (Bel)
126. Wilfried Peeters (Bel)
127. Andrei Teteriuk (Kaz)
128. Brian Holm (Den)
129. Peter Meinert (Den)
130. Pascal Derame (Fra)

131. Luca Mazzanti (Ita)
132. Andrea Vatteroni (Ita)
133. J|rgen Werner (Ger)           + 4.34
134. Frederic Guesdon (Fra)        + 7.09
135. Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa)       + 8.49
136. Fernando Escartin (Spa)       + 10.24
137. Marco Villa (Ita)
138. Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Uzb) + 12.12
139. Arvis Piziks (Let)
140. Gilles Bouvard (Fra)

141. Frederic Moncassin (Fra)      + 12.32
142. Leonardo Calzavara (Ita)
143. Gabriele Balducci (Ita)
144. Enrico Cassani (Ita)
145. Philippe Gaumont (Fra)
146. Leonardo Guidi (Ita)
147. Marco Zen (Ita)
148. Sebastien Medan (Fra)
149. Christophe Moreau (Fra)
150. Valerio Tebaldi (Ita)

151. Marco Saligari (Ita)
152. Simone Bertoletti (Ita)
153. Ermanno Brignoli (Ita)
154. Cristian Salvato (Ita)
155. Roberto Sierra (Spa)
156. Ludwig Willems (Bel)
157. Mario Scirea (Ita)
158. Giuseppe Calcaterra (Ita)
159. Mario Traversoni (Ita)
160. Francisque Teyssier (Fra)   + 13.51
161. Michelangelo Cauz (Ita)     + 14.20
162. Gerrit De Vries (Ned)
163. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita)      + 15.04
164. Garcia (Spa)                + 15.25.

 --196 starters, 164 finishers --

    World Cup standings:

      1. Erik Zabel (Ger)             100 pts
  2. Alberto Elli (Ita)            70  
  3. Biagio Conte (Ita)            50                     
  4. Francesco Casagrande (Ita)    40                    
  5. Michele Bartoli (Ita)         36                  
  6 .Mirko Celestino (Ita)         32                 
  7. Sergei Usciakov (Ukr)         28               
  8. Rolf Svrensen (Den)           24
  9. Andrea Ferrigato (Ita)        20
 10. Andrea Noh (Ita)              16
 11. Davide Casarotto (Ita)        15
 12. Beat Zberg (Sch)              14
 13. Jesper Skibby (Den)           13
 14. Peter Van Petegem (Bel)       12
 15. Max Sciandri (Gbr)            11
 16. Laurent Jalabert (Fra)        10
 17. Mirko Gualdi (Ita)             9
 18. Mauro Gianetti (Sch)           8
 19. Rolf Jdrmann (Sch)             7
 20. Stefano della Santa (Ita)      6
 21. Stephane Heulot (Fra)          5
 22. Bo Hamburger (Den)             4
 23. Dimitri Konychev (Rus)         3
 24. Roberto Petito (Ita)           2
 25. Alexander Chefer (Kaz)         1

    Team standings:

      1. Team Polti (Ita)              12 pts
  2. TVM (Ned)                      9
  3. La Frangaise des Jeux (Fra)    8
  4. Casino (Fra)                   7
  5. Roslotto-ZG Mobili (Rus)       6
  6. Telekom (Ger)                  5
  7. Mercatone Uno (Smr)            4
  8. Scrigno-Gaerne (Ita)           3
  9. Asics (Ita)                    2
 10. MG-Technogym (Ita)             1

    Zabel wins Milan-San Remo

    Germany's Erik Zabel won the 294km Milan-San Remo cycling race here on Saturday, the first World Cup race and first classic of the 1997 season.

    Zabel, who rides for Telekom, beat out Italians Alberto Elli, Biagio Conte, Francesco Casagrande and Michele Bartoli.

    But a spectacular crash 10 metres from the finishing line ended up with a group of riders, including world number one Laurent Jalabert of France, World Cup champion Johan Museeuw of Belgium and Britain's Italian-born Max Sciandri, fourth last year, on the ground. However neither Jalabert nor Museeuw were seriously injured, though no further information had been received on Sciandri.

    Jalabert believed he had not broken anything. "My left arm hurts but I don't think it's fractured," he said.

    Jalabert was also involved in a very serious accident in the 1994 Tour de France at Armentieres.

    Museeuw, opening his bid for his third consecutive World Cup title, was taken to hospital with suspected leg and shoulder fractures, but only severe bruising was diagnosed and he was expected back on his bike in two or three days.

    Neither Museeuw nor Jalabert had a great time in the 1996 race -- Museeuw finished eighth and Jalabert was forced to pull out with a knee injury caused in winning his second Paris-Nice title.

    Meanwhile, while the other riders were careering off their bikes, Zabel held firmly on to his handlebars to take victory.

    The 26-year-old Berliner has a Paris-Tours title on his record and has also won several stages in the Tour de France -- he even won the points green jersey for sprint specialists last year.

    Zabel was also the second German rider to win the San-Remo after Rudi Altig in 1968.

    Remaining World Cup races:

      6 April:   Ronde van Vlaanderen (Bel)
 13 April:   Paris-Roubaix (Fra)
 20 April:   Lihge-Bastogne-Lihge (Bel)
 26 April:   Amstel Gold Race (Ned)
  9 August:  Clasica San Sebastian (Spa)
 17 August:  Rochester International Classic (Gbr)
 24 August:  GP Suisse (Sch)
  5 October: Paris-Tours (Fra)
 18 October: Giro di Lombardia (Ita)

    Race Report

    Germany's Erik Zabel won the 294-km Milan to San Remo cycling classic on Saturday after world champion Johan Museeuw and world number one Laurent Jalabert were involved in a bad crash.

    As Zabel snatched victory in a sprint finish to this opening round of the World Cup, Jalabert, the victim of a horrendous crash in the 1994 Tour de France, appeared to ride into Museeuw, bringing down several riders.

    Among the fallers was British Olympic bronze medallist Max Sciandri, who was soon on his feet. But Belgium's Museeuw, the Cup holder, was led away grimacing in pain from a shoulder injury.

    After a medical check Jalabert had recovered sufficiently to return to his team hotel but Museeuw went to hospital to have his left shoulder X-rayed.

    Italians Alberto Elli and Biagio Conte were second and third in the same time as the winner -- six hours 57 minutes 47 seconds.

    Zabel, who opened his season with overall victory in Spain's Ruta del Sol, is only the second German to win this curtain-raiser to the Spring classics. Rudi Altig was the first in 1968.

    Zabel's chance came as Italian Franco Ballerini, just clear of the closing chase, tried to outfox a rival as they led into the Via Roma finish.

    The group switched across the broad avenue to the far gutter, and as Zabel squeezed home bikes flew in the air behind him.

    Sciandri, who has a history of flawed finishing, said: ``Museeuw and Jalabert just came over me, but I am not hurt.''

    Gabriele Colombo, who gave Italy their fifth victory in six years at San Remo last year, went out of contention after being involved in a pile-up 20 kilometres from the finish.

    It came as the main contenders turned the screw after a 137 kms breakaway by Italians Eros Poli, Denis Zanette, Maurizio Molinari had been reeled in.

    As the battle reached its height on the Poggio climb, an almost traditional launch-pad for victory in this race, Belgian Peter van Petegem was first at the summit.

    Then he was drawn back, and a strung out group sped down the winding descent with Denmark's Rolf Sorensen at the front.

    He led the race into the Ligurian port, but Ballerini was first out of the final corner, and one of the longest classics was settled in the final 700 metres.

    Zabel said: ``I stayed at the back of the leading group on the descent from the Poggio because the speed made me nervous and I was anticipating a crash.

    ``I realised I had a chance when everyone was together in the finishing straight. Then 250 metres from the line I saw a gap and sprinted for it.''

    More Reporting from the Italian Press

    With a cool and sunny Morning in Milano, 196 riders preparedto ride Milano-San Remo, including the 20 riders subjected to the preventive controls on the blood.

    FIRST ATTACK- At 9.20 AM a rolling start at the street of the Red Church, started by the president of the Federciclo Giancarlo Ceruti. At km 34, under the push of Batik-De Monte, there was an attempt by 27 men with Berzin, Minali, Rominger and Ekimov. The big break split in two with Sorensen, Chiappucci and Cipollini staying behind. At km 44, the maximum advantage was 27" for the second group and 45" for the first. At km 52 the 27 were reabsorbed by the immediate pursuers and 3 kms. later the peloton rejoins.

    QUARTET - It was necessary to wait until km 98 to see another attack of importance. Away went Zanette, Molinari, Poli and Pieri and by km 136 they have a 4'26" maximum advantage. They lost mpre than one minute on the way to the top of the Turchino, on the descent take off 14 riders, among them Chiappucci, Tafi, Bartoli, Ballerini, Jalabert, Della Santa and Francesco Casagrande. This group reache half minute, but then it is agai absorbed by the peloton by the time they reached the sea he reabsorbs, while the four are at Arenzano with a 2 minute advanta still.

    The VECCHI CAPI - The margin of the quartet does like an accordion, at the Final Ligure surrenders Pieri (he would later abandon). Once takes the reins of the pursuit and at Laigueglia, after 146 kms of escape, the three escapees are caught. There are attacks by Bruseghin and Cauz on the Apple, But they are caught before Capo Berta, except Bomans and Andersson, who withstand the chase almost until the Cipressa.

    MERCKX TWO - Here it is Axel Merckx who makes the first move, immediately followed by Jaermann and Zarrabeitia, while Lombardi and Olano show that they are in trouble. Also Cipollini, Riis, Rominger and Z=FClle try their luck before the three are brought back. Museeuw, Jalabert and Bartoli begin to move, but Stefano della Santa is the one that takes the initiative. Little before the top of the climb there is a fall that involves about twenty riders: Sanremo is over for Gabriele Colombo and Andrea Tafi.

    LA CIPRESSA - Della Santa reaches the top first followed closely by Sorensen, Ballerini, Van Petegem and Zarrabeitia. By the end of the descent there are five men ahead, with 9" on about thirty riders which are being driven by the men of Telekom. There are attacks by Chiappucci, followed by the champion of France, Heulot. But the group doesn't give space and all, including the 5 leaders are brought back.

    IL POGGIO - Gualdi and Wauters attack at the Poggio and gain a light advantage, Ferrigato and Konyshev do it again below, Petito tries to take off but Bartoli closes. Bartoli catches up and works to force the tempo. The Tuscan reaches the top with a 3 second advantage, Museeuw and Ferrigato are there, Pantani follows in sixth.

    THE SPRINT - Sorensen leads the pursuers, the grupetto rejoins on the descent and are all together on the Aurelia with 39 seconds. After 17 years Sanremo is decided in a sprint: Erik Zabel beats Elli and Conte. Jalabert, Museeuw and Sciandri fall.