German Patrik Sinkewitz won his first race of the year for team ISD-Neri at the Giro della Romagna today in Lugo, Italy. He finished ahead of escape companion Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF Inox).
Italian Champion Giovanni Visconti (ISD-Neri) finished third and Slovakian Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo) took fourth.
Sinkewitz and Pozzovivo attacked and rode free with 50 kilometres left in the 212-kilometre race, starting and ending in Lugo. They used the race's highest climb, Monte Trebbio, to achieve their advantage. Small Italian climber, Pozzovivo initiated the move but Sinkewitz wisely followed.
The two held their advantage over the last, smaller Monte Carla climb, with 26 kilometres to race.
"It's a little bit of a bitter feeling to lose. Our team wanted to attack on the climbs because there were many sprinters at the race. I decided to work with Sinkewitz because he was looking strong, but in the sprint he is just too fast for me," Pozzovivo told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Maybe my luck will change. I will try to hold this condition though the Giro di Lombardia in October."
Italian Ricardo Riccò made his return to racing today with new team Vacansoleil. The Dutch squad led the chase of the two escapees over the last kilometres to try to allow their leader to win, but Riccò and the team were unsuccessful. However, it did put its sprinter over the line first, one minute behind Sagan.
As with Riccò, Sinkewitz served a doping suspension. In 2007, he tested positive for testosterone and later, admitted to using blood booster EPO and having blood transfusions. Last year, he made his return with PSK Whirlpool. He won a stage of the Tour of Portugal and the overall and a stage at the Sachsen-Tour.
Brazilian Murilo Fischer won the Giro della Romagna last year.
Results:
1 Patrik Sinkewitz (ISD-Neri)
2 Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF Inox) 0:02
3 Giovanni Visconti (ISD-Neri) 0:58
4 Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo)
5 Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil)
6 Simone Ponzi (Lampre-Farnese Vini)
7 Paolo Bailetti (Ceramica Flaminia)
8 Alessandro Bertolini (Androni-Giocattoli)
9 Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-Farnese Vini)
10 Andrea Tonti (CarmioOro-NGC)