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102nd Giro di Lombardia - HC
Italy, October 18, 2008
Damiano Cunego King of Lombardia
By Gregor Brown in Como, Italy
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Damiano Cunego, 27, won the Giro di Lombardia for a career-third time thanks to a risky solo move. The Italian of Team Lampre went free with 15 kilometres to race on the technical descent of Civiglio and won alone along the famed waterfront of Como with 24 seconds over Slovenian Janez Brajkovic (Astana) and Colombian Rigoberto Uran (Caisse d'Epargne).
"I am happy because it is my course and very demanding – It was a beautiful day and I gave it my all. I saw there was no one behind me," said Cunego at the finish.
The pressure was on Cunego as pre-race favourite and returning champion. His Italy-based team kept him protected all day and positioned him well for the day's final three climbs of Ghisallo, Civiglio and San Fermo.
"I knew that everyone was expecting a third win from me this morning. All the riders wanted to put me in danger and instead, I remained calm thanks to my teammates. There was great work from [Marco] Marzano, [Paolo] Tiralongo and [Alessandro] Ballan."
Cunego, victor of the 2008 Amstel Gold and the 2004 Giro d'Italia, also won the 'race of the falling leaves' in 2004 and 2007. He joins three other triple winners of Lombardia. Fausto Coppi holds the course record with five victories.
The 102nd Giro di Lombardia, one of only five Monuments, started in Varese and finished in Como. The riders covered 242 kilometres, which included the famed Madonna del Ghisallo.
Worlds' base sees riders off
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The race started off in Varese at Villa Comunale, only a few metres from the point where Cunego's teammate Alessandro Ballan launched his winning move in the World Championships two weeks prior. The 168 riders rolled down Via Ledro at 10:59 and towards Como.
The riders covered the first kilometres at a blistering pace – 46.6 in the first hour. The group had splintered and 11 riders formed an escape once the race reached Como, and headed north along the western shores of Lago di Como.
Mauro Santambrogio (Lampre), Michael Rogers (Columbia), Pablo Lastras (Caisse d'Epargne), Chris Anker Sørensen (CSC Saxo Bank), Valerio Agnoli (Liquigas), Luca Paolini (Acqua Sapone-Caffè Mokambo), Francesco Bellotti and Enrico Gasparotto (Barloworld), Matteo Bono and Davide Viganò (Quick Step) formed a move that was able to resist until the Madonna del Ghisallo.
They worked, over the top of Intelvi at kilometre 55.9, and had a maximum lead of 9:25 at one point. The gap was at 6:50 after 100 kilometres of racing. They kept their gap through Valsassina – 5'30" in Cortinova, kilometre 142.2 – before the decent to Lecco and the start of the technical run to the base of Ghisallo.
Lampre keeps control
Teams Lampre and Quick Step led the main group in the early hours of the race. The former continued its muscle-work along twisty lakeside road to Bellagio and the start of Ghisallo.
The move of 11 narrowed down to four – Italians Santambrogio and Agnoli, Australian Rogers and Spaniard Lastras – before the 11.3-kilometre climb of Ghisallo. Gilberto Simoni of Team Diquigiovanni tore up the group behind with an attack on the early and stiff gradients of the climb. He faded, but his moved brought out Acqua Sapone Stefano Garzelli and Diquigiovanni teammate Michele Scarponi.
The front four topped Ghisallo and its sanctuary to cyclists 18 seconds over Sørensen and 46 seconds on the two Italians, Garzelli and Scarponi. Domenico Pozzovivo (CSF Group Navigare) crossed at one minute and the favourites passed at 1:25 back.
Team Lampre and CSC kept vigil for Cunego and Alexandr Kolobnev, respectively, leading into the Civiglio. Lampre, with the help of Ballan, pulled back the escapees before the base of the 2.5-kilometre climb.
Cunego makes move
Kroon lit a fire for Russian teammate Kolobnev on Civiglio. He faded, but Horner surged with Cunego and Francesco Failli of Team Acqua Sapone in tow. The three topped the climb with a slight margin on Daniel Moreno of Team Caisse d'Epargne. He chased and joined on the descent.
Olympic Champion Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) led the chase behind on the technical run down. He broke free and made his way to the front-runners on the tight switchbacks as Cunego slipped clear. Off of Civiglio, 12 kilometres to race, the Cunego held nine seconds on the four and 20 second on the group behind.
Cunego started 2.85-kilometre San Fermo with 12 seconds over the chase. Matteo Tosatto of Team Quick Step joined the Sánchez chase and soon there were around six others. Failli and Horner were most active in the move behind, but Cunego was gaining time.
He held 24 seconds at the top of San Fermo with five kilometres to race. Brajkovic and Uran broke free from the chase behind. They disparately fought for the honour of runner-up behind the king of Lombardia. The duo reached the line and Brajkovic won the sprint and lifted his arms in victory.
Australian Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) had a mechanical at the start of San Fermo and was delayed. He was a pre-race favourite.
Quick Step's Giovanni Visconti led the main chase home at 33 seconds back for fourth. The Italian, wearer of the maglia rosa in this year's Giro d'Italia, finished ahead of Kroon and CSF Group's Mauro Finetto. Horner, Garzelli, Morris Possoni (Columbia) and Failli took seventh through 10th, respectively.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net
- Ballan and Sanchez smile before the race.
- Ballan takes a drink to get hydrated before take-off.
- Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) poses for the fans
- Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli won the Coppa Italia and is also a close contender for winning the longest team name award.
- Damiano Cunego was banking on his Lampre team to deliver him to victory.
- Cunego rides by the bike statue.
- Sanchez was happy to be at the start
- Cadel Evans gave it one final hooray before heading towards home.
- Bettini is popular as ever
- Bettini is still a star despite being retire.
- Everybody wants his autograph.
- The riders take the start at 11:00
- Ballan and Cunego are the two Italian darlings
- Matteo Bono before the start.
- Leonardo Bertagnolli (Liquigas) was chilly in the morning
- Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff Credit Systems) ready to attack.
- Robert Gesink (Rabobank) had no pressure as there were not enough mountain for him to shine.
- Paolo Tiralongo (Lampre) tried to stay warm
- Andrea Tonti (Quick Step) heads to the sign-in.
- Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) before the start
- Mauro Finetto (CSF Group Navigare) ready to go
- Mauricio Soler (Barloworld) had some bad luck this season.
- Andrea Noè (Liquigas) ready to end the season.
- The bunch rides along Lago di Como.
- The peloton in the picturesque villages in northern Italy.
- Gimme my food – but the Lampre soigneur seems not the be used to hand out something to a guy in white and Ballan stayed hungry.
- Lake Como is nice for a vacation and nice for some bike racing.
- The bunch passes Lake Como
- Cunego set the first blow at the climb up to Civiglio.
- Cunego during the decisive moment when he dropped his companions on the descent.
- Cunego attacks the others on the descent of the Civiglio.
- Cunego gives it his all in the break.
- The fans helped Cunego by cheering him on like crazy.
- A tifosi gets a great picture of the storming Cunego.
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) climbed very well and looked very much at ease with his bike.
- Chris Horner (Astana) and Daniel Moreno (Caisse d'Epargne) tried to catch Cunego.
- Cunego looked in control as he climbed out of the saddle and danced on his pedals.
- Damiano Cunego wins his third Giro di Lombardia.
- Blowing kisses across the line Cunego takes a well-deserved win.
- Cunego celebrates his win
- Cunego takes number three and everyone felt like the perfect season closer.
- Janez Brajkovic (Astana) celebrated his second place in style.
- Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) leads in the chasers some half minute later.
- Janez Brajkovic (Astana) was happy with second place.
- Cunego was jubilant after his exploit.
- Cunego receives the winner's prize.
- Cunego celebrates on the podium
- Yep, number three for me
- Cunego with his wife Margherita
Images by Riccardo Scanferla
- Damiano Cunego had plenty of time to celebrate
- A delighted Damiano Cunego wins his third Giro di Lombardia
- You haven't lost that winning feeling... As Cunego takes the 102 Giro di Lombardia
- Ohhhhh yeah! Or something like that... For Damiano Cunego
- Third time lucky for Lampre's diminuitive rider Damiano Cunego
- Another great day for this Italian as Damiano Cunego wins a third Lombardia title
- Fists pumping, arms swinging, Damiano Cunego arrives at the finish
- Looking good as always was Ale Ballan, who finished 14th
- Italians love a world champion, especially if it's one of their own
- Attention is on the new world champ, Alessandro Ballan (Lampre)
- While his team-mate would win Lombardia there was plenty of attention on Ballan
- Looking a little perturbed was Florent Brard (Cofidis)
- The usual scrum surrounded Damiano Cunego after his win
- A satisfied-looking Cunego surveys the media attention around him
- The calm before the storm for eventual winner Damiano Cunego
- Cunego and his wife embrace after his win
- Damiano Cunego looked good throughout the entire race on his way to the win
- Enrico Gasparotto (Barloworld) was riding his last race for the team
- Alessandro Ballan on the Ghisallo
- Cunego was sitting pretty on the Ghisallo climb
- Quick Step's Davide Viganò workd hard on the Ghisallo
- Gruppo compatto ahead of the Chisallo
- Danilo Hondo (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) finished in 56th
- The gorgeous Lago di Como provided the backdrop for a beautiful race
- The race organisation proved itself hospitable of the media
- Luca Paolini (Acqua e Sapone) didn't make it to the finish
- Marco Pinotti (Team Columbia) before the start
- 'Gee, it's dark in here, boss...' Ballan has a chat in the tunnel to the team boss
- Another year, another podium appearance for Damiano Cunego
- The Lombardia podium (l-r): Janez Brajkovic, Damiano Cunego and Rigoberto Uran
- Damiano Cunego salutes the crowd after winning another Lombardia crown
- Giovanni Visconti is presented after the race
- Samuel Sanchez and Alessandro Ballan before the start
- Gilberto Simoni (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) finished in 35th - not bad, Gibo
Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.com
- Cadel Evan (Silence Lotto) chats with journalists in the start in Varese
- French hope Mickael Cherel (Française des Jeux) looks happy to be in Varese for his first Giro di Lombardia
- Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) with some fans before the start
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) wins the Giro di Lombardia for the third time
- Damiano Cunego was one happy camper after his win
- The podium (l-r): Janez Brajkovic (Astana), Damiano Cunego (Lampre) and Rigoberto Uran (Caisse d'Epargne)
Images by Sirotti/www.sirotti.it
- Sanchez in his golden outfit
- Cunego and Ballan were close by each other
- Ballan takes the descent
- The bunch near Lake Como.
- The peloton rides away from the Lake up into the hills.
- The bunch powers along
- Euskaltel put the team into the paceline.
- The attack by Gilberto Simoni (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) stirred things up.
- Simoni quickly separated himself from the bunch.
- Simoni was joined by teammate Michele Scarponi.
- But it was Stefano Garzelli (Acqua Sapone-Caffè Mokambo) who did most of the work later and Simoni was quickly dropped.
- Garzelli rode a good race
- Garzelli on the move
- Ballan made his move on the Ghisallo.
- Ballan passes the top of the Ghisallo climb and rides by the chapel.
- Simoni passes the chapel at the top of the Ghisallo.
- Ballan was tired towards the end of the race.
- Things got a tad dark in the tunnel.
- Lampre kept things in check for the final phase of the race.
- Cunego makes it number three
- Cunego wins after a brilliant solo attack.
- A happy Damiano Cunego delivers another win for Lampre.
- Janez Brajkovic (Astana) won the sprint for second and celebrated like he had won the race.
- Brajkovic showed off his skinny body
- Cunego's smile belied the effort that is clearly visible in his face.
- Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) heads to the line.
- Number three for Cunego.
- The podium with Cunego in the centre and second placed Brajkovic on then left, as well as Daniel Moreno (Caisse d'Epargne) on the right.
- Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) wins the Challenge Weber
Results - 242km
1 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre 5.37.04 (43.078 km/h) 2 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana 0.24 3 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne 4 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step 0.33 5 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 6 Mauro Finetto (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 7 Chris Horner (USA) Astana 8 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 9 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia 10 Francesco Failli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 11 Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia 12 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Barloworld 13 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 14 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre 15 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step 16 Federico Canuti (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 17 Andrea Noè (Ita) Liquigas 18 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Silence - Lotto 19 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 20 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 21 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 22 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 1.04 23 Roger Beuchat (Swi) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 1.34 24 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre 25 Manuele Mori (Ita) Scott - American Beef 26 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto 27 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 28 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver 29 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 2.20 30 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 31 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 32 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 33 Juan Mauricio Soler (Col) Barloworld 34 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 35 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 36 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas 37 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 38 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Columbia 39 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Liquigas 40 Massimo Codol (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 2.26 41 Niklas Axelsson (Swe) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 3.04 42 Ivan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3.17 43 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 44 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 45 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 4.10 46 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre 47 Martin Velits (Svk) Team Milram 5.52 48 Andry Grivko (Ukr) Team Milram 49 Walter Fernando Pedraza Morales (Col) Tinkoff Credit Systems 50 Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 51 Iñigo Landaluze Intxaurraga (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 52 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 53 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Lampre 54 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 55 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Barloworld 56 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 7.37 57 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 58 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 59 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 9.27 60 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 61 Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Scott - American Beef 62 René Mandri (Est) AG2R La Mondiale 63 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Silence - Lotto 64 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 65 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step 66 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 67 Roberto Traficante (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 68 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 69 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 70 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 71 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 72 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas 73 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 74 Steven Cummings (GBr) Barloworld 75 Jean Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 76 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 77 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia 78 Davide Viganò (Ita) Quick Step 79 Nicolas Hartmann (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 10.17 80 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 10.27 81 Michael Schär (Swi) Astana 11.19 82 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Liquigas 83 Marlon Alirio Perez Arango (Col) Caisse d'Epargne 84 Javier Aramendia Llorente 85 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 86 Roman Kireyev (Kaz) Astana 87 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Astana 88 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Barloworld 89 Mathieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux 90 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 91 Florent Brard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 92 Lucas Euser (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 93 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 16.20 94 Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 DNF Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre DNF Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre DNF Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre DNF Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre DNF Simone Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo DNF Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo DNF Philip Deignan (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Ludovic Turpin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Berik Kupeshov (Kaz) Astana DNF Gregory Rast (Swi) Astana DNF Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana DNF Diego Caccia (Ita) Barloworld DNF Gianpaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld DNF Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Barloworld DNF Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom DNF Yohann Gène (Fra) Bouygues Telecom DNF Erki Pütsep (Est) Bouygues Telecom DNF Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom DNF Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom DNF Anthony Charteau (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Yann Huguet (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone DNF Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone DNF Alexandre Blain (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone DNF Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare DNF Fortunato Baliani (Ita) CSF Group Navigare DNF Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare DNF Marco Frapporti (Ita) CSF Group Navigare DNF Ariel Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare DNF Josu Agirre Aseginolaza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi DNF Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi DNF Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi DNF Mickaël Chérel (Fra) Française des Jeux DNF Timothy Gudsell (NZl) Française des Jeux DNF Anthony Roux (Fra) Française des Jeux DNF Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Française des Jeux DNF Steven Cozza (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 DNF Huub Duyn (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 DNF Michael Friedman (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 DNF Daniel Martin (Irl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 DNF David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 DNF Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step DNF Alessandro Proni (Ita) Quick Step DNF Leonardo Scarselli (Ita) Quick Step DNF Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank DNF Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank DNF Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank DNF Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank DNF Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank DNF Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Scott - American Beef DNF Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Scott - American Beef DNF Angel Gomez (Spa) Scott - American Beef DNF Hector Gonzalez Baeza (Spa) Scott - American Beef DNF Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Scott - American Beef DNF Nazareno Rossi (Swi) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli DNF Mario Aerts (Bel) Silence - Lotto DNF Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence - Lotto DNF Dario David Cioni (Ita) Silence - Lotto DNF Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Silence - Lotto DNF Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence - Lotto DNF Scott Davis (Aus) Team Columbia DNF Jason McCartney (USA) Team CSC - Saxo Bank DNF Luca Barla (Ita) Team Milram DNF Sergio Ghisalberti (Ita) Team Milram DNF Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram DNF Matej Jurco (Svk) Team Milram DNF Sebastian Schwager (Ger) Team Milram DNF Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Team Milram DNF Nikita Eskov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems DNF Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems DNF Alexander Serov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
