A Monumental Effort – Gilbert Leaves Lombardy With A Victory
Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) closed out what was personally shaping up to be a spectacular October by taking today's 242km Giro di Lombardia over Olympic road race champion, Spaniard Samuel Sanchez.
With the win, his fourth consecutive of the month, Gilbert became the first Belgian to win La classica delle foglie morte, or the "the race of the falling leaves," since Fons De Wolf dialed up a victory in 1980. Gilbert's victory would also break an eight year streak of Italians defending their home soil and the final "monument" on the racing calendar.
"It's great to win this race and take four in a row. This is usually a really hard race, but with my form at the moment, I can climb, sprint and do everything. I'm really strong," commented a jubilant Gilbert.
Russian Alexander Kolobnev (Team Saxo Bank) won a four-way sprint for third place over Italy's Luca Paolini (Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo), who finished fourth, and the Dutch pair of Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team), and Robert Gesink (Rabobank).
Results
1. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence - Lotto
2. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
3. Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Saxo Bank
4. Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
5. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
6. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
7. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana
8. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Slipstream
9. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Fuji-Servetto
10. Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto
Related Posts:
Leave a Response
Entries(RSS)