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Cavendish wins San Remo

by VeloNews.com

• March 21, 2009
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• Results

If there was any doubt about who is cycling’s most exciting sprinter, Mark Cavendish erased it Saturday with an explosive victory in the 100th Milan-San Remo.

Judges had to break out the zoom lens to determine Cavendish the winner in a photo-finish to a devastated Heinrich Haussler as Cervélo TestTeam went two-three with Thor Hushovd rounding out the podium.

Haussler pounced out of the left side of the pack with 350 meters to go —he said to set up Hushovd — only to look back and see that Hushovd wasn’t on his wheel and a surging Cavendish was closing in fast.

“I saw Cavendish coming. If I sprinted for myself, I wouldn’t have gone so early. I was leading out for Thor. I wanted to get off with 100 meters, but I had to keep going,” Haussler said at the line. “I looked behind and I saw bloody Cavendish coming, really fast. My legs were just dying. It’s disappointing. Second place is the first loser. No, no, no, I cannot be satisfied. I know my form is good — (expletive).”

San Remo rookie Cavendish defied the experts in the 298km classic and made it over the late, decisive climbs at Cipressa and Poggio to arrive for the group sprint of about 30 riders.

“It’s the most beautiful day of my life. I didn’t expect to win. I couldn’t dream of anything better,” said Cavendish, who won four stages in last year’s Tour de France. “Hincapie helped me enormously, but the whole team stayed with me on the climbs. When Haussler broke away at top speed I was scared, but it makes the victory even sweeter.”

Lance Armstrong (Astana) lost contact over the Cipressa as the peloton roared over the final decisive climbs. Armstrong finished in the second group.

The race, the first major one-day classic of the season, saw a pack of 40 cyclists jostle for position through the winding streets of San Remo, with Haussler seemingly destined for victory after breaking away in the closing 400 meters, only for Cavendish to chase him down in dramatic fashion.

Haussler’s Cervelo teammate Thor Hushovd of Norway took third place, with Australia’s Alan Davis (Quick Step) fourth and Alessandro Petachi (LPR) fifth.

Tirreno-Adriatico winner Michele Scarponi of the Diquigiovanni team had stretched the field by leading the assault on the 5.6km climb up the Cipressa, the penultimate hill before the finish.

The major sprinters assembled in a roughly 60-strong leading group approaching the Poggio, the race’s final climb, with the Belgian Quick Step team leading the attack on the 3.5km ascent.

Scarponi’s teammate Davide Rebellin made the first attempt to break away but was quickly reined in, with Katusha’s Filippo Pozzato – the runner-up in 2008 – moving past him at the crest of the 6.2km descent to the finish line.

Pozzato, though, couldn’t establish any kind of lead, being sucked back into the leading group with two kilometers to go.

Haussler sparked the chase for victory as the finishing line loomed into view, but Cavendish produced a tremendous burst of speed to pip him right on the line in a photo-finish.

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Results

100th Milan-San Remo
March 21, 2009

1. Mark Cavendish (GB), Columbia-Highroad, 298km in 6:42:45 (44.4kph)
2. Heinrich Haussler (Ger), Cervélo TestTeam
3. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Cervélo TestTeam
4. Allan Davis (Aus), Quick Step
5. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita), LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini, at 0:02
6. Daniele Bennati (Ita), Liquigas, at 0:02
7. Aitor Galdos (Spa), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:02
8. Enrico Rossi (Ita), Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce, at 0:02
9. Luca Paolini (Ita), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 0:02
10. Peter Velits (Svk), Milram, at 0:02
11. Lloyd Mondory (Fra), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0:02
12. Martin Elmiger (Swi), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0:02
13. Greg van Avermaet (Bel), Silence-Lotto, at 0:02
14. Karsten Kroon (Ned), Saxo Bank, at 0:02
15. Tom Boonen (Bel), Quick Step, at 0:02
16. Assan Bazayev (Kaz), Astana, at 0:02
17. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita), Lampre-NGC, at 0:02
18. Christian Knees (Ger), Milram, at 0:02
19. Julian Dean (NZl), Garmin-Slipstream, at 0:02
20. Manuele Mori (Ita), Lampre-NGC, at 0:02
21. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned), Rabobank, at 0:02
22. Filippo Pozzato (Ita), Katusha, at 0:02
23. Philippe Gilbert (Bel), Silence-Lotto, at 0:02
24. Fabian Wegmann (Ger), Milram, at 0:02
25. Egoi Martínez (Spa), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:02
26. Carlo Scognamiglio (Ita), Barloworld, at 0:02
27. Anthony Geslin (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 0:02
28. Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 0:02
29. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa), Rabobank, at 0:02
30. Giovanni Visconti (Ita), ISD, at 0:02
31. Ryder Hesjedal (Can), Garmin-Slipstream, at 0:02
32. Nick Nuyens (Bel), Rabobank, at 0:02
33. Andreas Klier (Ger), Cervélo TestTeam, at 0:02
34. Luis León Sánchez (Spa), Caisse d’Epargne, at 0:02
35. Nicholas Roche (Irl), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0:02
36. Eros Capecchi (Ita), Fuji-Servetto, at 0:02
37. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra), Quick Step, at 0:07
38. Davide Rebellin (Ita), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli, at 0:07
39. George Hincapie (USA), Columbia-Highroad, at 0:07
40. Murilo Fischer (Bra), Liquigas, at 0:14
41. Luca Danilo Di (Ita), LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini, at 0:14
42. Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita), LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini, at 0:14
43. Matteo Tosatto (Ita), Quick Step, at 0:14
44. Ivan Basso (Ita), Liquigas, at 0:14
45. Franco Pellizotti (Ita), Liquigas, at 0:14
46. Michele Scarponi (Ita), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli, at 0:14
47. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita), LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini, at 0:14
48. Jérome Pineau (Fra), Quick Step, at 0:14
49. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita), Liquigas, at 0:14
50. Stefano Garzelli (Ita), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 0:14
51. Yoann Offredo (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 0:14
52. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz), Astana, at 0:22
53. Robert Hunter (RSA), Barloworld, at 0:22
54. Gabriele Bosisio (Ita), LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini, at 1:03
55. Oscar Pereiro (Spa), Caisse d’Epargne, at 1:03
56. Carlos Barredo (Spa), Quick Step, at 1:03
57. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr), Caisse d’Epargne, at 1:03
58. David Loosli (Swi), Lampre-NGC, at 8:19
59. Imanol Erviti (Spa), Caisse d’Epargne, at 8:19
60. Gabriel Rasch (Nor), Cervélo TestTeam, at 8:19
61. Johan Van Summeren (Bel), Silence-Lotto, at 8:19
62. Alessandro Bertolini (Ita), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli, at 8:19
63. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr), Astana, at 8:19
64. William Frischkorn (USA), Garmin-Slipstream, at 8:19
65. Serguei Ivanov (Rus), Katusha, at 8:19
66. Marco Corti (Ita), Barloworld, at 8:19
67. Robbie Mcewen (Aus), Katusha, at 8:19
68. Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 8:19
69. José Joaquín Rojas (Spa), Caisse d’Epargne Gil (Spa), Caisse d’Epargne, at 8:19
70. Steve Chainel (Fra), Bbox Bouygues Telecom, at 8:19
71. Said Haddou (Fra), Bbox Bouygues Telecom, at 8:19
72. Alessandro Vanotti (Ita), Liquigas, at 8:19
73. Alessandro Donati (Ita), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 8:19
74. Josep Jufré (Spa), Fuji-Servetto, at 8:19
75. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz), Astana, at 8:19
76. Serguei Klimov (Rus), Katusha, at 8:19
77. Arnaud Labbe (Fra), Bbox Bouygues Telecom, at 8:19
78. Aurélien Clerc (Swi), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 8:19
79. Rui Costa (Por), Caisse d’Epargne, at 8:19
80. Mikael Cherel (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 8:19
81. Ruggero Marzoli (Ita), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 8:19
82. Didac Ortega (Spa), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 8:19
83. Niki Terpstra (Ned), Milram, at 8:19
84. Luca Mazzanti (Ita), Katusha, at 8:19
85. Alberto Ongarato (Ita), LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini, at 8:19
86. Marco Velo (Ita), Quick Step, at 8:19
87. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger), Milram, at 8:19
88. Maurizio Biondo (Ita), Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce, at 8:19
89. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe), Saxo Bank, at 8:19
90. Jürgen Roelandts (Bel), Silence-Lotto, at 8:19
91. Leonardo Duque (Col), Cofidis, at 8:19
92. Roger Hammond (GB), Cervélo TestTeam, at 8:19
93. Mathew Hayman (Aus), Rabobank, at 8:19
94. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor), Columbia-Highroad, at 8:19
95. Sébastien Hinault (Fra), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 8:19
96. Mark Renshaw (Aus), Columbia-Highroad, at 8:19
97. Ermanno Capelli (Ita), Fuji-Servetto, at 8:19
98. Alexandre Botcharov (Rus), Katusha, at 8:19
99. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus), Française des Jeux, at 8:19
100. Leonardo Giordani (Ita), Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce, at 8:19
101. David De La Fuente (Spa), Fuji-Servetto, at 8:19
102. Iker Camano (Spa), Fuji-Servetto, at 8:19
103. Hayden Roulston (NZl), Cervélo TestTeam, at 8:19
104. Andriy Grivko (Ukr), ISD, at 8:19
105. Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe), Fuji-Servetto, at 8:19
106. Vincent Jérôme (Fra), Bbox Bouygues Telecom, at 8:19
107. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe), Columbia-Highroad, at 8:19
108. Bradley Wiggins (GB), Garmin-Slipstream, at 8:19
109. Pavel Brutt (Rus), Katusha, at 8:19
110. Marco Bandiera (Ita), Lampre-NGC, at 8:19
111. Maxime Monfort (Bel), Columbia-Highroad, at 8:19
112. Francesco Ginanni (Ita), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli, at 8:19
113. Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita), Barloworld, at 8:19
114. Arnaud Coyot (Fra), Caisse d’Epargne, at 8:19
115. Bingen Fernandez (Spa), Cofidis, at 8:19
116. Patrick Calcagni (Swi), Barloworld, at 8:19
117. Diego Caccia (Ita), Barloworld, at 8:19
118. Massimo Codol (Ita), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 8:19
119. Dario Andriotto (Ita), Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 8:19
120. Joost Posthuma (Ned), Rabobank, at 8:19
121. Felix Rafael Cardenas Ravalo (Col), Barloworld, at 8:19
122. Ivan Velasco (Spa), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 8:19
123. Koldo Fernandez (Spa), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 8:19
124. Julien El Fares (Fra), Cofidis, at 8:19
125. Lance Armstrong (USA), Astana, at 8:19
126. Dario Cioni (Ita), ISD, at 8:19
127. Oscar Gatto (Ita), ISD, at 8:19
128. Andy Schleck (Lux), Saxo Bank, at 8:19
129. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra), Cofidis, at 8:19
130. Amaël Moinard (Fra), Cofidis, at 8:19
131. Xavier Florencio (Spa), Cervélo TestTeam, at 8:19
132. Joaquím Rodríguez (Spa), Caisse d’Epargne, at 8:19
133. Jeremy Hunt (GB), Cervélo TestTeam, at 8:19
134. Matti Breschel (Den), Saxo Bank, at 8:19
135. Daniele Righi (Ita), Lampre-NGC, at 8:19
136. Thomas Dekker (Ned), Silence-Lotto, at 8:19
137. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita), Lampre-NGC, at 8:19
138. Svein Tuft (Can), Garmin-Slipstream, at 8:19
139. Tom Leezer (Ned), Rabobank, at 8:19
140. Christopher Sutton (Aus), Garmin-Slipstream, at 8:19
141. Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 8:19
142. Dainius Kairelis (Ltu), Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce, at 8:19
143. Mickael Delage (Fra), Silence-Lotto, at 8:19
144. Sébastien Turgot (Fra), Bbox Bouygues Telecom, at 8:19
145. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr), Française des Jeux, at 8:19
146. Sébastien Minard (Fra), Cofidis, at 8:19
147. Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra), Cofidis, at 8:19
148. Emanuale Bindi (Ita), Lampre-NGC, at 8:19
149. Luis Angel Mate (Spa), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli, at 8:19
150. Cristiano Fumagalli (Ita), Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce, at 11:38
151. Wilfried Cretskens (Bel), Silence-Lotto, at 11:38
152. Leonardo Moser (Ita), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli, at 11:38
153. Peter Wrolich (Aut), Milram, at 11:38
154. Martin Velits (Svk), Milram, at 11:38
155. Grégory Rast (Swi), Astana, at 11:38
156. Pedro Horrillo (Spa), Rabobank, at 11:38
157. Andoni Lafuente (Spa), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 11:38
158. Michael Friedman (USA), Garmin-Slipstream, at 11:38
159. Frank Hoj (Den), Saxo Bank, at 11:38
160. Giampaolo Cheula (Ita), Barloworld, at 11:38
161. Kasper Klostergaard Larsen (Den), Saxo Bank, at 12:35
162. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 12:35
196 starters, 162 finishers