Italian National Road Championships - CN

Italy, June 25-30, 2002

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Day 6 - June 30: Elite Men's Road Race, San Vendemiano

Toto Twice

Commesso & Saeco-Longoni Sport dominate Italian pro championships

By Tim Maloney, European editor
The podium
Photo: © Sirotti

Salvatore "Toto" Commesso sprinted to victory ahead of Dario Frigo (Tacconi Sport-Tonello) and Francesco Casagrande (Fassa Bortolo) in today's Italian Pro Road Championship in San Vendeminano, north of Venice. Commesso, winner in 1999 has had a difficult comeback after being suspended by his team in 2001. Commesso was travelling to a disco in a car with friends that was stopped by police and other passengers were found to be in possession of cocaine and was later exonerated, but the forced stop was a major distraction for the powerful little Neapolitan rider.

"Today was a re-confirmation for me," an emotional Commesso told RAI-TV. "First I want to dedicate this to my wife, (Commesso is a newlywed) who's had to make a lot of sacrifices for me and then to (Saeco boss) Mr. Zapella, who kept me on the team when there were some problems.

Commesso was in a last lap break of three up the Rua climb with Frigo and Casagrande, and although the peloton came close at the finish, the compact powerhouse Commesso never gave an inch to his two break partners, winning a long sprint by two bike lengths.

Although Commesso and his Saeco team-mates were flicked in favour of a French team for the upcoming Tour De France, runner-up Frigo, Italian champ in the TT this week, already has his sights on the Tour start next Saturday. "I was very happy to do well here today. I'll give it my best in the Tour and we'll see what comes..in any case, I'm in a lot better condition than at the Giro."

As for Casagrande, the Tuscan sourpuss made his usual denigrating post-race comments about the riders who beat him, and went on to explain that he was focusing on a victory in the upcoming Vuelta a España and would not ride the Tour De France.

As for Commesso, the popular, outgoing two-time TDF stage winner nicknamed Toto will not be at Le Tour, but will point towards the Vuelta a España and a spot on the Italian National Team at the World's in Zolder.

Photography

Photos by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Salvatore Commesso (Saeco-Longoni Sport) raises his arms as he crosses the line to win
Commesso celebrates, as Frigo looks on from his second finishing spot
Salvatore Commesso does it again, with Frigo and Casagrande having no answer to his sprint
Salvatore Commesso (Saeco-Longoni Sport) was very happy to win the Italian championships for the second time in his career
Salvatore Commesso congratulated on the podium
Salvatore Commesso (Saeco) smiles on the podium after his win
Salvatore Commesso (Saeco) kisses his gold medal
That's two victories
The podium, including the rather disgruntled Dario Frigo (2nd, L) and Francesco Casagrande (3rd, R), a happier winner Salvatore Commesso (C), and Ye Olde podium girls

Results - 237.6 km

1 Salvatore Commesso (Saeco Longoni Sport)       5.42.04 (41.676 km/h)
2 Dario Frigo (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
3 Francesco Casagrande (Fassa Bortolo)  
4 Mauro Radaelli (Tacconi Sport Tonello)            0.05
5 Daniele Bennati (Acqua & Sapone Cantina Tollo)  
6 Luca Paolino (Mapei Quik Step)  
7 Stefano Casagranda (Alessio)  
8 Biagio Conte (Saeco Longoni Sport)  
9 Fabio Baldato (Fassa Bortolo)  
10 Paolo Valoti (Index Alexia Alluminio)  
11 Andrea Ferrigato (Alessio)  
12 Alberto Ongarato (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)  
13 Paolo Bossoni (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
14 Ruggero Marzoli (Formaggi Trentini)  
15 Simone Masciarelli (Acqua & Sapone Cantina Tollo)  
16 Fabio Sacchi (Saeco Longoni Sport)  
17 Maro Gili (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
18 Massimo Giunti (Acqua & Sapone Cantina Tollo)  
19 Fausto Dotti Paolo (Cage Maglierie)  
20 Alberto Vinale (Alessio)  
21 Davide Casarotto (Alessio)  
22 Filippo Pozzato (Mapei Quik Step)  
23 Mariano Piccoli (Lampre Daikin)  
24 Massimiliano Mori (Mercatone Uno)  
25 Giuseppe Di Grande (Index Alexia Alluminio)  
26 Cristiano Frattini (Cage Maglierie)  
27 Lorenzo Bernucci (Landbouwkrediet Colnago)  
28 Marco Pinotti (Lampre Daikin)  
29 Luca Mazzanti (Mercatone Uno)  
30 Simone Mori (Jura Suisse)  
31 Cristian Moreni (Alessio)  
32 Gianluca Bortolami (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
33 Oscar Pozzi (Fassa Bortolo)  
34 Fortunato Baliani (Colombia Selle Italia)  
35 Roberto Petito (Fassa Bortolo)  
36 Matteo Tosatto (Fassa Bortolo)  
37 Samuele Vecchi (Formaggi Trentini)  
38 Claudio Astolfi (Acqua & Sapone Cantina Tollo)  
39 Giuseppe Palumbo (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)  
40 Davide Rebellin (Team Gerolsteiner)  
41 Dario Pieri (Alessio)  
42 Mauro Zanetti (Alessio)  
43 Ruggero Borghi (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
44 Marco Velo (Fassa Bortolo)  
45 Andrea Brognara (Alessio)  
46 Danilo Di Luca (Saeco Longoni Sport)  
47 Gianni Faresin (Team Gerolsteiner)  
48 Paolo Tiralongo (Fassa Bortolo)  
49 Gabriele Missaglia (Lampre Daikin)  
50 Gianmatteo Fagnini (Team Telekom)  
51 Massimo Donati (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
52 Devis Miorin (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)  
53 Ivan Basso (Fassa Bortolo)  
54 Wladimir Belli (Fassa Bortolo)  
55 Daniele Nardello (Mapei Quik Step)  
56 Marco Serpellini (Lampre Daikin)  
57 Paolo Lanfranchi (Index Alexia Alluminio)  
58 Alessandro Bertolini (Alessio)  
59 Gianluca Valoti (Index Alexia Alluminio)  
60 Michele Gobbi (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)  
61 Diego Ferrari (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
62 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Saeco Longoni Sport)  
63 Andrea Noe\' (Mapei Quik Step)  
64 Mirko Celestino (Saeco Longoni Sport)  
65 Fabio Bulgarelli (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)  
66 Raffaele Ferrara (Alessio)  
67 Valentino Fois (Mercatone Uno)  
68 Nicola Loda (Fassa Bortolo)  
69 Mauro Gerosa (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
70 Gianluca Tonetti (Cage Maglierie)  
71 Fabio Testi (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)  
72 Marzio Bruseghin (I Banesto)  
73 Gabriele Balducci (Tacconi Sport Tonello)  
74 Lorenzo Cardellini (Acqua & Sapone Cantina Tollo)  
75 Cristiano Frattini (Cage Maglierie) 
76 Marco Pinotti (Lampre Daikin) 
77 Luca Mazzanti (Mercatone Uno) 
78 Gianluca Bortolami (Tacconi Sport Tonello) 
79 Oscar Pozzi (Fassa Bortolo) 
80 Fortunato Baliani (Colombia Selle Italia) 
81 Roberto Petito (Fassa Bortolo)
82 Giuseppe Palumbo (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)
83 Davide Rebellin (Team Gerolsteiner)
84 Dario Pieri (Alessio)
85 Mauro Zanetti (Alessio)
86 Ruggero Borghi (Tacconi Sport Tonello)
87 Marco Velo (Fassa Bortolo)
88 Andrea Brognara (Alessio)
89 Gianni Faresin (Team Gerolsteiner)
90 Paolo Tiralongo (Fassa Bortolo)
91 Massimo Donati (Tacconi Sport Tonello)
92 Devis Miorin (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)
93 Ivan Basso (Fassa Bortolo)
94 Wladimir Belli (Fassa Bortolo)
95 Alessandro Bertolini (Alessio)
96 Gianluca Valoti (Index Alexia Alluminio)
97 Michele Gobbi (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)
98 Diego Ferrari (Tacconi Sport Tonello)
99 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Saeco Longoni Sport)
100 Andrea Noe' (Mapei Quik Step)
101 Mirko Celestino (Saeco Longoni Sport)
102 Raffaele Ferrara (Alessio)
103 Valentino Fois (Mercatone Uno)
104 Gianluca Tonetti (Cage Maglierie)
105 Fabio Testi (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)
106 Marzio Bruseghin (I Banesto)
107 Gabriele Balducci (Tacconi Sport Tonello)
108 Alessandro Cortinovis (Lampre Daikin)
109 Fabrizio Guidi (Team Coast)
110 Aldo Zanetti (Cage Maglierie)
111 Massimo Apollonio (Tacconi Sport Tonello)
112 Luca De Angeli (Mercatone Uno)
113 Sergio Barbero (Lampre Daikin)
114 Denis Zanette (Fassa Bortolo)
115 Davide Frattini (Alessio)
116 Leonardo Zanotti (Mapei Quik Step)
117 Nicola Minali (Tacconi Sport Tonello)
118 Fabiano Ferrari (Index Alexia Alluminio)
119 Corrado Serina (Index Alexia Alluminio)
120 Andrea Ballan (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa)

Past winners

2002 Salvatore Commesso 
2001 Daniele Nardello
2000 Michele Bartoli 
1999 Salvatore Commesso 
1998 Andrea Tafi
1997 Gianni Faresin