Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval - Scott) hasn't had the best performance at Tirreno-Adriatico and is now doubting his participation in Milano-Sanremo on Saturday. In last year's Classicissima, the volatile rider from Formigine, Modena in Italy put in a potentially lethal attack with Belgium's Philippe Gilbert, however this year he may skip the race because of a sore back resulting from a crash on Tirreno-Adriatico's stage 3.
"I have good memories from last year, but this year...for me it has been unlucky," Riccò said of his week in southern Italy.
Prior to the rider's crash on Stage 3, a clearly frustrated Riccò tossed his race machine through the air after stage 2. It was a moment of "anger" according to Riccò, but from the pundits it was a sign of his overall performance at the Corsa dei Due Mari.
Stage 3's tumble saw him laying on the ground for some time before he was able to get up and eventually finish the stage, some 15 minutes behind. "I was going well, but the crash has compromised my race, and I don't know if I will do Sanremo," he said. "I still have a bad back from that crash."
Riccò lurked in the shadows of stage 6 to Castelfidardo, where he finished in a group 36 seconds back on stage winner Oscar Freire (Rabobank). He will likely announce his participation in La Classicissima following Tirreno's final stage in San Benedetto del Tronto today.
"I have not previewed the finale of Sanremo this spring, but it is always the same," he said. "Maybe I will look this week, but I will have to see how I feel after Tuesday [Tirreno's conclusion - ed.]. For me to win I have to attack on the Poggio, that is my only way."
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