Liquigas-Cannondale rider fastest Italian of the year so far after green and blue team pulls back the break
Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale) emphasised his current status as the fastest Italian in the peloton with a dominant victory in the first stage of the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria. The track specialist crossed the line several lengths clear of the rest of the sprinters, who were led over by Daniele Colli (Team Type 1-Sanofi), ahead of Elia Favilli (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) at the end of the 170km stage between Melito di Porto Salvo and Chiaravalle Centrale.
The race was dominated by a five-man breakaway that escaped midway through the stage, after an earlier three-man group had been recaptured. Rafael Andriato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), Antonio Parrinello (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela), Vegard Laengen (Team Type 1), Gianluca Maggiore (Utensilnord Named) and Andrea Palini (Team Idea) managed to stay away until the closing kilometres; they were finally pulled back by the Liquigas-Cannondale team, which set up Viviani perfectly to take his third victory of the season, and his second in a week.
Reactions to follow
Result stage 1
1. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
2. Daniele Colli (Ita) Team Type 1-Sanofi
3. Elia Favilli (Ita) Farnese Vini-Selle Italia
4. Marco Frapporti (Ita) Team Idea
5. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-ISD
6. Giuseppe De Maria (Ita) Team Idea
7. Robeto Cesaro (Ita) Meridiana-Kamen
8. Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Type 1-Sanofi
9. Ariel Richeze (Arg) Team Nippo
10. Filippo Baggio (Ita) Utensilnord Named
Standings after stage 1
1. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale