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RACE REPORTS: 44TH TIRRENO-ADRIATICO: LUCKY FRIDAY THE 13TH WIN FOR FARRAR, EL FARES STILL IN RACE LEAD
Tim Maloney-European Editor
March 13, 2009
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Tyler Meets The Podium Girls in Santa Croce sull'Arno
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Friday March 13th turned out to be the luckiest day in American Tyler
Farrar's pro cycling career, as the 24 year old American from
Wenatchee, Washington took a monster sprint win on Stage 3 of
Tirreno-Adriatico in Santa Croce sull'Arno. Garmin-Slipstream's Farrar
rode a tactically perfect sprint to pass British speedster Mark Cavendish
(Columbia) in the last 50 meters and win by a wheel.
Farrar Opens A Can Of Whupem' On Cavendish
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Speaking perfect French from his two years at Cofidis, Farrar told
RAI-TV post-race that "Everyone wants to beat Cavendish; he's the
fastest sprinter now. My form is very good now and the team worked well
for me today, with Maaskant and Julient Dean who got me perfectly
positioned in the last kilometer. I got on Cavendish's wheel as we went
around the last corner and I knew I could beat him," explained a
confident Farrar. "I had a lot of good placings in (Tour of) California
and I came to Tirreno-Adriatico to prepare for the classics." Farrar
is a major talent who has stage wins at the Tour de l'Avenir in his
palmares but today's win ahead of sprinters like Cavendish, McEwen,
Boonen and Petacchi is something special for the young American.
Alessandro Petacchi (LPR Brakes-Vini Farnese) had a disappointing
sprint today after yesterday's win and finished out of the top 10. The
laconic speedster from La Spezia explained post-stage "I knew I had
Cavendish on my wheel with 300m. to go. The sprint was really fast and
I went at 200m, maybe too soon. Maybe I paid for the effort from
winning yesterday... Cavendish rode a good sprint but maybe he went past
me too early." Petacchi is still in second on GC at Tirreno-Adriatico
and is wearing the Maglia Cicliamino of Best Sprinter, at least for
now.
Farrar (r) celebrates his stage win with teammate Frischkorn (l)
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Friday the 13th was yet another beautiful spring day day in the heart
of Tuscany on a relatively flat stage that looped through the heart of
central Tuscany from Fucecchio to Santa Croce sull'Arno across the Arno
River valley. The area is a hotbed of Italian cycling with roads that
are familiar to many top pro riders who live in the area. Starting from
Andrea Tafi's hometown of Fucecchio, the relatively uneventful stage
was marked by a three man escape of Yuriy Krivtsov (AG2R), Lieuwe
Westra (Vacansoleil) and Will Frischkorn (Garmin-Slipstream) who
slipped away on the winding Tuscan roads. Once the trio had gained
almost 6', it was the moment for Tirreno-Adriatico leader Julien El
Fares' Cofidis squad to ride and they pulled back time on the break.
By the time the break hit the two final circuits around Santa Croce
sull'Arno with 43km to go their lead was down to 2'30", which was
whittled down to 1'20" as they started the final 21km lap. Eventually
the inexorable chase of the sprinters teams, led by Columbia for almost
local lad Cavendish (who is based in Quarrata, near Pisa), reeled in
the escape with 9km to race.
Huh? A stunned Cavendish (l) is passed by Farrar (R)
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
In the last 5km, the black jerseys of Cervélo swarmed to the front and
tried to set up Thor Hushovd, but with a strong tailwind and wide-open
roads, the ultra fast pace (over 60km/hr) in the finale put
Garmin-Slipstream's Tyler Farrar in the perfect position to win. Julien
El Fares (Cofidis) maintained his race lead
Saturday's stage from Foligno in Umbria heads east across the Province
of Perugia and into Le Marche in the Province of Macerata on small,
twisting and hillt country roads. After the ascent of the Recanati
climb with 35km to go, the final circuits confront the ultra-steep
ascent of Montelupone climb with some sections with a gradient of over 20-percent and is
considered harder than the legendary Mur de Huy in Flèche Wallone.
El Fares is a good climber, but look for riders like Davide Rebellin
(Diquigiovanni-Androni), Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia), Andy Schleck
(Saxo Bank) to do well on the steep final ascent and take over the race
lead from the young Frenchman.
44th Tirreno-Adriatico
Italy, March 11-17, 2009
Friday, March 13
Stage 3: Fucecchio-Santa Croce sull'Arno / 166km
1. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream / 3h53'48" (42.6km/hr)
2. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Columbia-Highroad
3. Enrico Rossi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia
4. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Katusha
5. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step @ same time
44th Tirreno-Adriatico / General classification after Stage 2
1. Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis 12h00'02"
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes-Vini Farnese @ 15"
3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas @ 15"
4. Enrico Rossi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce
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