Riccardo Ricco's successful return to the top rung of the sport following his 20-month suspension for his use of CERA-EPO in the 2008 Tour de France continued on Monday in Austria with victory on one of the most difficult climbs in professional cycling: the Kitzbüheler Horn.
The Kitzbüheler Horn gains 933 meters in 8 kilometers, making for a dastardly 11.7% average. The steepest kilometer averages just under 15%. In other words, it should be the happy stomping ground for a rider like Ricco…and another prodigal climber returning from a doping suspension, Emmanuele Sella. The two swiped the top two spots in Stage Two's vicious mountaintop finish and now occupy the top two spots on the general classification.
A three-up move dominated the day's proceedings as the race moved from Landeck eastward to a date with pain and suffering on the Kitzbüheler Horn. The break was swept up right as the race approached the finishing climb, and then it was all over for any kind of idea of a peloton.
Ricco's power was evident as he rode away to solo glory, nearly a minute ahead of Sella. Sella came in together with CarmioOro's Sergio Pardilla. The duo had 50 seconds on the next finishing, Sky's Morris Possoni. The climb had done its job, and the overall for the Tour of Austria has begun to take shape with six stages still to go.