27th GP Industria & Artigianato-Larciano - 1.2

Italy, May 3, 2003

2002 Results Results Past winners

Saeco continue winning run

Fuentes wins the GP Industria & Artigianato

Juan Fuentes
Photo: © Sirotti

The Saeco team is on a roll at the moment, winning five races in the last 10 days. After Gilberto Simoni's win at the Giro dell'Appennino on Thursday, today Juan Fuentes won the GP Industria & Artigianato in Tuscany with an impressive late attack.

Stefano Garzelli (Vini Caldirola) started the decisive move after an aggressive race, attacking 10 km from the finish. Four riders went across to him with five kilometres to go, with Fuentes putting in a counter-attack that no-one followed. The others tried to chase him down, closing to within 50 metres, but never managed to catch him. Not even a late desperate move from Gabriele Colombo who finished second, could stop Fuentes winning the first race of his career.

"Martinelli told me to keep my eyes open and go with the attacks on the last time up the climb and that's were the decisive move went clear," said a delighted Fuentes. "I tried to go clear on the first part of the climb but Garzelli was on my wheel and then went past me. When we caught him near the finish, I counter-attacked and gave it everything. I realised that they were struggling to catch me but then when I looked round in the last kilometre I saw Colombo closing. Fortunately I still had a bit of energy left and hung on to win."

"It's a huge satisfaction to win. Last year I had problems with my knee. Now I'm finally able to show what I can do. I want to dedicate this win to my parents; I also have to thank lots of people in Spain who have always believed in me. Today I've started to pay them back. I hope they appreciate this way of thanking them and hope to do again and again in the future."

Born in Sydney, Australia in 1977, Fuentes is considered one of the most promising riders in Spanish cycling and was very successful as an amateur rider. Last year his debut season was ruined by physical problems but this year he is showing what he can do. After several good rides and a 150km break during the Giro dell'Appennino, he finally got his first win.

"This is magic moment for us," Saeco directeur sportif Giuseppe Martinelli said. "Starting the Giro d'Italia with our morale sky high after numerous victories can only do us good. I only hope it carries on like this!"

Photography

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) in action during the GP Larciano
Stefano Garzelli (Sidermec) attacked with 10 km to go but couldn't stay clear
Juan Fuentes (Saeco) was the very happy winner of the GP Larciano
Juan Fuentes (Saeco) celebrates his win
Fabiano Fontanelli (Mercatone Uno) wins the sprint for third
Juan Fuentes (Saeco) can do the clean and jerk as well as win bike races
Juan Fuentes (Saeco) shows off his nice trophy
Juan Fuentes (Saeco) kisses his first winner's trophy as a pro
Juan Fuentes (Saeco) holds his trophy above his head
The podium: Gabriele Colombo (2nd), Juan Fuentes (1st) and Fabiano Fontanelli (3rd)

Results - 200 km

1 Juan Fuentes Angullo (Spa) Team Saeco                      4.58.20 (40.22 km/h)
2 Gabriele Colombo (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
3 Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno - Scanavino            0.10
4 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo
5 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Lampre
6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave
7 Ivan Basso (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
8 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
9 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon
10 Giuseppe Muraglia (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave
11 Piotr Przydzial (Pol) CCC-Atlas-Polsat
12 Oscar Mason (Ita) Caldirola-Sidermec-Saunier Duval
13 Ruslan Gryschenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
14 Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Lampre
15 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Caldirola-Sidermec-Saunier Duval      0.16
16 Piotre Wadecki (Pol) Quick.Step-Davitamon                    0.28
17 Massimo Codol (Ita) Mercatone Uno - Scanavino
18 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Fassa Bortolo
19 Hector Mesa Mesa (Col) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave                0.40
20 Luis Felipe Laverde Jimenez (Col) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave     1.45
21 Valodini Duma (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                  2.40
22 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Tenax
23 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave
24 Bo Hamburger (Den) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave
25 Leonardo Zanotti (Ita) De Nardi-Colpack
26 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon
27 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Caldirola-Sidermec-Saunier Duval
28 Seriy Adyeyev (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
29 Cristiano Frattini (Ita) Tenax
30 Eddy Serri (Ita) Mercatone Uno - Scanavino                   2.58
31 Alessio Galletti (Ita) Team Saeco
32 Leonardo Giordani (Ita) De Nardi-Colpack
33 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Team Saeco
34 Slawomir Kohut (Pol) CCC-Atlas-Polsat
35 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Saeco
36 Mauro Facci (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
37 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Team Saeco
38 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Lampre
39 Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick.Step-Davitamon
40 Mario Manzoni (Ita) Mercatone Uno - Scanavino
41 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre
42 Elio Aggiano (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave
43 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) De Nardi-Colpack

Past winners

2002 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 200 kms in 5.14.02 (38.212 km/h)
2001 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Liquigas-Pata 200 kms in 5.00.15 (39.666 km/h)
2000 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Cantina Tollo 200 kms in 4.58.00 (40.26 km/h)
1999 Massimo Podenzana (Ita) Mercatone Uno 200 kms in 5.08.00 (38.161 km/h)
1998 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Kross-Selle Italia 200 kms in 4.40.00 (42.06 km/h)


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