98th Milano-Sanremo - PT

Italy, March 24, 2007

Photography

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Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Axel Merckx (T-Mobile) at the start in Milano.
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) with Colnago the man behind the famous machine that the 2007 Sanremo was won on.
Erik Zabel (Milram) at the start in Milano.
Riders gather at the start in Milano, Castello Sforzesco.
Saturday morning at Castello Sforzesco , the riders wait to race.
La Partenza of the 98th Milano-Sanremo.
The riders roll out to start the 294 kilometre journey.
Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) looks ready to race.
Tom Boonen thinking about the sprint on the Via Roma.
Belgian Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) is always very polite, even when the camera is on him all day.
Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) rolls on.
David Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir).
David Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir) looks happy to be racing (he finished 23 seconds down).
The trees of Lombardy form a beautiful backdrop for a beautiful race.
Many round-abouts dot this country.
2005 Sanremo winner Alessandro Petacchi (Milram)
Cofidis control affairs.
Riding along the Ligurian coast.
The Ligurian coast offers stunning scenery.
Riders are streaming along the parcours of the Milano-Sanremo (Descending the Poggio).
The peloton rolls along.
The early escape of Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff Credit Systems), Andrei Kunitski (Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo), Koen De Kort (Astana), Emanuele Sella (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare), Roberto Traficante (Team LPR) and Aitor Hernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
The day's escape led by Aitor Hernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
The last minute escape of Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux)
Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux) descend the Poggio.
Riccò lived up to his word of attacking in the race
Bettini leads Ballan on the descent of Poggio
Freire corners on the Poggio
Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) corners on the downhill to Sanremo
Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) on the Poggio
2006 Winner Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) on the run down to Sanremo
Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) followed by Manuele Mori (Saunier Duval-Prodir)
TV Time for Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux)
Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) did not have great day
Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) followed by Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Fondital)
The chase is on.
Welcome to Sanremo.
Freire wins his second Milano-Sanremo
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) takes the sprint.
Fists are pumping! Oscar Freire (Rabobank) wins the 98th Milano-Sanremo.
Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank) wins Sanremo.
Freire punches the air.
Arms raised... Oscar Freire (Rabobank) confirms he has won his second Sanremo.
Freire conquered Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) and Allan Davis (Discovery Channel).
2X Sanremo and 3X World Champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank)
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) awarded.
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) opening the bubbly.
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) on the podium.
Freire with the Trophy.
Flowers and Trophy for Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank)
Kisses ... Oscar Freire (Rabobank) kissed the trophy
The top three Allan Davis (Discovery Channel), Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) (l-r)
Davis, Freire and Boonen (l-r) on the podium.
Davis, Freire and Boonen (l-r) on the podium.

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) is well wrapped up at the start.
Pettachi rolls out for the start in Castello Sforzesco.
The ceremonial start in Castello Sforzesco.
The peloton cruising in the early stages.
The day's breakaway group negotiate a railway crossing.
Warning: Staring at this photograph may have serious side-effects.
Frédéric Guesdon (Française Des Jeux) and José Enrique Gutierrez (Team LPR) got tangled up midway through the race but both managed to re-join.
David Kopp (Gerolsteiner) had a nasty crash on Capo Cervo.
Kopp sustained a broken nose in the crash but was fortunate to avoid more serious injury.
Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery) goes for it on the Cipressa.
Andrea Moletta (Gerolsteiner) crashed on the Cipressa and broke his thigh.
Paolo Bettini (QuickStep) picks himself up after a fall on the Cipressa.
The World Champion climbs back into the race.
Freire sits comfortably behind Boonen on the Poggio.
QuickStep set a ferocious tempo on the Poggio to bring things together for Tom Boonen.
Philippe Gilbert (Francaise des Jeux) tried his luck with a huge attack on the Poggio.
Gilbert flies away with Matthias Kessler (Astana) and Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval) glued to his wheel.
Gilbert leads Kessler and Ricco near the Poggio summit.
Riccò drives it up the Poggio as Gilbert checks the gap.
Riccò was super strong today but couldn't break the sprinters' teams.
Riccò and Gilbert fly down the Poggio.
Milram gave Petacchi a great lead-out but the Italian couldn't seal the deal.
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) wins the 89th Milan - San Remo.
Freire celebrates as Allan Davis (Discovery) and Tom Boonen (QuickStep) lunge for second and third places.
A delighted Freire was mobbed by journalists and photographers at the finish.
Filippo Pozatto (Liquigas) didn't figure in the finale today, placing a disappointing 19th.
Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval) interviewed by Italian TV station RAI at the finish.
The podium (l-r): Allan Davis (Discovery), Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Tom Boonen (QuickStep).
Oscar Freire now has two victories in Milan - San Remo, his first coming in 2004.
Freire lets loose with the champagne.

Images by Davide Tricarico/www.laborraccia.it

A beautiful castle and landscape to start Milano-Sanremo
Axel Merckx (T-Mobile) at the start
David Kopp (Gerolsteiner) ended his day in the hospital.
Erki Pütsep (Bouygues Telecom) is the Estonian champ
Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone) will try to escape on Poggio?
Erik Zabel (Milram) dedicated himself to teammate Petacchi
Tom Boonen (Quickstep-Innergetic) gives an autograph.
A smiling Oscar Freire (Rabobank) at the start.
Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) finished in the top-ten.
Laszlo Bodrogi (Crédit Agricole) is the Hungarian champ
Marco Fertonani (Caisse d'Epargne) will ride on home roads.
Gregory Rast (Astana) is the Swiss champ
The riders are relaxing under the sun before the start
The New Zealand Champ Julian Dean (Crédit Agricole) at the start.
CSC is talking tactics for the day
Matthias Kessler (Astana) would be a wild card for his team
Two Italian World Champs , Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) and Gianni Bugno, chatting about the race
The start of the 98th Milano-Sanremo
Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) on the roads of La Classicissima

Team Presentation

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Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) with his faithful tifosi.
Thumbs up for a Saunier Duval win tomorrow.
Cheer up boys, there's a big race tomorrow: Alessandro Petacchi, Erik Zabel and Mirko Celestino from Team Milram.
Petacchi and Zabel ponder the prospect of six hours of racing over 294km.
Erik Zabel with bike sponsor Ernesto Colnago.
José Enrique Gutierrez (Team LPR) waves to the crowd.
Mario Cipollini - as popular and stylish as ever.
Last year's Milan-San Remo winner Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) is presented to the crowd.
Pozzato faces the media at the pre-race press conference.
Can Pippo do the double without the support Quickstep?

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

Liquigas face the cameras amidst stunning surroundings.
Pippo and Cipo pose together.
Ciao! Pozzato was the centre of attention today.
Could there be a more beautiful setting for a team presentation?