Evans wraps up Settimana title

By AFP

Silence-Lotto’s Cadel Evans won the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, which finished with the fifth and final stage over 169.1 kilometers from Castellarano to Sassuolo on Saturday.

Emanuele Sella won the final stage by holding off the fast charging Stefano Garzelli and Vincenzo Nibali at the finish.

Sella surprised all by breaking for home with just over one kilometer still to ride.

Garzelii and Nibali were trying to overhaul Evans in the overall standings but the Australian held on to win by 17 seconds ahead of Garzelli, with Nibali third at 1:15.

Evans, who finished second at last year’s Tour de France, took charge of the race by winning Thursday’s third stage in the mountains over 191km from Scandiano to Pavullo.

He took more than 30 seconds out of then leader Garzelli in that stage and held his advantage through two more days to be crowned champion.

FILED UNDER: Road