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Results and Reports for March 30-31, 2002

Italy

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54th Coppa Lanciotto Ballerini

Campi Biscenzio, Florence, March 31, 2002

A dangerous high-speed crash 300m from the finish line claimed the position of podium hopefuls at the 54th Coppa Lanciotto Ballerini, Sunday, March 31, 2002.

The course was seven laps of a 17km circuit of almost dead flat terrain - a sprinters dream.

There were several unsuccessful breakaways, most failing by not being able to produce the extra burst need to stay ahead from an already fast peleton. The most promising breakaway, made up of four riders, managed to stay clear from the pack until the final section of the last lap. At the biggest gap, this breakaway managed to put 30 seconds into the peleton, although with three kilometres to go the bunch pulled them back.

The race came down to a final sprint of more than 100 riders, almost inevitably, a crash ensured. With only 300m to go, a rider pulled his foot and veered infront of the pack, including most of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) team.

The final sprint saw Italian rider Tommaso Caneschi (Grassi Mapei) claim a close victory with all the top six riders claiming the same time.

Results - 119km, 162 starters

1 Tommaso Caneschi (Ita) Grassi Mapei         2.33.00
2 Daniel Zych (Pol) Polish National
3 Cristian Benati (Ita) Maltinti
4 Yuriy Ivanov (Ukr) Casprini
5 Daniele Della (Ita) Tommasini
6 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Mapei Aqua