Emerging Swedish star Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia) took his biggest
career win to date in the 3rd edition of the Montepaschi Strade
Bianche-Eroica Toscana in Siena, Italy. A pleased Lövkvist told RAI-TV
post race "I heard it was a really hard final and it was. The team told
me that there were two parts to the climbs (in Siena) in the final
kilometer. Linus Gerdemann was away and when I caught him I saw I had a
gap so I just kept going."
Lövkvist takes a heroic win
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
The tall, powerful 24 year old Swede notched the ninth win of his pro
career in the world-famous Piazza del Campo in Siena, site of the Palio
di Siena horse races each July and August. his first since a time trial
stage at the 2007 Criterium International in France. Montepaschi Strade
Bianche runner-up and German champion Fabian Wegmann (Milram) was
pleased with his performance today, saying "That was a really strong
team performance today by Milram."
Montepaschi Strade Bianche-Eroica Toscana: truly a special race
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
The race has a new name for 2009, Montepaschi Strade Bianche-Eroica
Toscana. Based in Siena, Montepaschi is one of Italy's oldest and
largest banks and is the new title sponsor of the unique race, which
features eight segments of strade bianche, the white gravel farm roads
common in the southeast corner of Tuscany. Montepaschi Strade
Bianche-Eroica Toscana is nine kilometers longer in 2009 with an
additional gravel section for a total 57.2km.
This morning, the riders left the start in Gaiole in Chianti and headed
south for the hilly farmland and vineyards under partly cloudy skies,
with two non-starters, Gerard Ciolek (Milram) and World Champion
Alessandro Ballan (Lampre). The temperatures were moderate and
overnight rain had dispelled any dust, while the fast draining strade
bianche were relatively dry throughout the race. Luca Pierfelici (Acqua
& Sapone-Caffè Mokambo) escaped after 28km and was joined by Diego
Caccia (Barloworld), Riccardo Chiarini (LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini) and
Ukrainian Oleksandr Kvachuk (ISD). Although they gained up to 5 minutes at one
point, with 60km to go, Milram and Columbia upped the chase tempo and
eventually just Caccia and local lad Chiarini were left up front.
Bennati on the attack at Montepaschi Strade Bianche-Eroica Toscana
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
With 18km to go, Caccia and Chiarini were still up front at the end of
the penultimate segment of strade bianche, but their 20" lead was
falling fast. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Slipstream), Daniele Bennati
(Liquigas), Giovanni Visconti (ISD) and Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) then
rode past the front riders, who had been away for 140km, with Lövkvist
(Columbia), Elmiger (Ag2r) & Wegmann chasing hard with 12km to go.
Ryder rides it
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
There was a general regrouping outside Siena with Daniel Lloyd (Cervélo
TestTeam), Oscar Gatto (ISD), Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad),
Serguei Ivanov (Katusha), Gerdemann and Velits (Milram) catching on.
Visconti made a classic Italian contropiede move race and was away for
for 1km, but was brought back by Lövkvist, clearly the strongest man in
the race. The ungainly Gerdemann then had a go with 10km to go,
powering a huge gear to a 15" at one point, but on the final ascent
into the hill town of Siena in the last kilometer, Lövkvist pulled back
Gerdemann and rode home the winner, with only Wegmann able to keep the
Swede in sight.
3rd Montepaschi Strade Bianche-Eroica Toscana
Italy, Saturday, March 7, 2009
1. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Columbia / 190km 4h59'02"
2. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Milram @ 3"
3. Martin Elmiger (Sui) Ag2r @ 5"
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia
5. Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Milram
6. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) ISD
7. Peter Velits (Svk) Milram
8. Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank
9. Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam
10. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Slipstream
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