17th Firenze - Empoli - NE

Italy, February 21, 2004

2003 Results Results Past winners

Scatto of Scattolin wins Firenze-Empoli

By Flavio Lombardi

The 17th edition of Firenze-Empoli, which opened the amateur season in Tuscany, was a solo win for 22 year old Nicola Scattolin of the Zalf Desiree Fior squad. Scattolin was 2000 Italian Junior champion, but Firenze-Empoli is his first big U23 win.

With Italian C.T. Antonio Fusi on hand (who manages the azzuri's successful U23 program), Scattolin attacked his breakaway companions Massimo Mazzanti and Giuseppe Di Maria on the final climb of Casetta. Scattolin soloed in for the win on the cold rainy day, where only 50 of the 171 starters finished.

Results - 134 km

1 Nicola Scattolin (Ita) Zalf Desiree Fior   3.30.10 (38.225 km/h)
2 Massimo Mazzanti (Ita) Reda Mulinari         0.11
3 Fabrizio Amerighi (Ita) Dal Fiume            0.30
4 Alessandro Proni (Ita) Monsummanese
5 Giuseppe Di Maria (Ita) Vellutex             0.40
6 Rino Zampilli (Ita) Grassi Fausto Coppi      0.50

Past winners

2003 Daniele Di Nucci (Ita) Maltinti Solgomma      
2002 Roman Luhovyy (Ukr) San Paolo Saeco           
2001 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Zoccorinese Vellutex Casa Selezione      
 
Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com