Tour of Lombardy

Milano to Lecco, 241km/150mi

By Cathy Mehl

If a rider is going to take the first win of his 8-year professional career, he might as well start with a big one, and that’s exactly what 30-year old Oliver Zaugg (Leopard Trek) did in Saturday’s 105th Tour of Lombardy.  Zaugg’s attack on the Villa Vergana  with under 10km to go set up the surprise win for the Swiss rider.  After more than six hours of riding, his solo victory put him in a small club of only four different Swiss men to win the Fall monument among a very large contingent of Italian riders.  Chasing Zaugg for second and third places at 8-seconds were Daniel Martin (Garmin-Cervelo) and Joaquin Rodriguez of Katusha.  The best-placed rider for The Shack was Jani Brajkovic, arriving in a group at over one-minute off the pace.  Only 63 of 195 riders completed the 241km course.

An early break gave way to a strong solo ride by Italian Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) for more than 50k before his effort was brought back with less than 17km still to ride.  Team Sky’s Michael Rogers put in plenty of time at the front of the peloton keeping the pace high as they approached the last climb.  Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) were among the first on the climb, but Zaugg’s calculated move put the hurt on defending champion Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and put the Swiss rider in the lead with four riders chasing.  Under the 1km to go kite Zaugg’s gap was just over 10-seconds, but it was enough to put him at the finish line first and on the top step of the podium in the biggest….and so far only….win of his career. 

Known as “The Race of the Falling Leaves,” the Tour of Lombardy may have seen the fall colors for the last time as the race will take an earlier spot on the calendar in 2012 in an effort to make room for other races as our sport extends to a wider global audience.  It was the last “official” race of the season for Team RadioShack, although Markel  Irizar will race individually in the time trial event Chronos des Nations tomorrow.  Starting back in February with a win in Trofeo Inca by Ben Hermans, the Team has chalked up a win every month, with victories coming from no less than fourteen different riders for a total of 34 wins.  Congratulations to the riders, management and staff for a stellar season for Team RadioShack. 

Last year Haimar suffered from hypothermia.  This year bright sunshine and warm termperatures greeted the riders.

Top Ten Results

1. ZAUGG Oliver SUI LEO LEOPARD - TREK 6.20'02"

2. MARTIN Daniel IRL GRM TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO  0'08"

3. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin ESP KAT KATUSHA TEAM

4. BASSO Ivan ITA LIQ LIQUIGAS - CANNONDALE

5. NIEMIEC Przemyslaw POL LAM LAMPRE - ISD

6. POZZOVIVO Domenico ITA COG COLNAGO - CSF INOX

7. VISCONTI Giovanni ITA FAR FARNESE VINI - NERI SOTTOLI  0'16"

8. GILBERT Philippe BEL OLO OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO

9. BETANCUR GOMEZ Carlos A. COL ASA ACQUA & SAPONE

10. CHIARINI Riccardo ITA AND ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI - C.I.P.I.

Team RadioShack Results

32. BRAJKOVIC Jani  SLO   1'15"