Milan San Remo 2008

World Champion time trial specialist Fabian Cancellara upstaged the sprinters to claim an impressive solo victory at the 99th Milan-San Remo, the first one-day classic of the cycling season on Saturday, March 22.

Fabian Cancellera wins ahead of the chase group

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Cancellara (Team CSC) pulled confidently away from a small group of race leaders inside the final three kilometres of the 298 km epic to effectively end all expectations of a bunch sprint.

Earlier in the race a three man group had been together for sometime, but when the race hit the Cipressa climb, they were caught by Paulo Bettinin (Quickstep), who had jumped away from the pack. The World road race champion was soon joined by four other riders including Paulo Savoldelli (LPR Brakes) and Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner).

This forced the Liquigas and Team CSC to ride on the front of the peloton and the four were caught when they reached the final climb, the Poggio. At the foot of the ascent Alessandro Bertolini (Diquigiovanni - Androni Gioc) attacked and stretched out the race and when he was caught Enrico Gasparotto (Barloworld) went to the front. These attacks led to a ten group going clear and it was from this that Cancellera went clear to win.

Cancellara had time to savour his triumph, coming over the finish line with his arms in the air and three seconds to spare as a group of around 10 riders battled for the podium places.

Italian Filippo Pozzato of Liquigas grabbed second place ahead of Belgium's Philippe Gilbert, of Francaise des Jeux, with Italian Davide Rebellin claiming fourth.

Last year's winner, Oscar Freire of Spain, finished eighth. Gilbert, a recent winner of the hilly Flemish semi-classic Het Volk, had tried to attack Cancellara's group on the descent of the final climb, the Poggio, only to have a change of mind.

It was soon afterwards, on the flatter, winding roads leading to the finish line, that Cancellara put the time trialling skills that have won him the world title for the past two years to good use.

In dry and sunny conditions, the early stages were brought to life by a four-man breakaway composed of Italians Filippo Savini and Nicola d'Andrea, American William Frischkorn and Latvian Raivis Belohvosciks.

They led for an impressive 250km after pulling away from the peloton after just 23 of the race's 298 kilometres but were reduced to three when D'Andrea began dropping back on the descent of the newly-included climb at Le Manie.

World and Olympic road race champion Paolo Bettini then attacked at the foot of the Cipressa, the penultimate climb, to be joined by Sweden's Thomas Lovkvist, of High Road and eventually Rebellin, Swede Niklas Axelsson, and Paolo Savoldelli.

However with the Poggio still to climb, their slender lead was fragile. Under CSC's charge, helped by Pozzato's Liquigas team, Bettini and co. were overtaken with ease on the Poggio.

Successive attacks, including those of Rebellin and Gilbert, tore the chasing peloton to shreds minutes before the finale. When Euskaltel's Inigo Landaluze tried his luck by pulling in front with a little more than two kilometres to go, Cancellara made his move and countered.

The 27-year-old left everyone in his wake with a time trialling performance that handed Switzerland their first San Remo win since Erich Maechler triumphed 21 years ago.

Entry

Poll
Our poll got it very wrong, although I am sure plenty of you would have voted for Fabian Cancellera if we had put him up for you to choose!

You voted - Petacchi 18%, Boonen 26%, Freire 33%, Pozzato 16%, Zabel 7%

Results
1. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/CSC) 7hr 15min 09sec,
2. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/LIQ) at 02secs,
3. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/FDJ) s.t.,
4. Davide Rebellin (ITA/GST) s.t.,
5. Mirco Lorenzetto (ITA/LAM) s.t.
6. Anthony Geslin (FRA/BTL) s.t.,
7. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA/A2R) s.t.,
8. Oscar Freire (ESP/RAB) s.t.,
9. Thor Hushovd (NOR/C.A.) s.t.,
10. Kurt Asle Arvesen (NOR/CSC) s.t.
11. Alessandro Bertolini (ITA/SDA) 5,
12. Enrico Gasparotto (ITA/BAR) s.t.,
13. Raffaele Illiano (ITA/SDA) 8,
14. Inigo Landaluze (ESP/EUS) 11,
15. Franco Pellizotti (ITA/LIQ) 12,
16. Alessandro Ballan (ITA/LAM) 13,
17. Erik Zabel (GER/MRM) 14,
18. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/MRM) s.t.,
19. Baden Cooke (AUS/BAR) s.t.,
20. Nick Nuyens (BEL/COF) s.t.