43rd Coppa G. Romita - NE

Italy, June 7, 2005

Results

Australian team report

By Brian Stephens, AIS U23 team manager

On Tuesday, the AIS Mapei Aqua Australian team finished a solid block of races with a win at the Coppa Romita in Novi Ligure. Chris Sutton finished off a fine team effort to win the final sprint of 30 riders after attacking with 10km to go and being caught with 5km to go.

The course, over 154km , was flat for the first 110km then went though a series of tough climbs before descending into Novi Ligure for the finish.

The day started well for us with Matt Rex and James Meadley putting themselves in the first move of the day of nine riders which stayed away for 100km, taking the pressure off the rest of the team. Chris had planned to attack on the last big climb of the day with 10km remaining to the finish and did exactly that, but could not hold off the chasing group of 30 riders which caught him 5km out. So he just outsprinted them.

This is the Australian Under 23 champion's second international win after winning the GP Liberazione in April. Australian, Alan Spokes, won this race in 1974.

Results - 154 km

1 Christopher Sutton (Aus) (AIS/NSWIS) AIS Mapei Aqua Australia   3.26.15 (44.8 km/h)
2 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) GS Vitali
3 Daniele Callegarin (Ita) Bottoli Artoni
4 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Mendrisio
5 Danilo Soldi (Ita) Gavardo Tecmor
...
38 Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) (AIS/VIS) AIS Mapei Aqua Australia 
40 Matthew Goss (Aus)(AIS/TIS) AIS Mapei Aqua Australia
57 Simon Clarke (Aus) (AIS/VIS) AIS Mapei Aqua Australia 

Starters: 143
Classified: 72