BiciRace.com :: News :: October 2005

News :: October 2005

16 October 2005

Bang Bang: Bettini's Heavy Hammer Came Down

Bettini In Escape, photo: Lampre-Caffita

Yesterday Paolo Bettini went out and made the Giro di Lombardia his own. Bettini (31) started his tearing the field apart 52K from the finish, on the Madonna del Ghisallo, and did not give up until Como. The Olympic champion formed the key escape on the slopes of the Madonna del Ghisallo and then fine-tuned the affairs over the remaining smaller climbs. "The Ghisallo is a mythical mountain. Often I have suffered but today I flew past first," said the Quick-Step rider.

Over the remaining two climbs Bettini continued to attack like a man possessed: Civiglio (15.7K) and San Fermo della Battaglia (5.7K to go). "It was important that we were not caught by the chasing group," said Bettini. "So I gave in, I attacked all that I could. I expended a lot [of energy] but I wanted to arrive at the foot of Civiglio with 30-40" advantage."

"Civiglio and San Fermo were dry climbs but the descents were very dangerous. Schleck, and then Caruso, returned at the bottom. I used Caruso's wheel, I resisted the temptation to go early. I saw the 400 meter sign, then 300 and 200. At 200 I said 'here we are' and there was no resistance," explained Bettini, who won the sprint easily. "I knew Simoni was not going to stop in the sprint, especially after 246K of hard racing. But I have battled Cipollini and Petacchi ... And then my name is Bettini."

Il Grillo made his mark in the Giro d'Italia with a stage win and the maglia rosa. Then he returned in the fall to win a stage of the Vuelta, and then stamp his authority on Zurich and Como. Paolo put down one of the most impressive rides seen in a long time at the Züri Metzgete. Then yesterday his attacking style showed that he was the boss-man. "My season is from February to October, start to end. I am a professional of nine years and eight times I have finished my season with Lombardia. OK, sure, I have not won the Tour seven times."

"Monday I will travel to Belgium to work on the 2006 schedule with the Quick-Step team. I am interested in the Worlds, but I will not make it a fixed point," explained Bettini regarding his upcoming season. Il Grillo will again focus on the early season classics before going to the Giro d'Italia. "I am missing Flanders and Roubaix. For Flanders we are organizing ourselves. For Roubaix there would need to be a miracle."

Tight Battle for Simoni

Simoni Powers, photo: Lampre-Caffita

"I had wanted the victory," recalled Simoni after a tough battle through the Lombardia countryside. The Lampre-Caffita rider went head-to-head all day with Paolo Bettini. The finish in Como saw the Quick-Step rider win the final battle of the Giro di Lombardia. "For an instant I had an illusion that I could take it in the sprint. I thought I had something more to spend and he had no more. But the reality was the opposite."

The games initiated 60K earlier on the famed slopes of Madonna del Ghisallo. Bettini launched the first missiles and Simoni was right there on the Quick-Step rider's wheel. "Bettini had imposed a rhythm that only a small about of riders could handle. I tried to stay with him but I could tell that he was stronger. The type of condition that he has is what others dream about."

Simoni was able to answer all of Bettini's attacks, even if at times he was a little slow in responding. "I don't know how many attacks he had made, I lost count." The final attack was the sprint, which Simoni could not match. "To win in a sprint with one who has battled Cipollini and Petacchi is impossible."

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Simoni Reflects on SonyEricsson

Winning the Giro di Lombardia was not the only thing that was on Gilberto Simoni's mind. Only day's before the race start, the bad news of the SonyEricsson deal with Giancarlo Ferretti reached Simoni. The news has put the 2X Giro d'Italia winner, along with many others, back in the hunt for a new squadra.

"The new squadra of Ferretti was a great dream for all, but one that ended badly," said Simoni from Como. There has been an offer for Simoni to join the non-ProTour team of Naturino-Sapore di Mare. However he taking a little time to make up his mind for the 2006 season (and of course there are those hideous kits!). "I have an idea in my head," concluded Simoni.

Read: What the heck? Ferretti Loses SonyEricsson, 14 October

Cronocoppie di Borgomanero

Today in the Italian city of Borgomanero there is a two-man time trial, or the 'Cronocoppie di Borgomanero'. Many of the riders who competed yesterday in the Giro di Lombardia will line up for the 'fun' event. Even some of the riders that have already put a stop to their official season (Basso and Petacchi) will take to the start line in the 50.4K race.

Here are the 19 Cronocoppie:
Marco Marzano (Lampre-Caffita) - Stefano Boggia (Ceramica Flaminia)
Rubens Bertogliati (Saunier Duval-Prodir) - Patrick Calcagni (Liquigas-Bianchi)
Gabriele Bosisio - Ruslan Pidgornyy (Tenax-Nobili Rubinetterie)
Rinaldo Nocentini (Acqua & Sapone) - Vincenzo Nibali (Fassa Bortolo)
Paolo Valoti (Domina Vacanze) - Serhiy Honchar (Domina Vacanze)
Giampaolo Caruso (Liberty Seguros-Würth) - Cristian Moreni (Quick-Step)
Dario Andriotto - Andrea Noè (Liquigas-Bianchi)
Paolo Longoborghini (Barloworld-Valsir) - Gianmario Rovaletti (Ceramica Flaminia)
Emanuele Sella - Paolo Tiralongo (Panaria-Navigare)
Cristiano Frattini - Gianluca Tonetti (Tenax-Nobili Rubinetterie)
Gianluca Sironi - Mauro Gerosa (Liquigas-Bianchi)
Mauro Santambrogio (Team LPR) - Vladimir Miholjevic (Liquigas-Bianchi)
Marzio Bruseghin - Lorenzo Bernucci (Fassa Bortolo)
Eddy Mazzoleni - Salvatore Commesso (Lampre-Caffita)
Daniele Nardello (T-Mobile) - Luca Paolini (Quick-Step)
Damiano Cunego - Samuele Marzoli (Lampre-Caffita)
Alessandro Petacchi - Marco Velo (Fassa Bortolo)
Ivan Basso - Andrea Peron (Team CSC)
Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas-Bianchi) - Alessandro Spezialetti (Lampre-Caffita)

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