Giro di Sardegna

Stage 5:  Sant’Antioco to Caglianri, 140.6km/87mi

By Cathy Mehl

Team RadioShack rode away with good results from the Giro di Sardegna:  2^nd and 4^th on general classification for Chris Horner and Jani Brajkovic as well as the Teams classification.  Russian Ivan Rovny also remained high in the GC after several days of strong sprints.  The final flat stage was won by 31-year old Alberto Loddo (Androni – Diquigiovanni) with the overall staying with Czech  rider Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) at four seconds ahead of Horner.

Croatian Bruno Radotic (Meridiana Karmen Team) drove 100km solo for the break of the day, taking a maximum advantage of four minutes.  Lampre controled the main field and brought back the rider to set up the mass sprint for their fast man Alessandro Petacchi.  But Loddo jumped early and surprised the pack, taking his 3^rd victory of the season.

Team RadioShack has won the Teams classification in both of their last race, pointing to strong performances by several team riders.  On Sunday the team will race the Classica Sardegna in a one-day race.

Top Ten Results

1        Alberto Loddo (Ita) Androni - Diquigiovanni      3:24:51        

2        Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre - Farnese Vini                      

3        Oscar Gatto (Ita) ISD - Neri               

4        Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Team Katusha              

5        Yuri Metlushenko (Ukr) Amore & Vita                

6        Enrico Rossi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia                    

7        Daniele Colli (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia                    

8        Henning Bommel (Ger) Germany                

9        Simone Campagnaro (Ita) Miche                 

10      Aitor Perez (Spa) Footon - Servetto

Team RadioShack on Stage 5

16      Jani Brajkovic (Slo)

23      Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra)

29      Christopher Horner (USA)

43      Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa)

52      Ivan Rovny (Rus)

83      Ben Hermans (Bel)

97      Matthew Busche (USA) 0:00:23

114    Dimitriy Muravyev (Rus) 0:00:45

Final General Classification

1        Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo    22:08:06      

2        Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack     0:00:02        

3        Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom         0:00:06        

4        Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack    0:00:10        

5        Damiano Caruso (Ita) De Rosa - Stac Plastic                  

6        Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Miche                 

7        Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli            

8        Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox   0:00:13        

9        Cristiano Salerno (Ita) De Rosa - Stac Plastic      0:00:17

HTML clipboard

10      Giovanni Visconti (Ita) ISD - Neri 0:00:23

Team RadioShack on Final General Classification

13     Ivan Rovny (Rus)  0:00:31

21     Ben Hermans (Bel)0:00:36

28     Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) 0:01:51

38     Dimitriy Muravyev (Rus) 0:05:44

56     Matthew Busche (USA) 0:18:07

64     Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) 0:23:51

Photo courtesy of Graham Watson