BiciRace.com :: 2006 Tre Valli Varesine

2006 Tre Valli Varesine, Report

Tre Valli Varesine, Italy

15 August, 200K

Garzelli Bis at Home

Stefano Garzelli wins, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

Almost identical to his 2005 victory, Stefano Garzelli (Liquigas) won the 86th Tre Valli Varesine, finishing in his birth town of Campione d'Italia. The final 2500m was all uphill with a 7% average gradient. Spaniard Mauricio Soler (Acqua & Sapone) put in one of the last pushes that setup an attack by his teammate, Rinaldo Nocentini at -500m. Garzelli (33) hooked on to Nocentini's wheel before coming around to take control of the final 300m.

The result was payback for the Clásica San Sebastián, where Garzelli finished second behind Xavier Florencio (Bouygues Telecom), and a gift for his son.

Garzelli & son Marco, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

"The final was a hard rise, like last year," explained il Varesino after the race. "This win was for my son, Marco, it is the first time that I was able to win a race in Italy for him. It was beautiful. Tomorrow I will be at home and relaxing with my family and son."

Regarding Saturday's second place finishing in San Sebastián, Garzelli said, "I did not know who Florencio was. At San Sebastián he did a very good sprint though it was a very strange finale."

Nocentini, Garzelli & Ferrara, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

Will you ride for Liquigas next year? "I am still talking with Liquigas," confirmed Garzelli, whose smoking form will help finding a new team. "Right now I have good form and this is good for many reasons."

Nocentini gave nods to Garzelli's excellence: "It was a very hard finale," said the rider from Montevarchi (Toscana). "I wanted to stay with Garzelli but it was impossible."

Results: 5:19'15", 37.430 K/h
1 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Liquigas
2 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
3 Raffaele Ferrara (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-3C Casalinghi 0.03
4 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 0.04
5 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Panaria-Navigare 0.06
6 Santo Anzà (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni
7 Mauricio Soler (Col) Acqua & Sapone
8 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
9 Fabio Gilioli (Ita) Universal Caffè-CB Immobiliare 0.11
10 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni 0.15
11 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 0.19
12 Konstantin Klyuev (Rus) Androni Giocattoli-3C Casalinghi
13 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Naturino-Sapore di Mare 0.23
14 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni
15 Sergio Ghisalberti (Ita) Milram
16 Przemyslaw Niemec (Pol) Miche
17 Moisés Aldape Chavez (Mex) Panaria-Navigare
18 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano 0.28
19 Daniele De Paoli (Ita) Team LPR 0.32
20 Eddy Ratti (Ita) Naturino-Sapore di Mare
21 Jamie Burrow (GBr) OTC Doors-Lauretana