3rd Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale Coppi-Bartali - 2.3

Italy, March 26-30, 2003

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Stage 4 - March 29: Sassuolo - Prignano, 188 km

Mazzanti wins penultimate stage

Casagrande edges closer to lead

Luca Mazzanti
Photo: © Sirotti

Panaria rider Luca Mazzanti has won the fourth stage of the Settimana Coppi-Bartali, raced over 188 km from Sassuolo to Prignano. Mazzanti crossed the line four seconds in front of Steve Zampieri (Caldirola-Sidermec) with Denis Lunghi (Alessio) taking third place. Race leader Mirko Celestino (Saeco) finished in 10th place, 13 seconds behind the winner, conceding three seconds to Francesco Casagrande (Lampre), who moved to within just one second of the overall lead.

Mazzanti had attacked with Zampieri and Pavel Tonkov (CCC-Polsat) in pursuit of an earlier break containing Lunghi, Hector Mesa (Formaggi), Fabiano Fontanelli, Ruslan Ivanov and Tim Jones. They succeeded in catching them on the finishing climb, where the stage was fought out. Mazzanti was the strongest in the end, and crossed the line comfortably ahead of Zampieri and Lunghi. Behind them, the bunch swallowed up most of the breakaways, with Marco Pantani showing himself at the head of affairs on the climb. In the end, Mirko Celestino had to chase down an attack by Pellizzotti and Scarponi, allowing Casagrande to gain back some time on him.

The final stage of the race will be from Castellarano to Sassuolo tomorrow.

Photography

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) in tongue out mode
Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) working hard during the stage
Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) takes a tight corner on a descent during stage 4
Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) suffers a little on a climb
Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) concentrates as he descends
Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) descends
Raimondas Rumsas (Lampre) leads race leader Mirko Celestino (Saeco) during stage 4
Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) drives a medium size breakaway group during stage 4
Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno-Scanavino) gives it everything on a climb
Luca Mazzanti (Panaria) wins the fourth stage in Prignano
Stage winner Luca Mazzanti (Panaria) on the podium
The podium (L to R): Steve Zampieri (Sidermec, 2nd), Luca Mazzanti (Panaria, 1st) and Denis Lunghi (Alessio, 3rd)
Race leader Mirko Celestino (Saeco) still in the blue jersey

Results

1 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo          4.32.15 (38.435 km/h)
2 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Sidermec                            0.04
3 Denis Lunghi (Ita) Alessio                               0.05
4 Hector Orlando Mesa Mesa (Col) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiavé
5 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) CCC-Polsat                            0.09
6 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Alessio                          0.10
7 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Lampre
8 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Fassa Bortolo
9 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
10 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Team Saeco                        0.13
11 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                          0.17
12 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Domina Vacanze-Elitron          0.19
13 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago         0.20
14 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio                       0.22
15 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo
...
17 Marco Pantani (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Scanavino

General classification after stage 4

1 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Team Saeco                     16.52.58 (38.015 km/h)
2 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Lampre                        0.01
3 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Alessio                          0.09
4 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Domina Vacanze-Elitron           0.14
5 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago          0.15
6 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron            0.19
7 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio                        0.25
8 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo           0.29
9 Angelo Lopeboselli (Ita) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléph    0.43
10 Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Lampre                           0.55
...
12 Marco Pantani (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Scanavino             1.03