Pozzato grabs tricolore in Imola
Katusha rider fends of Cunego and Paolini to win
Filippo Pozzato claimed the Italian tricolore for the next twelve months with an impressive win Sunday at the Italian national championship race in Imola.
Katusha's star rider won a sprint finish at the end of the 257-kilometre race. Damiano Cunego (Lampre NGC) finished second and Luca Paolini (Acqua & Sapone) third.
"I have been chasing this win for many years and finally I have managed to win the title of Italian champion," said Pozzato.
Pozzato's win today marked the second time he has won a national title ahead of Cunego. In 1997, they finished in the same positions at the Italian school championships.
Pozzato immediately outlined his next objective at the Tour de France."I will go to the Tour to win a stage with the Italian champion's jersey."
His win was formed from a 17-rider group that formed 52 kilometres from the finish. Pozzato had Luca Mazzanti in the group and Cunego had teammate and World Champion Alessandro Ballan.
Mazzanti helped keep the group together over the Frassineto and Tre Monti climbs. Despite attacks by Liquigas' Vincenzo Nibali and Franco Pellizotti, the riders were in one group with three kilometres remaining.
1 | Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha) | 6:34:45 |
2 | Damiano Cunego (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Luca Paolini (Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Alessandro Bertolini (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Andron) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Gabriele Bosisio (LPR Brakes Farnese Vini) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Massimiliano Gentili (Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce) | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Carlo Scognamiglio (Barloworld) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Daniele Callegarin (Centri Della Calzatura) | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Luca Solari (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Andron) | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Francesco Bellotti (Barloworld) | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Enrico Zen (CSF Group - Navigare) | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Eros Capecchi (Fuji-Servetto) | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Leonardo Bertagnolli (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Andron) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Domenico Pozzovivo (CSF Group - Navigare) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Francesco Reda (Quick Step) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Federico Canuti (CSF Group - Navigare) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Manuele Mori (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Alessandro Ballan (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Massimo Giunti (Miche - Silver Cross - Selle Italia) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Giampaolo Caruso (Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce) | 0:00:04 |
24 | Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) | 0:00:05 |
25 | Luca Mazzanti (Team Katusha) | 0:00:36 |
26 | Marco Marzano (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Eddy Ratti (Individuali) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Ruggero Marzoli (Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo) | 0:01:40 |
29 | Maurizio Biondo (Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Alessandro Proni (ISD) | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Danilo Andrenacci (Nazionale Elettronica New Slot - Had) | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Matteo Carrara (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Fabio Gilioli (Amore & Vita - Mcdonald's) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Marco Frapporti (CSF Group - Navigare) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Cristiano Salerno (LPR Brakes Farnese Vini) | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Alberto Ongarato (LPR Brakes Farnese Vini) | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Pasquale Muto (Miche - Silver Cross - Selle Italia) | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Andrea Masciarelli (Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Francesco Masciarelli (Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo) | 0:01:44 |
40 | Giampaolo Cheula (Barloworld) | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Bruno Rizzi (Team Utensilnord) | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Enrico Gasparotto (Lampre - N.G.C) | 0:01:57 |
43 | Marco Cattaneo (LPR Brakes Farnese Vini) | 0:03:18 |
44 | Alessandro Bisolti (CSF Group - Navigare) | 0:03:45 |
45 | Francesco Failli (Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo) | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Davide Vigano (Fuji-Servetto) | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Luca Zanasca (Centri Della Calzatura) | 0:05:48 |
48 | Marco Corti (Barloworld) | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Salvatore Commesso (Meridiana - Kalev Chocolate Team) | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Santaromita Villaivan (Liquigas) | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Marco Carletti (Betonexpress 2000 - Limonta) | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Donato Cannone (Betonexpress 2000 - Limonta) | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Fabio Taborre (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Andron) | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Alan Marangoni (CSF Group - Navigare) | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Paolo Tiralongo (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Andrea Pagoto (Team Utensilnord) | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Leonardo Moser (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Andron) | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Mauro Santambrogio (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Andrea Moletta (Miche - Silver Cross - Selle Italia) | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale) | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre - N.G.C) | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Fabio Sabatini (Liquigas) | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Marco Velo (Quick Step) | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Paolo Longo Borghini (Barloworld) | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Leonardo Giordani (Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce) | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Sergio Lagana (LPR Brakes Farnese Vini) | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Dario David Cioni (ISD) | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Vincenzo Garofolo (Individuali) | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Francesco Ginanni (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Andron) | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Simone Stortoni (CSF Group - Navigare) | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Massimo Codol (Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo) | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Davide Torosantucci (Centri Della Calzatura) | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Fabio Negri (LPR Brakes Farnese Vini) | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Dario Cataldo (Quick Step) | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Paolo Bailetti (Fuji-Servetto) | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Matteo Tosatto (Quick Step) | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Eugenio Loria (Centri Della Calzatura) | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Giovanni Visconti (ISD) | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Diego Caccia (Barloworld) | 0:06:11 |
81 | Francesco Tizza (Carmiooro - A Style) | Row 80 - Cell 2 |

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