43rd Trofeo Laigueglia - 1.1

Italy, February 14, 2006

2005 Results Results Past Winners

Ballan takes ballsy win

Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) wins
Photo ©: Sirotti

Lampre's Alessandro Ballan has taken victory in the 43rd Trofeo Laigueglia after beating Englishman Steven Cummings (Lanbouwkrediet), Rinaldo Nocentini (Acqua & Sapone), Giovanni Visconti (Milram) and Pietro Caucchioli (Credit Agricole) in a small sprint finish to the 183km event.

With a quality field that included the likes of Paolo Bettini and Erik Zabel, Ballan was able to reach the summit of the Passo del Balestrino with 15 other riders (including teammate Giuliano Figueras) and maintain a strong time advantage. From there the Italian was able to make a successful escape with four of the group that stayed away until the finish. Pietro Caucchioli tried his luck with an early sprint but was hunted down, and in the final sprint Ballan was able to take his third career win.

"To win in my second race of the season is fantastic," said an ecstatic Ballan after the finish. -I didn't expect to be so competitive, especially against riders that already a lot fitter than me; but in the last climb I followed all the sprints well and so I thought I could try to win. Then, with a good sprint, I succeeded in securing an important victory."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) rides hard out front of the small break
The small break that stayed away with Ballan leading Rinaldo Nocentini (Acqua & Sapone), Giovanni Visconti (Milram), Pietro Caucchioli (Credit Agricole) and Steven Cummings (Lanbouwkrediet)
Alessandro Ballan wins ahead of Englishman Steven Cummings
A big salute from Lampre's Alessandro Ballan
Everyone's smiling... Ballan with partner and little baby daughter after the finish
Ballan and DS Giuseppe Martinelli celebrate after the win
Leonardo Bertagnolli (Cofidis) doing it tough on his way to sixth
Leonardo Bertagnolli shows the strain of trying to catch the break
Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) looks like he's doing it a bit tough earlier in the race
Paolo Bettini rides ahead of Erik Zabel during the early part of the Trofeo Laigueglia
Alessandro Cortinovis (Milram) leads a teammate up the Passo del Balestrino
Giuliano Figueras (Lampre) corners comfortably
Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) gets out of the saddle
Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) pumps away on the Passo del Balestrino

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) wins ahead of Steven Cummings (Lanbouwkrediet)
A satisfied Ballan crosses the line in front of Steve Cummings
The field rides together early in the race
Yes, you're number one! Alessandro Ballan lets us know that he won
Ballan and baby make two on the podium
The podium (l-r): Steven Cummings (Lanbouwkrediet), Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Acqua & Sapone)
Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) looking strong on the Passo del Balestrino
Splitting it up...Alessandro Ballan and Pietro Caucchioli ride together in front of the break
Vincenzo Nibali and Paolo Bettini ride together as the field splits up
Pietro Caucchioli (Credit Agricole) rides ahead of Leonardo Bertagnolli (Cofidis)

Results - 183.3 km

1 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                     4.33.15 (40.249km/h)
2 Steven Cummings (GBr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                      
3 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Acqua Sapone                               
4 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Team Milram                                
5 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole                            
6 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone    0.16
7 Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld                              1.06
8 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Team Milram                                  
9 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                            
10 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic                         
11 Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) Team Tenax Salmilano                       
12 Raffaele Illiano (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni      
13 Alexander Arekeev (Rus) Acqua Sapone                              
14 Moises Duenas Nevado (Spa) Agritubel                              
15 Sergio Ghisalberti (Ita) Team Milram                              
16 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas                                    
17 Nicolas Crosbie (Fra) Agritubel                               3.08
18 Dainius Kairelis (Ltu) Amore & Vita-McDonald's                    
19 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Team Tenax Salmilano                    
20 Roberto Petito (Ita) Team Tenax Salmilano                         
21 Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Credit Agricole                          
22 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                       
23 Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Ceramica Flaminia                      
24 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Miche                                    
25 Andrea Noe' (Ita) Liquigas                                        
26 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Credit Agricole                         
27 Paul Crake (Aus) Naturino-Sapore Di Mare                          
28 Marco Osella (Ita) Team Androni Giocattoli-3C Casalinghi          
29 Simone Bruson (Ita) Team Universal Caffe'-C.B. Immobiliare        
30 Michele Maccanti (Ita) Team L.P.R.                                
31 Ruslan Pidgornyy (Ukr) Team Tenax Salmilano                       
32 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Naturino-Sapore Di Mare                      
33 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                             
34 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas                                  
35 Mauro Facci (Ita) Barloworld                                      
36 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni        
37 Ruggero Borghi (Ita) Team L.P.R.                                  
38 Giairo Ermeti (Ita) Team L.P.R.                                   
39 Francesco Failli (Ita) Liquigas                                   
40 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare                    
41 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare                     
42 Leonardo Giordani (Ita) Naturino-Sapore Di Mare               7.49
43 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step-Innergetic                           
44 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Acqua Sapone                            
45 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Naturino-Sapore Di Mare                      
46 KrIstof Szczawinski (Pol) Ceramica Flaminia                       
47 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital                               
48 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital                                
49 Patrick Riedesser (Aut) Team Vorarlberg                           
50 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas                                      
51 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Team Tenax Salmilano                      
52 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Agritubel                                    
53 Mads Christensen (Den) Barloworld                                 

Starters: 184
Classified: 53

Courtesy of Stephane David

Past winners

2005 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Fassa Bortolo
2004 Filippo Pozzato (Ita)
2003 Filippo Pozzato (Ita)
2002 Danilo Di Luca (Ita)
2001 Mirko Celestino (Ita)
2000 Daniele Nardello (Ita)
1999 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita)
1998 Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
1997 Michele Bartoli (Ita)
1996 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel)
1995 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1994 Rolf Sorensen (Den)
1993 Lance Armstrong (USA)
1992 Sammy Moreels (Bel)
1991 Pascal Richard (Swi)
1990 Rolf Sorensen (Den)
1989 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1988 Paolo Cimini (Ita)
1987 Gilbert Glaus (Sui)
1986 Mauro Longo (Ita)
1985 Ron Kiefel (USA)
1984 Giuseppe Petito (Ita)
1983 Claudio Torelli (Ita)
1982 Teo De Rooy (Ned)
1981 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita)
1980 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1979 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1978 Knut Knudsen (Nor)
1977 Freddy Maertens (Bel)
1976 Franco Bitossi (Ita)
1975 Giambattista Baronchelli (Ita)
1974 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1973 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1972 Wilmo Francioni (Ita)
1971 Italo Zilioli (Ita)
1970 Michele Dancelli (Ita)
1969 Claudio Michelotto (Ita)
1968 Michele Dancelli (Ita)
1967 Franco Bitossi (Ita)
1966 Antonio Bailetti (Ita)
1965 Marino Vigna (Ita)
1964 Guido Neri (Ita)