2nd Monte Paschi Eroica - 1.1

Italy, March 8, 2008

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gregor Brown/Cyclingnews.com

• The stage is set for signing-in.
• Marco Pinotti (High Road) ready to race on the gravel.
• World Champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) shares a word with RCS Sport Events Director Angelo Zomegnan.
• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) and RCS Sport Events Director Angelo Zomegnan talk at the start.
• Diego Caccia (Barloworld) is built for today's parcours.
• Mario Cipollini was the centre of attention at the race start.
• Race favourite Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) thinks of the spring.
• Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) speaks at the race start.
• Australian Matthew Goss (Team CSC) focused on the spring.
• Yuriy Krivtsov (Ag2r-La Mondiale) ready.
• Gilberto Simoni (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) thinking ahead to the Giro d'Italia.
• Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) leads the race out of Giaole in Chianti.
• The famous Piazza del Campo in Siena waits for the riders to arrive.
• Anti-doping measures in place in Siena's Piazza del Campo
• Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff Credit Systems) not too happy with how the escape unfolded.
• Ryder Hesjedal (Slipstream Chipotle - H30) shows the efforts of his day's work.
• Steven Cozza (Slipstream Chipotle - H30) will be back to race a 'cool' Eroica.

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

• 2002 World Champion Cipollini talks to the 2006 and 2007 World Champion, Paolo Bettini (Quick Step).
• Mario Cipollini not racing on Saturday but hopes to be back for the Milano-Sanremo, Sunday, March 22.
• Mario Cipollini sees the riders off.
• The decisive moment of the race as Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) (l) and Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) take off.
• Cancellara is using the gravel roads of Italy as test for the pavé in Paris-Roubaix.
• Coming down those gravel roads at full speed can be really hazardous, but it does make for spectacular views.
• The already reduced peloton on the white gravel roads.
• The green Liquigas machine put down the hammer.
• Blue skies at the beginning of the day.
• Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) concentrates as he rides in front of Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC).
• The scene at the start where usually horses reign twice a year for a special event.
• World Champ Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) making sure he won't crash again. He had his fair shares of spills last year and this year went down already twice in races.
• The peloton is strung out as final gravel section drew closer.
• The peloton on a little uphill with Lampre in command.
• The motorbike keeps ahead of of the escape.
• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) focused on the roads.
• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) rides at the front.
• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) rolls into the Piazza del Campo.
• Danilo Hondo (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) was part of the early escape.
• Paolo Longo Borghini (Barloworld) looks ahead.
• Baden Cooke (Barloworld) on the sterrato in Tuscany.
• A High Road rider at the front.
• Piazza del Campo after the arrivo.
• The windy roads of the Siena countryside.
• The peloton started under sunny conditions.
• The race gets going.
• Saunier Duval at the front.
• Saunier Duval driving the pace early on.
• Stuart O'Grady (Team CSC) (r) stays alert.
• Beautiful scenery did not help the riders legs.
• The race falls apart on the gravel roads.
• A Lampre rider watches ahead as the race enters Radi
• Rough roads in Tuscany.
• Clouds gather over the race.
• A Milram rider struggles at the back.
• The race winds through the gravel roads.
• Manuel Belletti (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) keeps the gears turning.
• A Cofidis rider gets Mavic service.
• Riccardo Chiarini (LPR Brakes) helped the escape do the pace-making.
• The riders on the small roads around Siena.
• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) marked by a Slipstream rider.
• Tuscan scenery
• Lampre keeps control for Ballan's eventual attack.
• Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff Credit Systems) in the escape group.
• German Danilo Hondo (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) made the escape group of the day.
• Ángel Gómez Gómez (Saunier Duval-Scott) uses special mountain bike brake levers.
• Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff Credit Systems) keeps a low profile.
• Christian Murro (Lampre) in the escape.
• Gilberto Simoni (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) was an eventual DNF but is building for the Giro d'Italia.
• Steve Zampieri (Cofidis) grits his teeth.
• The escape group rolls along with a gap around two minutes.
• Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) looked good for the day – he finished 24th.
• Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Slipstream Chipotle - H30) on the lam in the final kilometres of the race.
• The race organiser's car waits for the escape group.
• Linus Gerdemann (High Road) crosses the line for third on the day.
• Tiziano Dall'Antonia (CSF Group Navigare) puts down the hammer.
• High Road leads.
• Quick downhills on the gravel roads.
• Jure Golcer (LPR Brakes) looks fast.
• Emanuele Sella (CSF Group Navigare) made the day's escape.
• Mauro Santambrogio (Lampre) looks ahead.
• Ivan Rovny (Tinkoff Credit Systems)
• Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) looking tough.
• Daniele Pietropolli (LPR Brakes) in the UCI Continental leader's jersey.
• Denis Flahaut (Saunier Duval-Scott) is serviced by the team.
• Andrea Tonti (Quick Step) gives it the gas.
• Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) grabs a bottle.
• Italian Champion Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) is attended to.
• Marco Corti (Barloworld) was an eventual DNF for the day.
• Mauro Da Dalto (Liquigas)
• Giairo Ermeti (LPR Brakes) is focused.
• Baden Cooke (Barloworld) drives the pace in the final kilometres.
• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) did not have the greatest of days.
• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) rides in his home region.
• Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) marked by two CSC riders.
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) drives after joining the leading escape.
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) is guarded by two Barloworld riders.
• Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) marked by Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Team CSC) and Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC).
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) with Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) in tow as Ryder Hesjedal (Slipstream Chipotle - H30) gets shelled.
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) head towards Siena.
• Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) watches his escape companion in the final kilometres.
• Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) drives ahead.
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) joins and passes the escape group with Alessandro Ballan (Lampre).
• Attack! Ballan (r) and Cancellara put in the decisive move.
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) confirms the fruits of the labour shared with Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) (r).
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) takes his second season win after the opener of the Tour of California.
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) the Monte Paschi Eroica – a sign to come for another Paris-Roubaix victory?
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) tops the podium with Linus Gerdemann (High Road) (l) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre).