BiciRace.com :: GP Chiasso

GP Chiasso

GP Chiasso, Switzerland

26 February, 173K

Champion of Luxemberg fires one off in Switzerland

Early Move, photo: BiciRace.com

It was a good time today in Chiasso. Chiasso is in Switzerland just across the border from Como. The GP Chiasso is a pretty low key race, but nonetheless BiciRace.com was pretty excited.

After watching the early break get established with Luca Paolini of Quickstep, the tifosi were seen grabbing lunch and some warmth. From the bar the tifosi watched Gerolsteiner leading the peloton as it was chasing the break. The break of four gain a maximum of about four minutes and then slowly it was reeled in again to a gruppo compatto with two laps (of 13K each) remaining.

Peloton Early On, photo: BiciRace.com

At this point it was all strung out and little groups started forming. With one lap to go Michael Rogers was off the front and trying to establish a lead. Rogers attack came to nothing and it was all back together on the last lap. In the sprint finish there was a group of about 15. Davide Rebellin, Kim Kirchen, Giuliano Figueras, and Michael Rogers were all up there (see the blurry photo). But it was Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg who got the win over Figueras for second and Rogers for third. Kirchen of Fassa Bortolo seems to have good form this spring, so keep your eyes on him.

Rogers was a big hit among the fans. His own personal fan club was out there with a blow up kangaroo! After the finish, BiciRace.com nabbed a photo of Michael Rogers signing an autograph using his SRM for a solid surface. Maybe this is why the riders are now using their SRM's all the time. Maybe we will see Rogers out for revenge in tomorrow's GP Lugano, just up the road from Chiasso.

Results: 4:28'48", ave 38.59 K/h
2 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Lampre-Caffita
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick-Step
4 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Liquigas-Bianchi
5 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
6 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Tenax
7 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
8 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Crédit Agricole
9 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
10 Andrea Noè (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi
11 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis
12 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Quick-Step
13 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
14 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis
15 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria
16 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Caffita
17 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria
18 Volodimir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo
19 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r Prévoyance
20 Cristian Gasperoni (Ita) Naturino-Sapore di Mare
21 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
22 Hubert Dupont (Fra) R.A.G.T Semences
23 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria 0.10
24 Domenico Passuello (Ita) Amore & Vita - Beretta - Polska 1.03
25 Alexandre Bazhenov (Rus) Naturino-Sapore di Mare
26 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
27 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 1.04
28 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas-Bianchi 1.47
29 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Crédit Agricole
30 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis 2.26
31 Armando Rupa (Ita) Miche
32 Iñigo Chaurreau (Spa) AG2r Prévoyance 4.16
33 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
34 Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
35 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Crédit Agricole
36 Luca Solari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 5.28
37 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
38 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
39 Frédéric Maingueneaud (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
40 Massimo Codol (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
41 Roberto Petito (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
42 Andreas Matzbacher (Aut) Lampre-Caffita
43 Francesco Failli (Ita) Naturino-Sapore di Mare
44 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Fassa Bortolo
45 Mauro Facci (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
46 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Quick-Step
47 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre-Caffita
48 Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) Tenax
49 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Crédit Agricole
50 Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
51 Saul Raisin (USA) Crédit Agricole
52 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AG2r Prévoyance
53 Giairo Ermetti (Ita) Miche
54 Nicolas Portal (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
55 Agustin Alonso (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
56 Leonardo Moser (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
57 Elio Aggiano (Ita) Team LPR
58
59 Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
60 Davide Bramati (Ita) Quick-Step
61 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
62 Andrea Moletta (Ita) Gerolsteiner
63
64 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Caffita
Classified: 64