Franco Pellizotti, New Men's Italian RR Champion

After a very difficult race of 254.7 km, in which only 20 riders finished, Franco Pellizotti (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela) was the winner after 6h 43'12". Finishing 2nd and 3rd were Danilo Di Luca (Acqua&Sapone) at 27" and Moreno Moser (Liquigas-Cannondale) in same time.

Michele Scarponi was the main protagonist of the race having lead the race, first with 12 attackers and then by himself, for 120 km.

Scarponi attacked on Telve climb at 50 km to go and was the solitary leader until the penultimate loop (15 laps of the final circuit of 13.8 km) when he was joined by Vincenzo Nibali, Moser, Giampaolo Caruso, Di Luca and Pellizotti.

Pellizotti attacked on the last climb of the Telve and was not able to be caught.

"Since my return to racing this was my number one goal," said Pellizotti who just returned to racing on May 16th after a two year ban due to abnormalities in his biological passport. "Honestly, I considered myself a favorite on the eve of the race because I knew I felt good. In the end, especially in the penultimate lap, I realized that I was the one who was strongest and that it was time to act."



Top 10:
1. Franco Pellizotti (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela)
2. Danilo Di Luca (Acqua&Sapone) at 27"
3. Moreno Moser (Liquigas-Cannondale)
4. Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha)
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) at 2'11"
6. Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Isd)
7. Simone Ponzi (Astana)
8. Daniele Ratto (Liquigas-Cannondale) at 3'16"
9. Francesco Gavazzi (Astana)
10. Matteo Rabottini (Farnese-Selle Italia)

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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 2,500 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page .

Franco Pellizotti Acquitted of Doping Charges

The Italian Anti-Doping Tribunal has today acquitted Franco Pellizotti of charges relating to irregularities in his biological passport. On May 3rd, just before the start of the Giro d'Italia, the UCI announced that they had requested disciplinary procedures against Pellizotti for "apparent violation of the Anti-Doping Rules on the basis of the information provided by the blood profiles in their biological passports". Pellizotti, who denied the charges, was unable to start the Giro which began on May 8th, nor was he able to compete for the rest of the season.

Italy's anti-doping prosecutor, Ettore Torri, had requested a two year ban. In declaring its acquital the Tribunal found that "there is not sufficient evidence to prove maniupulation."

"I am delighted, and could not be otherwise, after the acquittal by this national anti-doping tribunal," said Pellizotti. "Sure, I lost a season and now I will claim damages against the Union Cycliste Internationale."

Photo: Pellizotti at 2009 Tour de France

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are very welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,500 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog and there is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page. What I'm riding.

Pellizotti: Doping

Pellizotti, third at the Giro d'Italia and KOM at the Tour de France in 2009, has been been stopped from competing by the UCI due to biological passport irregularities. The UCI has requested that the Italian cycling federation, FCI, open proceedings against Pellizotti.

More details to come, and more announcements about other riders......

Photo: Pellizotti at 2009 TdF

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are very welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,300 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog and there is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.

Liquigas Chooses Basso as Leader for Giro and Tour

From the team meeting in Passo San Pellegrino comes news that Liquigas has chosen Ivan Basso and Franco Pellizotti as co-leaders of the team for the 2010 Giro d'Italia.

For the Tour de France, Basso will be the sole leader. Basso podiumed at the Tour in 2004 and 2005 but will be appearing for the first time since 2005 after leaving on the eve of the 2006 race start due to Operación Puerto.

Vincenzo Nibali has been chosen as team leader for the Tour of California and as co-leader along with Roman Kreuziger for the Vuelta a Espana.

The President of Liquigas Sport, Paolo Dal Lago, commented during the meetings, "This next season will determine whether we will remain in cycling. How we win is more important than winning."

Photo: Basso makes good use of his Cannondale mountain bike during snowy conditions at San Pelligrino, team meeting

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Pellizotti Recons Giro's Stage 15

With 200 days to go to stage 15 of the 2010 Giro d'Italia, Franco Pellizotti (3rd in the Giro and the winner of the Tour de France polka dot jersey in 2009) did a 70 km reconnaissance ride of the stage with some cycling pros plus 90 amateurs. The recon took in the Passo Duron but stopped short of the Passo Zoncolan. During the race the 218 Km Stage 15 from Mestre to Monte Zoncolan will include, in this order: Sella Chianzutan (955 m), Passo Duron (1069 m), Sella Valcalda (958 m), and Monte Zoncolan (1730 m, 10.1 km in length,1, 1200 m of elevation gain, average grade 11.9 maximum grade 22%).

"It was not my first time on the Passo Duron" said Pellizotti. "This is a very challenging climb, about 5-6 miles, with gradients of up to 19 percent, and arriving at an altitude of 1069 meters. The beginning is hard, in the middle it moderates but remain challenging, and the last mile is back to 15 percent. When you take it, is narrow, then widens, then narrows. A beautiful road. I did it in an agile gear, a 39x27."

Pellizotti's last race of the season was the mid-September Tour of Missouri. Since then he's been on vacation. His training, on the bike and in the gym, for the 2010 season begins approximately one week from now. Saying that his training for 2010 should follow 2009 by beginning calmly, "I found myself well, I gained important results. My intention is to ride the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France again."

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Franco Pellizotti Wins Polka Dot Jersey

Franco Pellozotti (Liquigas) finished atop the classification for the polka dot jersey with a commanding 75-point lead over Egoi Martinez (Euskatel-Euskadi). He thus met one of the goals he had established for the 2009 Tour.

Through incessant attacking, he was also named the "most combative rider" of the 2009 Tour.

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Criterium dei Circuiti: Gran Premio Città di Salò

Following the Giro d'Italia many of the most important riders participated in the 4th edition of the Criterium dei Circuiti. The first race was held on Wednesday, June 3rd, in beautiful Salò on the western shore of Lake Garda. The second race was held in Brescia the following day.

The Gran Premio Città di Salò was won by Franco Pellizotti followed in by Danilo Di Luca and Alessandro Ballan. The race participants included, among others, Ivan Basso, Alessandro Petacchi, 2003 WC Igor Astarloa, Gilberto Simoni and Marco Velo.

Photos: event photos courtesy of Rodella

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Stage 17: Pellizotti’s Day

BLOCK HAUS (CH), 27 May 2009 - Franco Pellizotti has won the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia, 83 kilometres, from Chieti to the mountain finish on the Blockhaus (1674 metres). The 31-year old from Liquigas-Doimo thus gained his first season victory – the 12th in his career – and the first win for his team at the Giro 2009. Pellizotti, who launched his decisive attack 14 km from the finish line, and took 37:20 to climb the Blockhaus (average 24.100), had not had a win since 26 May 2008, when he conquered the uphill time trial of Plan de Corones at the Giro 2008. Second was Stefano Garzelli at +42; third was Di Luca at +43; fourth was the pink jersey Menchov at +48 (who lost a few metres in the final stretch); and fifth was Basso at +57. Sastre, Armstrong, Bruseghin, Simoni, and Leipheimer lost about two minutes.

GENERAL RANKING — Denis Menchov is still the pink jersey, but Danilo Di Luca wore away at Menchov’s lead and is second at +26, waiting for the last uphill finish, Friday on Mt. Vesuvius (do not forget Sunday’s final time trial of 14.4 km in Rome, which, on paper, favours Menchov). Franco Pellizotti rose to third, two minutes behind. Ivan Basso is fourth at +3:28; Carlos Sastre is fifth at +3:30. Leipheimer is sixth at +4:32; Rogers is seventh at +7:05; and Garzelli is eighth at +8:03.

THE DETAILS — The first ten kilometres went by calmly, after the unusual start at 3:00 p.m. Voeckler was the first to attack, and with him were Marzoli, Palumbo, Cardenas, Visconti, Chiarini, Bono, Facci, Rabunal Rios and Fernandez Cruz, while Danilo Di Luca’s LPR-Farnese gave chase. At 25 km from the finish, Sastre’s Cervelo team (despite Deignan’s fall) started to drive on, at 2 minutes from the pace setter. At the start of the climb – 18 km from the finish line – Cardenas was at the head of the group of top riders, who had a margin of 36 seconds at minus 15 km. Szmyd, a team-mate of Basso-Pellizotti, attempted to attack. The group caught up to Cardenas, Pellizotti overtook Szymd and Lance Armstrong attempted to do the same. Polish rider Szymd fell back, and the situation at 13 km from the finish was as follows: Pellizotti had 8 seconds on Armstrong and 30 seconds on the pink jersey’s group, driven on by Francesco Masciarelli and composed of 17 racers. 10 km from the finish, Armstrong was 40 seconds behind, followed by Di Luca, Menchov, Basso and Garzelli at +43. Sastre was slightly further back. At minus 9 km, Armstrong lost contact: Pellizotti had 35 seconds on Di Luca, Menchov, and Basso, while Garzelli fell back but then managed to catch up. At minus 6 km, Pellizotti had 30 seconds on his closest pursuers, Sastre was 1 minute behind. Minus 5 km: Pellizotti had 39 seconds on Basso-Garzelli-Menchov-Di Luca. Sastre and Armstrong dropped back to +1:02. Minus 4 km: Pellizotti had 42 seconds on Di Luca, Menchov, Basso and Garzelli, and +1:18 on Sastre and Armstrong. Minus 3 km: Pellizotti gained further ground: +51 seconds, while Sastre suffered and fell behind Armstrong, Simoni and Szmyd. Slightly before the 2 km mark, Di Luca attacked, but only Menchov stayed with him while Basso fell behind. Garzelli managed to catch up. However, Pellizotti held on to his margin and flew on to his well deserved victory.

TOMORROW — The 100th anniversary of the Giro d’Italia – 92nd race – continues with the 18th stage: from Sulmona to Benevento, 182 kilometres. Aside from the Mountain Gran Prix in Piano delle Cinque Miglia, there are no difficult climbs: a sprint finish is likely.

After the Giro we'll get back to "regular programming": everything from A to Z about Italian cycling. Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com.