Following a difficult Tour de France that saw Ivan Basso limp into Paris with bronchitis, the native of Varese returned to the top step of the podium in today's UCI 1.1 ranked mouthful, the Gran Premio Industria Commercia Artigianato Carnaghese.
The race, run on home roads for Basso, was run over a 180 kilometer course in miserable, wet, cool conditions. 130 riders from 18 teams took to the start on a miserable, wet, cool day to do battle on nine laps of a 20 kilometer course (the original intention was for 10 laps, but the organizers were feeling generous).
The day started aggressively, but eventually a duo was allowed clear to lead the way until the finale: Mariano Palandri (Adria Mobil) and Fabien Wolf (Price Bikes) rode out to a maximum advantage of 5:30 minutes before being towed back in by a field eager to do battle.
By the time the duo rejoined the field, the race was a much smaller affair than it had been when they departed two and a half hours previously. The business end of the race saw innumerable attacks, but it was the last trip up the climb of the Castelseprio, Ceramica Flaiminia's Daniele Colli put in a powerful move, which was soon followed by Giro winner, Basso. Basso rode up to Colli, then immediately countered him with three kilometers to go. There was no stopping the rider who could most likely ride the course's two climbs with his eyes closed.
Three kilometers later, two-time Giro d'Italia winner, Ivan Basso, took the win by 14 seconds over De Rosa's Giairo Ermeti, and 21 seconds over late aggressor, Daniele Colli. Afterwards, Basso beamed, "You all saw how I finished the Tour, tired and sick, only because of my pride in my work and my love for that race did I finish. Then I tried to recover without losing condition or health. I race five post-Tour criteriums in the Netherlands, and then I came here to the gratitude of the people I have always loved."
Basso spoke about the team's plans for the day: "This morning, we decided to focus on the riders that had done the Tour, so we used up Chicchi and Sagan early on, then, when the selection was made, in turn, Bellotti, Kuschynski, and I all tried to get away."
Even after a very busy season so far, the two-time Tour de France podium finisher has some races ahead of him before he calls it quits for 2010, however, the World Championships are not on his to do list."I take this victory as a reward for my tenacity. Now, I'm looking forward to the GP Camaiore, the Tres Valli Varesine, the Trofeo Melinda, and the two races in Canada. After that, we'll see about what I'll do in the last month. It was a busy season for me, so I will not be doing the World Championships. I've already spoken with the coach, Paolo Bettini. With him, I have the same relationship that I had with Franco Ballerini - the utmost sincerity."
Results
1) Ivan Basso (Liquigas Doimo)
2) Giairo Ermeti (De Rosa Stac Plastic) a 14 ";
3) Daniele Colli (Ceramica Flaminia) to 21 ";
4) Jure Kocjan (Carmiooro NGC);
5) Roberto Ferrari (De Rosa Stac Plastic);
6) Francis Ginanni (Diquigiovanni Androni);
7 Francesco Bellotti (Liquigas Doimo);
8) Daniel Callegarini (CDC Knight);
9) Blaz Jarc (Adria Mobil);
10) Francesco Failli (Acqua & Sapone);