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11 September 2006

12 September News ...

Petacchi Finishes Season after Fight with Bus

Lo Spezzino Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) was forced to put an early end to his season. After missing out in the Vuelta a España stage 15 sprint, the 32 year-old punched the team bus in frustration, fracturing part of his right hand.

The run in to Almussafes looked set for a Petacchi comeback victory. Lo Spezzino had il Treno Milram in full flight (Sacchi, Ongarato and Velo) leading to the line. After three kilometers of straight road there was a slight curve with 150 meters to the line. Here was where Petacchi had his problems.

Lampre-Fondital were ready to seize the sprint, the last available until the final stage in Madrid. Danilo Napolitano was using Claudio Corioni for a lead out, but it was the latter who bumped with Petacchi. Frustrated after finishing 12th, meters after the line, Petacchi dismounted his bike, took his anger out on the team bus and ended an already short season.

"I did a stupid thing," explained Petacchi, who had already missed most of his season due to a knee fracture sustained in the Giro d'Italia. "In the sprint I was scared of crashing and this situation made me very upset. I have to ask for forgiveness from everyone. My teammates at the Vuelta, like usual, did such a great job to help me. Today, I was so close, and I had great sensations on the bike."

"I have to ask that the team officials, all of the team, forgive me for my stupid actions. I hope they understand," said a regretful Petacchi. "With this stupidness I have thrown away the season finale; there was still the finish in Madrid, the satisfaction of completing a grand tour and Paris-Tours."

"I hope that the healing goes well. When I get back in Italy I will have my hand further examined. Then I will recommence with the new year, maybe on the rollers, which I hate. Time will pass but I still don't know if I can return to how I was before," lo Spezzino continued, hoping to return to his all-star sprinter status, which he held before fracturing his kneecap in May.

"The only consolation is that I did not punch anyone, because that would have been so much worse."

Read:
Petacchi Races 12 August, 28 July
Petacchi Needs 10 More Days for Bike, 15 June
Petacchi Continues Rehab, 1 June
Giro Over for Alessandro Petacchi, 9 May

61st Vuelta a España, 26 August - 17 September
Main, Startlist
Stages and Maps, Key Stages, Overall Map
Photos, The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
2005 Results

Schumacher Adds to Stunning Season

An interesting double repeated itself yesterday: last year Fassa Bortolo had Alessandro Petacchi winning a stage in the Vuelta a España while teammate Kim Kirchen wrapped up the Tour de Pologne overall, this year it was Gerolsteiner's Robert Förster taking the Vuelta sprint while Stefan Schumacher won the overall in Poland.

German Schumacher, who this year came to prominence by wearing the Maglia Rosa and taking two stages in the Giro d'Italia, dominated the final weekend of racing in Poland. Winning Saturday's stage, Stephan took the overall leader's yellow jersey, which he convincingly defended by winning Sunday's final stage.

After the bunch caught 2005 winner Kirchen, the 25 year-old Schumacher joined in on the counter-attacks in the final kilometer. Red-hot Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) started the attacking but the German countered to win the stage. Winner of the Eneco Tour of Benelux last month, Schumacher became the first overall German winner in the Polish race's history. Italian Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Fondital) finished third overall.

Simoni Wins in Mountain Bike

The first mountain bike victory for Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir) was taken yesterday in the 18th Rampilonga. In Val di Fassa (Trentino-Alto Adige), the Trentino put his experience to work on dirt roads by winning the classic parcours of 45.4K.

"In the climb the others went better than I had thought, but then on the descent I risked it," said Simoni after the race.

One month ago, Simoni, at the urging of bike supplier Scott, decided to race a series of mountain bike races. Other races on Simoni's off road schedule include: Adamello Bike, Italian Championships, Gimondi Bike and Roc d'Azur (Nice, France).

Read:
Simoni Goes Off Road, 1 September

McEwen Triples in Bruxelles, Worlds Next

Saturday, Aussie fast-man, Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto), won the 86th Paris-Bruxelles for the third time in his career. McEwen stamped his authority over a Quick-Step duo in the sprint finale, World Champion Tom Boonen and Steven De Jongh. After the race, the 34 year-old Aussie confirmed that he will join the 9-man green and gold squadra for the 2006 World Championships in Salzburg.

The Worlds parcours is not seen as one of the sprinters, but with Tom Boonen making a commitment to race other sprinters are following suit. The day before taking victory in Bruxelles, McEwen confirmed his Worlds participation by sending a text message to Aussie National DS.

"After the Tour I took it easy for a few weeks. Now I feel my form is coming on again," McEwen confirmed. "... The sprint was man against man. Myself against Boonen, and I came out on top. ... This victory is a good sign for the World Championships."

World Championships, Salzburg (Austria), 24 & 24 September
Worlds Preview
Time Trial, Profile, Overall Map, TT Startlist
Road Race, Profile, Overall Map, RR Startlist

9 September News ...