Classica Olbia Sarda, 187.6km/117mi

By Cathy Mehl

Fresh off a five-day stage race the men of Team RadioShack were firing on all cylinders in the one day Classica Olbia Sarda in Sardinia.  A group of thirty riders dominated the race from start to finish on a sun-soaked day with temperatures near 23C/74F.  Geoffroy Lequatre rode himself into a third-place podium position behind winner Giovanni Visconti (ISD) with teammate Jani Brajkovic settling in for 8^th. Second place went to Fabio Sabatini of Liquigas-Doimo.  TRS riders Markel Irizar and Ben Hermans took 15th and 16th respectively.

The breakaway group provided all the action on Sunday’s race. The time advantage rolled out to almost three minutes with 30 riders still in contact. As the race neared the finish a final group broke away with Team RadioShack riders Brajkovic, Lequatre, Irizar and Hermans in the front selection.  The group was strong but caught in the final kilometer to set up a sprint finish.  Lequatre battled in the long finishing straight but was unable to take the win, slotting into third after a brave effort.

Provisional Results

1. Giovanni Visconti (Isd – Neri)  3:53:09”

2. Fabio Sabatini (Liquigas – Doimo)

3. Geoffroy Lequatre (Team Radioshack)

4. Daniele Colli (Ceramica Flaminia)

5. Fabio Felline (Footon – Servetto)

6. Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre – Farnese Vini)

7. Riccardo Chiarini (De Rosa – Stac Plastic)

8. Jani Brajkovic (Team Radioshack)

9. Michele Scarponi (Androni – Diquigiovanni)

10. Maxime Vantomme (Team Kautusha)

Photo courtesy of Graham Watson