BiciRace.com :: 2006 Züri Metzgete

2006 Züri Metzgete, Report

Züri Metzgete, Switzerland

1 October, 240.9K

Samuel Sánchez Solos Finale

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Samuel Sánchez wins, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

Samuel Sánchez showed his good form in last weekend's World Championships was no fluke. Under heavy rain, the 28 year-old Spaniard broke free from his small group with 11 kilometers remaining to win the Züri Metzgete. The Euskaltel-Euskadi rider had made the selection on the final 42K loop with a group that contained O'Grady, Cancellara, Boogerd and Rebellin. While last year's winner, Paolo Bettini, did not finish his first race in his new rainbow jersey, the Italian pulled at the start of the final loop.

The weather in Zurich did not let us down; after nearly a week of decent weather in the area, Sunday turned nasty. Flashbacks came easy because it was under similar conditions that Paolo Bettini won the 2005 version with a solo escape of 35 kilometers. Today was a little kinder to the peloton, with patches of sun here and there but heavy rain for the finale.

The parcours were also a challenge. On tap were five ascents of the Pfannenstiel and the Wetzwil. The fist came in the large loop of 72.5K, while the final four came in the "closing" loops of 42.1K. The 5K run of Pfannenstiel (17K to go) set the legs on fire for the short burst of the Wetzwil (-13K).

Japan does rock, and partly it is because of Fumy. Japanese Fumiyuki Beppu (Discovery Channel) was the strongest of a three-man move that was formed with 25K into the race. Joined by Michele Gobbi (Milram) and Jérémy Roy (Française Des Jeux), the trio gained up to 17 minutes before the wall came tumblin' down.

The gap over the second ascent of the Pfannenstiel was at 15 minutes. This further dropped to 13' at -120K, and then Gobbi cracked. The Japanese-French duo, both 23 years-old, continued, but it was to be without reward. The duo were caught on the third of the four final loops after spending 154 kilometers free.

The second to final ascent of the Pfannenstiel did the escape in but formed the day's critical move. From the climb, over the Wetzwil, emerged a strong Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) and Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC). Cancellara, fresh off his Worlds TT win, was anxious to perform well in his last race of the season, which was also on home soil.

Sánchez attacks, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

The Swiss rider was able to make the final escape when, at -33K Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) launched out of the peloton. He was joined by Sánchez, Cancellara, Stuart O'Grady (Team CSC), Stijn Devolder (Discovery Channel) and 1997 winner Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner). Behind, it was a scattered crew that included Aussie Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto).

Disco Devolder was dropped on the final ascent of the Pfannenstiel and shortly after the anti-CSC artilleries were let loose. Tin-Tin Rebellin, Sammy Sánchez and Boogerd were motivated to rid themselves of Cancellara and his sprinter teammate O'Grady. Over the top of the final tough bit the CSC duo were dropped.

Sánchez on the podium, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

Cancellara waited for O'Grady, and the duo worked to rejoin but just before the decisive attack. With 11 kilometers remaining, Spaniard Sánchez, winner of stage 13 of this year's Vuelta, launched. It was a slight uphill bit on the Wetzwil before a left-hander and then a downhill run.

It was touch an go for the man BiciRace.com predicted as a favorite. Sánchez is not a cronoman but he was forced to do the time trial of his life to keep clear. Behind there was Cancellara, TT World Champ, pulling with all of his might for O'Grady but the heavy rain and busted spirits of the chase increased the odds of a solo win.

O'Grady, Sanchez, & Rebellin, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

Under two kilometers to go, Sánchez had 18". It was enough to see the sixth-year pro to a fine solo win. O'Grady did get the "sprint" but it was for second place, ahead of Rebellin and a luck-less Boogerd. Cancellara, off and on all day, staggered in for fifth.

And Bettini? Well, he dropped out with 42 kilometers left, on the start of the final loop. The Italian never looked comfortable today, spending a lot of time back at the team car and making adjustments to his World Champion themed Time bike.

Results: 6:03'47", 38.54 K/h
1 Samuel Sánchez (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
2 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 0.30
3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
4 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank
5 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Team CSC 0.36
6 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Cofidis
7 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC
8 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel 1.17
9 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 1.20
10 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Quick-Step
11 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
12 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
13 Daniele Nardello (Ita) T-Mobile 1.30
14 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld 1.32
15 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas
16 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Crédit Agricole
17 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel
18 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
19 Martin Elmiger (Sui) Phonak
20 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Milram
21 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick-Step
22 Chris Horner (USA) Davitamon-Lotto
23 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
24 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
25 David Loosli (Sui) Lampre-Fondital
26 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.52
27 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française Des Jeux 4.30
28 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 5.34
29 Vicente Reynes (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
30 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
31 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Milram
32 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Milram
33 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Crédit Agricole
34 Michael Albasini (Sui) Liquigas
35 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel
36 Pablo Lastras (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
37 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole
38 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
39 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick-Step
40 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Ag2R Prévoyance
41 Oliver Zaugg (Sui) Saunier Duval-Prodir
42 Igor Antón (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
43 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital
44 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Cofidis
45 Andrea Moletta (Ita) Gerolsteiner
46 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile
47 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Milram
48 Juan Antonio Flecha (Esp) Rabobank 8.13
49 Félix Rafael Cárdenas (Col) Barloworld 8.37
50 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 11.29
51 Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Quick-Step
52 Gerben Löwik (Ned) Rabobank 12.40
53 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis
54 Lars Bak (Den) Team CSC 14.59
55 Volodymyr Bileka (Ukr) Discovery Channel
56 Iñaki Flores (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi 17.11
57 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis
58 Pedro Arreitunandia (Esp) Barloworld
59 Hubert Dupont (Fra) Ag2R Prévoyance 18.11
60 Guido Trenti (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
61 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Française Des Jeux
62 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
63 Mikel Astarloza (Esp) Ag2R Prévoyance
64 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Crédit Agricole
DNF Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick-Step
DNF Davide Viganò (Ita) Quick-Step
DNF Hubert Schwab (Sui) Quick-Step
DNF José Rujano (Ven) Quick-Step
DNF Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank
DNF Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Rabobank
DNF Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
DNF Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank
DNF Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank
DNF Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Crédit Agricole
DNF Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Crédit Agricole
DNF Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Crédit Agricole
DNF Sébastien Portal (Fra) Crédit Agricole
DNF Iñigo Cuesta (Esp) Team CSC
DNF Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Française Des Jeux
DNF Mathieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux
DNF Bradley McGee (Aus) Française Des Jeux
DNF Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française Des Jeux
DNF Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française Des Jeux
DNF Ian McLeod (RSA) Française Des Jeux
DNF Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital
DNF Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Lampre-Fondital
DNF Aurélien Clerc (Sui) Phonak
DNF Florian Stalder (Sui) Phonak
DNF Steve Morabito (Sui) Phonak
DNF Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak
DNF Victor Hugo Peña (Col) Phonak
DNF Gregory Rast (Sui) Phonak
DNF Johann Tschopp (Sui) Phonak
DNF Andoni Aranaga (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Koldo Fernández (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Iñigo Landaluze (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Ivan Mayoz (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Rubén Pérez (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel
DNF Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel
DNF Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Discovery Channel
DNF Benjamin Noval (Esp) Discovery Channel
DNF Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
DNF Pieter Mertens (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
DNF Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
DNF Dario Cioni (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Andrea Noè (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
DNF Pierre Drancourt (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
DNF Xavier Florencio (Esp) Bouygues Telecom
DNF Yoann Le Boulanger (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
DNF Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
DNF Walter Bénéteau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
DNF Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
DNF Sven Montgomery (Sui) Gerolsteiner
DNF Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
DNF Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
DNF Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner
DNF Beat Zberg (Sui) Gerolsteiner
DNF Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis
DNF Bingen Fernández (Esp) Cofidis
DNF Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis
DNF Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis
DNF Michele Gobbi (Ita) Milram
DNF Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Milram
DNF Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Milram
DNF Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Milram
DNF Javier Mejías (Esp) Saunier Duval-Prodir
DNF Alberto Fernández De La Puebla (Esp) Saunier Duval-Prodir
DNF Juan José Cobo (Esp) Saunier Duval-Prodir
DNF David Millar (Gbr) Saunier Duval-Prodir
DNF Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile
DNF Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile
DNF Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile
DNF Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) T-Mobile
DNF Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile
DNF Steffen Wesemann (Sui) T-Mobile
DNF Iñigo Chaurreau (Esp) Ag2R Prévoyance
DNF Philip Deignan (Irl) Ag2R Prévoyance
DNF Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Ag2R Prévoyance
DNF Simon Gerrans (Aus) Ag2R Prévoyance
DNF Carlos Abellán (Esp) Astaná
DNF Carlos Barredo (Esp) Astaná
DNF Koen De Kort (Ned) Astaná
DNF Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astaná
DNF Daniel Navarro (Esp) Astaná
DNF José Joaquín Rojas (Esp) Astaná
DNF Eladio Sánchez (Esp) Astaná
DNF Iván Gutiérrez (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
DNF Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
DNF Mikel Pradera (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
DNF Francisco Pérez (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
DNF Joaquím Rodríguez (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
DNF Diego Caccia (Ita) Barloworld
DNF Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld
DNF Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Barloworld
DNF Hugo Sabido (Por) Barloworld
DNF Mauro Facci (Ita) Barloworld
DNF Harald Morscher (Aut) Vorarlberg
DNF Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Vorarlberg
DNF Andreas Matzbacher (Aut) Vorarlberg
DNF Pascal Hungerbühler (Sui) Vorarlberg
DNF Christoph Girschweiler (Sui) Vorarlberg
DNF Fraser MacMaster (Nzl) Vorarlberg
DNF Gregor Gut (Sui) Vorarlberg
DNF Josef Benetseder (Aut) Vorarlberg