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12th Trofeo Melinda - 1.2
Italy, August 28, 2003
2002 Results Results Past winners
Another Italian classic for Casagrande
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Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) has continued his good late season form by winning the 12th edition of the Trofeo Melinda for the second time in his career. Casagrande led out his five breakaway companions in the uphill sprint, and proved to be too strong for Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) and Danilo Di Luca (Saeco). The Tuscan's recent results will surely go a long way into earning him a spot in the Italian World's squad for Hamilton.
The race was run over 194 kilometres between Malč and Fondo, with the riders having to do three laps of a 31 km finishing circuit, including the 1100m climb of Ronzone and the climb of Revō. A hard race early on saw a group of 24 form in front at the start of the second last lap. The group included Mirko Celestino (Saeco), who attacked with Rebellin with 30 km to go, gaining a 15 second lead on the rest of the group. Four riders: Franco Pellizotti (Alessio), Serguei Gontchar (De Nardi), Di Luca and Casagrande managed to get across to the two leaders, and that became the winning move.
The six quickly built up a lead of over a minute, which increased to nearly two minutes by the end. Casagrande turned on the power with one kilometre to go, and upped his pace with 300m from the line, and the others were unable to match it. Rebellin just managed to hold off Di Luca for second, with Gontchar, Celestino and Pellizotti finishing behind them in that order.
Photography
Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti
- Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) crosses the line in front of Davide Rebellin (C, 2nd) and Danilo Di Luca (L, 3rd)
- A smiling Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) takes the 12th Trofeo Melinda ahead of Davide Rebellin
- The podium (L to R): Davide Rebellin (2nd), Francesco Casagrande (1st) and Danilo Di Luca (3rd)
- Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) hefts his trophy on the podium
- Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) waves from the podium
- Which one is Melinda?
Results
1 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Lampre 5.02.27 2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 3 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco 4 Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) De Nardi Colpack Astro 5 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Saeco 6 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Alessio 0.08 7 Ruben Lobato Elvira (Spa) Domina Vacanze Elitron Rdz 1.55 8 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria Fiordo 2.03 9 Gianni Faresin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 10 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze Elitron Rdz 11 Joseba Albizu Lizaso (Spa) Mercatone Uno Scanavino 12 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Domina Vacanze Elitron Rdz 2.10 13 Devis Miorin (Ita) De Nardi Colpack Astro 2.13 14 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola So.Di. 2.39 15 Leonardo Giordani (Ita) De Nardi Colpack Astro 2.47 16 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Fassa Bortolo 17 Ruslan Gryschenko (Ukr) Landbouwkredit Colnago 2.50 18 Ruggero Borghi (Ita) Mercatone Uno Scanavino 2.59 19 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Fassa Bortolo 4.05 20 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Alessio 4.39 21 Vincent Cali (Fra) Flanders Iteamnova 4.40 22 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 4.54 23 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Mercatone Uno Scanavino 7.29 24 Denis Lunghi (Ita) Alessio 25 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Mercatone Uno Scanavino 26 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Fassa Bortolo 27 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco 28 Marcel Strauss (Swi) Gerolsteiner 8.38 29 Uros Murn (Slo) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave'
Past winners
2002 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Alessio 2001 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2000 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Liquigas-Pata 1999 Mauro Gianetti (Swi) Vini Caldirola 1998 Rodolfo Ongarato (Ita) Ballan 1997 Michele Bartoli (Ita) 1996 Andrea Tafi (Ita) 1995 Pascal Richard (Swi) 1994 Massimo Podenzana (Ita) 1993 Stefano Della-Santa (Ita) 1992 Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
