3rd Giro Della Liguria - 2.3

Italy, February 19-22, 2003

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Stage 1 - February 19: Arenzano-Diano Marina, 141km

Ferrigato triumphs in stage 1

Ferrigato and co.
Photo: © Sirotti

Alessio rider Andrea Ferrigato has won the first stage of the Giro della Liguria, disputed over 141 kilometres between Arenzano and Diano Marina. The experienced but generally undecorated 33 year old beat home breakaway companions Paolo Bossoni (Sidermec) and Yaroslav Popovych (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago).

The first stage of this five stage race was run over parts of the Milan-San Remo parcours, and the riders enjoyed clear, blue skies as they sped over the Via Aurelia along the Ligurian coastline. A couple of climbs situated near the end of the stage looked as though they would be sufficient to prevent a bunch sprint. Before the start, the UCI conducted haematocrit testing on 38 riders from five teams (Sidermec, Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo, Formaggi Pinzolo, Flanders and Tenax), with all riders being given a clean bill of health.

Colleoni
Photo: © Sirotti

The stage started with an attack by Jacky Durand (FDJeux.com) after 13 km, which not have the desired result, and the wily Frenchman was caught after 24 km. 6 km later, there followed an attack by Michele Colleoni (De Nardi-Colpack), who went clear and achieved what Durand couldn't: a massive 13'20 gap by Alassio (km 72).

Colleoni crossed the Capo Berta (km 93) in first spot, taking the first mountain points in front of Fredy Gonzalez (Colombia-Selle Italia) and Hernan Dario Muñoz (Colmbia-Selle Italia). But the peloton closed in on the lone De Nardi rider at km 112, allowing Muñoz to take the day's big mountain sprint on the Pantasina. He was followed by Danilo Di Luca (Saeco) in second in front of Ruggero Marzoli (Alessio).

Ferrigato wins it
Photo: © Sirotti

At the base of the descent of this climb with some 5 kilometres to go to the finish, an attack by Yaroslav Popovych (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago), Paolo Bossoni (Sidermec) and Andrea Ferrigato (Alessio) snuck off the front and over the Capo Berta for the last time. The peloton chased them hard but couldn't quite get them in time, and Ferrigato was the best of the three in the sprint.

Tomorrow's second stage is from Pietra Ligure to Andora (150 km) with four mountain sprints: Incrocio SS 490 (315m, km 7.5), Menosio (315m, km 49), Incrocio Calderara (360m, km 76), SP 18 (420m, km 127.5).

Photography

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Danilo Di Luca and Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) before the start of stage 1
Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) warms up
Danilo Di Luca (Saeco) in the action in stage 1
The peloton ride along the Via Aurelia during the first stage of the Giro della Liguria
Michele Colleoni (De Nardi-Colpack) away on his own
Lampre get on the front of the bunch to chase
The breakaway group working hard during stage 1
Nico Mattan (Cofidis) drives a breakaway group during the first stage of the Giro della Liguria
Andrea Ferrigato (Alessio) wins the first stage of the Giro della Liguria
The podium of the first stage of the Giro della Ligure (L to R): Paolo Bossoni (Sidermec, 2nd), Andrea Ferrigato (Alessio, 1st) and Yaroslav Popovych (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, 3rd)
Alessio's Andrea Ferrigato waves on the podium in the blue leader's jersey
The jersey wearers after stage 1: Andrea Ferrigato (Alessio, points/GC), Hernan Dario Munoz (Colombia-Selle Italia, mountains) and Yaroslav Popovich (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, young rider)

Images by Daniel Schamps

Peloton in the 1st stage of the Giro di Liguria

Results

1 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Alessio                3.32.06 (39.910 km/h)
2 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Sidermec
3 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
4 Elia Aggiano (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo
5 Janek Tombak (Est) Cofidis 
6 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) De Nardi-Colpack 
7 David Kopp (Ger) Team Telekom
8 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
9 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco
10 Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis
 
General classification after stage 1
 
1 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Alessio                3.31.56
2 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Sidermec                     0.04
3 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago  0.06
4 Elia Aggiano (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo              0.10
5 Janek Tombak (Ita) Cofidis 
6 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) De Nardi-Colpack 
7 David Kopp (Ita) Team Telekom
8 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
9 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco
10 Nico Mattan (Ita) Cofidis
 
Points classification
 
1 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Alessio
 
Mountains classification 
 
1 Hernan Dario Munoz (Ita) Colombia-Selle Italia
 
Young Rider classification
 
1 Yaroslav Popovych (Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago