Trofeo dell'Etna - 1.3

Italy, March 8, 2004

2003 Results Results Past winners

Bertagnolli wins in Etna

Saeco's Leonardo Bertagnolli has won the Giro dell'Etna in Sicily, beating Kyrylo Pospyeyev (Acqua & Sapone) and Marlon Perez (Colombia-Selle Italia) in a three man sprint. It was the Saeco team's second win of the season after Di Luca in the Vuelta a Murcia last Saturday.

The decisive selection was made on the last climb with Bertagnolli and his teammate Mirko Celestino forming part of a 19 rider front group. Bertagnolli made the winning attack with four kilometres to go, taking Kyrylo Pospyeyev and Marlon Perez with him. He was able to easily beat them in the final sprint in Catania.

"I've been waiting for a while for this win," Bertagnolli said. "I just missed out in Switzerland last week but now I've been paid back for my patience. This year I want use my experience to race less and prepare better for my decisive races. My first big objective is to be in great form for the Giro d'Italia so that I can help Gilberto. I also think I can get a few results for myself, especially with such a great team like Saeco there to help me."

Results - 195 km

1 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Saeco                       5.24.08
2 Kyrylo Pospyeyev (Ukr) Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo
3 Marlon Alirio Perez Arango (Col) Colombia-Selle Italia
4 Vladimir Duma (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago               0.05
5 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres
6 Giuseppe Muraglia (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo-Fiave            0.07
7 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre                               0.12
8 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Saeco                               0.13
9 Domenico Passuello (Ita) Amore e Vita-Beretta
10 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze

Past winners

2003 Filippo Pozzato
2002 Fabio Baldato (Ita)
2001 Timothy Jones (Zim)
1999 Alessandro Baronti (Ita)
1998 Nicola Minali (Ita)
1997 Biagio Conte (Ita)
1996 Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita)
1995 (2) Stefano Colage (Ita)
1994 Stefano Zanini (Ita)
1992 Stefano Colage (Ita)
1991 Mario Cipollini (Ita)
1990 (2) Adriano Baffi (Ita)
1989 Rolf Sörensen (Den)
1988 Paolo Cimini (Ita)
1987 Adriano Baffi (Ita)
1986 (3) Francesco Moser (Ita)
1985 (2) Francesco Moser (Ita)
1984 Francesco Moser (Ita)
1983 Giovanni Mantovani (Ita)
1982 Wladimiro Panizza (Ita)
1981 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita)

Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com