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RACE REPORTS: 44TH TIRRENO-ADRIATICO: RODRÍGUEZ TAKES STAGE & TIRRENO-ADRIATICO LEAD ON MURO DI MONTELUPONE
Tim Maloney-European Editor
March 14, 2009
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(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
While his Caisse d'Epargne teammate Luís León Sánchez won the stage and
took command at Paris-Nice today, as he did last year in the inaugural
stage that finished atop the ultra-steep Muro di Montelupone, Joaquím
Rodríguez (Caisse d'Epargne) not only won the stage in the Maceratese
hill town, but thanks to his 10" win time bonus, the former Spanish
national champion took the Tirreno-Adriatico race lead from Cofidis
rider Julien El Fares by 6". Italian Davide Rebellin tried to match the
diminutive ex-Spanish champion, but his 37 year old body wasn't quite
up to closing the gap on the over 20-percent grade of the last kilometer of
the Muro di Montelupone. Just behind Rebellin in 3rd was recent Eroica
winner, in-form Swede Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia) who is well positioned
to take over the lead at Tirreno-Adriatico in tomorrow's 30km
individual time trial.
Saturday's stage started under sunny skies in Foligno at 12:40 and
there was action right from the start. As the day's first ascent of
Passo Cornello, 5 riders escaped from the gruppo. Polish champion Sapa
(Lampre), Cheula (Barloworld), Tschopp (Bouyges), Capel (Francaise de
Jeux) and Palumbo (Acqua & Sapone) got out in front, but
Diquigiovanni and Caisse d'Epargne were riding behind and the escapes
lead never exceeded 4'30". With 50km to go approaching the ascent to the
lead was just under 3' and 10km later had dropped to 1'30", as the pace
across the rolling farm roads was high; an average speed of over
42km/hr.
Tirreno-Adriatico crash
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Just before the ascent to Recanati, the hometown of 19th century
Italian romantic poet Giacomo Leopard, a crash in the chasing group
took down over 20 riders and split the gruppo up, with most of the
favorites in the front group of 25, which also included race leader El
Fares. LPR took over the chase with sprinter Alessandro Petacchi
powering away at the front and brought the breaks lead back to 30-seconds. As
the first ascent of the Muro di Montelupone began, the break was still
away with Cheula making the pace, but they were soon brought back under
the impulsion of Gibo Simoni (Diquigiovanni), who took command and set
a hard pace on the front. DiLuca and Garzelli were right behind Simoni,
with Lövkvist, Kloden and race leader El Fares right behind, their
faces twisted in agony from the brutal ascent. Many riders used gearing
of 39X27 and even compact cranksets of 34X27 on the ultra-steep ascent.
Simoni mounts the Muro di Montelupone
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Simoni was first over the Muro di Montelupone with 14km and yet another
ascent of the super-steep ascent to go. Fresh from the Tour Of Mexico,
Simoni stayed on the front on the descent and the flats to keep control
of the race for his teammates, local rider Michele Scarponi and Olympic
silver medalist Davide Rebellin. With 7km to go, Filippo Pozzato
(Katusha) attacked and was joined by Van Avermat (Silence-Lotto) and
Pietropoli (LPR), but the move didn't go anywhere as Simoni upped his
pace behind and pulled them back with 3km to go.
As the first slopes of the Muro di Montelupone began with 2km to go,
George Hincapie (Columbia) took over for a spent Simoni and powered
away for 1km with his teammate Lövkvist on his wheel. Hincapie peeled
off after the 1km kite and Lövkvist stayed on the front, looking around
for attacks. With 550m. to go, the tall Swede got what he was looking
for as 2008 Montelupone stage winner Joaquím Rodríguez made a powerful
jump and no one could stay with him. Rebellin tried to stay in contact,
hoping that the miniscule Spaniard would crack in the final meters with
the gradient at over 20-percent, but it was not to be. Rodríguez won the
stage and took the race lead, while Stage 1 winner and previous
Tirreno-Adriatico leader El Fares is in 2nd, just 6" behind.
Sunday, March 15: Loreto-Macerata ITT / 30km
Starting in the Marche hilltown of Loreto, site of the Basilica della
Santa Casa, Sunday's hilly 30km heads southwest up the Colle
dell'Infinito and through Recenati, through the Potenza River valley,
finishing with a 4km climb up to Macerata. Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia)
looks well positioned to take the race lead, with another threat from
2007 Tirreno-Adriatico winner Andreas Kloden (Astana), sitting 30"
back.
44th Tirreno-Adriatico
Italy, March 11-17, 2009
Saturday, March 14
Stage 4: Foligno-Montelupone / 171km
1. Joaquím Rodríguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne / 4h08'35" (41.273 km/hr avg.speed)
2. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Diquigiovanni-Androni @ 8"
3. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Columbia @ 10"
4. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini @ 14"
5. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo @ 20"
6. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Slipstream
44th Tirreno-Adriatico / General classification after Stage 4
1. Joaquím Rodríguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne / 16h09'10"
2. Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis @ 6"
3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Diquigiovanni-Androni @ 10"
4. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Columbia @ 15"
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