54th Coppa Placci - 1.1

Italy, September 4, 2004

2003 Results Results Past winners

Leonardo Bertagnolli
Photo ©: Sirotti

Bertagnolli surprises

Saeco took another win on Italian soil today in the Coppa Placci, after Leonardo Bertagnolli jumped away from a leading group of six riders with 1 km to go to beat Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) and Filippo Simeoni (Domina Vacanze).

Bertagnolli dreamed of winning just two days ago in the Trofeo Melinda, as the finish line was in his home down of Fondo. Although Rebellin won there, Bertagnolli got his revenge today. "I was proud to win this race in a very impressive way," Bertagnolli said. "I'm very happy about my physical form, my purpose is to go on, hoping to deserve a place in the Italian Team for the Verona World Championships."

Leonardo is a good chance to be selected for the Italian squad next to his Saeco teammate Damiano Cunego, who started in the Vuelta a España today. Italian selector Franco Ballerini commented Bertagnolli after two solid rides in the last three days. "Congratulations Leo: this success is worth a dedication and a blue jersey of the Italian Team," said Ballerini.

Photography

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

The Coppa Placci peloton rolls out
The peloton strings out up a climb with glorious Italian scenery below them
The bunch bunches up
Gerolsteiner remembers they've left the gas on
A breakaway and the usual TV attention
On a hot day in Italy you cool off however you can
Especially when you know the bunch is not far behind
David Rebellin works hard on a climb
Crowds cheer on Rebellin and the break
Luca Mazzanti (Ceramiche Panaria-Margres) leads the break
David Rebellin takes a turn on the front
Leonardo Bertagnolli works for the breakaway
Romans Vainsteins (Lampre) leads the chase
The break works hard to maintain its advantage
Almost there now
Leonardo Bertagnolli (Saeco) jumps away from the break to claim the win
Leonardo Bertagnolli knows he's got it now
Leonardo Bertagnolli salutes the crowd
Leonardo Bertagnolli celebrates victory
Leonardo Bertagnolli celebrates
Leonardo Bertagnolli shows off an almost-unfeasibly large trophy
Leonardo Bertagnolli and that trophy again
David Rebellin (HGerolsteiner) looks disappointed with second - but then he usually looks disappointed with first!
The podium Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner, 2nd), Leonardo Bertagnolli (Saeco, 1st) and Filippo Simeoni (Domina Vacanze, 3rd)

Results - 200 km

1 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Saeco                 4.44.53 (42.123 km/h)
2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner                  0.01
3 Filippo Simeoni (Ita) Domina Vacanze 
4 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres 
5 Przemyslaw Niemec (Pol) Miche
6 Marco Fertonani (Ita) Phonak 
7 Romans Vainsteins (Ltu) Lampre                      1.43
8 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
9 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Saeco 
10 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 
...
22 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                    1.46

Past winners

2003 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Team Saeco      
2002 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
2001 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
2000 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Vini Caldirola 
1999 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Polti
1998 Mauro Zanetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola
1997 Beat Zberg (Swi)
1996 Andrea Tafi (Ita)
1995 Francesco Casagrande (Ita)
1994 Angelo Lecchi (Ita)
1993 Maximilian Sciandri (Ita)
1992 Johan Bruyneel (Bel)
1991 Laurent Dufaux (Swi)
1990 Mauro Gianetti (Swi)
1989 Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)
1988 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1987 Massimo Ghirotto (Ita)
1986 Guido Bontempi (Ita)
1985 Silvano Contini (Ita)
1984 Acacio Da Silva (P)
1983 Mario Amadori (Ita)
1982 Alfredo Chinetti (Ita)
1981 Alfio Vandi (Ita)
1980 Giovanni Battaglin (Ita)
1979 Giovanni Battaglin (Ita)
1978 Gianbattista Baronchelli (Ita)
1977 Marino Basso (Ita)
1976 Fausto Bertoglio (Ita)
1975 Francesco Moser (Ita)
1974 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1973 Italo Zilioli (Ita)
1972 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1971 Ugo Colombo (Ita)
1970 Ugo Colombo (Ita)
1969 Roberto Ballini (Ita)
1967 Luciano Armani (Ita)
1966 Felice Gimondi (Ita)
1965 Michele Dancelli (Ita)
1964 Guido De Rosso (Ita)
1963 Ercole Baldini (Ita)
1962 Franco Cribiori (Ita)
1950 Giacomo Zampieri (Ita)
1949 Renzo Soldani (Ita)
1948 Luigi Casola (Ita)
1946 Nedo Logli (Ita)
1928 Pietro Fossati (Ita)
1927 Aleardo Simoni (Ita)
1926 Ermano Vallazza (Ita)
1925 Emilio Petiva (Ita)
1924 Emilio Petiva (Ita)
1923 Enea Dal Fiume (Ita)


Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com