The 2004 winner of the Giro d'Italia and former best young rider at the Tour de France has never had much in the way of great success at the Tour de France. The Maillot Blanc at the Tour is certainly a prestigious award, but 11th overall in the 2006 after winning the Giro d'Italia two years previously wasn't a huge leap forward.
At this point in the career of Damiano Cunego, it is apparent that he can compete against anyone over the course of a one-day hilly classic. He's a superb climber and a quick finisher, in fact, there are very few outside of Alejandro Valverde that can get the better of Cunego in a small group sprint.
2010 has not been terribly kind to the Piccolo Principe. 5th at La Fleche Wallonne and 6th at Amstel Gold, a race that he had won in 2008, made for an average trip through the Ardennes. May wasn't all that much better: Cunego finished 11th overall at the Giro, with a 2nd in Stage 7's epic stage to Montalcino, behind World Champion Cadel Evans, as his best result.
Cunego came into the Tour de France with one goal: stage glory. Up until Stage 9, the three-time Giro di Lombardia winner had been quiet, but today's stage from Morzine to St. Jean de Maurienne through a vast swath of the Alps proved to be just the right playground for the rider from Verona.
When thinking back to a daylong break, it's often easy to forget about the struggle it sometimes involves to actually get IN the move. On a stage like today's with five categorized climbs including two category ones and an hors category ascent, the desire to get in the break was huge. For Cunego, it took over 50 kilometers to finally get into the move of the day. Cunego missed the original move of 10, and after the break had assembled nearly a 3 minute gap, the former World #1 leapt clear of the field with Estonia's Rein Taaramae. Cunego and Taaramae combined to eat away most of that gap on the Colombiere, and took care of the rest on the descent and made contact right before the third climb of the day, the category two Col des Aravis.
"It was hot from the first kilometer. I did not get into the original break because of a puncture. I tried to get into a second move, but didn't get that either. On the third opportunity to get across, I attacked, but I could not keep the pace going. I finally got it right and got to the front group after the descent of the Colombiere."
After doing his work in the dwindling group up front over the latter 150 km, Cunego headed into St. Jean de Maurienne with victory in his sights. While Luis Leon Sanchez and Sandy Casar have proven pedigrees as quick finishers, Cunego's trumps them all, especially given the slight uphill nature of the final meters. Unfortunately, races are not won on paper, and the Lampre-Farnese rider just didn't time his move correctly.
"I knew I could win the sprint, but I also knew that Casar and Sanchez were fast. Unfortunately, I could not respond quickly enough, as the French rider opened the sprint, and so I missed another chance."
Following the race, Cunego took a calm look back at his effort in Stage 9. He admits to disappointment, but also takes pride in his big ride. Bridging a three minute gap after numerous attempts, then riding the break for nearly 100 miles, and finally finishing 3rd on the day is nothing to scoff at.
"I have a mixture of disappointment and pride. I am disappointed to have missed a very good opportunity to break the curse that keeps me from winning a stage in the Tour de France, but I am proud to have fought with everything that I had."
Third place was certainly disappointing for the rider rumored to be on the move for 2011, but there will be more opportunities over the final 10 stages for redemption and a chance to break the curse. Cunego's romp through the Alps also had a little silver lining attached to it, because his ride put him in contention for the mountains classification. The rider, still winless in 2010, is now 4th on the ranking, 29 points (an hors categorie climb) behind co-leaders Charteau and Pineau. His Lampre-Farnese team will look to support him in that quest, but also has a big opportunity for Parisian glory if Alessandro Petacchi can come good on his 10 point deficit to Thor Hushovd to take back the Green Jersey.