Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli) won the final stage of the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali between Modenese and Sassuolo. The Italian champion beat Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli) and Gianni Meersman (FDJ) into second and third at the end of the hilly 173.4km stage.
The race began without the seven remaining riders from Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis; the team’s truck was robbed in the night and all of its Colnago road and time trial bikes were stolen, leaving the riders nothing to ride in today’s stage.
The 173.4km stage was based on two laps of a longer circuit, followed by four laps of a shorter one.
The day’s first breakaway came after 30km, when Giuseppe Muraglia (D'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo) got away with Filippo Savini (Colnago-CSF Inox), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) and Esteban Chaves Rubio (Colombia es passion-Café de Colombia). After a few kilometres they were joined by Emanuele Vona (Farnese Vini Neri Sottoli) and Patxi Vila (De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia).
With the group’s lead approaching a minute, Paolo Longo Borghini (Liquigas-Cannondale) attacked alone and managed to bridge across; there were now seven men at the front of the race and as they crossed the top of the unclassified Motebabbio climb after 61.5km they led the main field by 1’54”.
At the start of the first climb to Montegibbio, as they began the first of the four finishing circuits, Chaves Rubio and Muraglia left the other five riders behind, but they were soon to reform again. As they crossed it for the second time, and the first time it counted towards the mountains jersey, they still led the peloton by 1’37”; the gap was now closing though.
As the seven leaders crossed the finish line with two laps, and 48km, remaining their lead had been cut to just a minute. 10km later the peloton had them in sight, and they were pulled back with just over 35km to go on the penultimate climb to Montegibbio.
By now the terrain had taken its toll on the peloton, which was reduced to around 60 riders.
With 25km to go, at the beginning of the final lap, Luca Fioretti (Ora Hotels Carrera) attacked the peloton; he managed to get 19 seconds clear but was pulled back midway up to Montegibbio for the final time.
Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago-CSF Inox), in third place overall just 32 seconds behind Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli), was the next to try his luck, but he was caught by the rest as the race approached the top of the climb.
As the peloton started the descent a group of ten riders, including all of the race’s big names, detached itself from the front of the peloton; it was joined after a few kilometres by another 16 riders as it approached the finish.
The group was reduced to 25 with 2km to go as eighth place overall Stefan Schumacher (Miche-Guerciotti) punctured; as he was within the final 3km though, he was to be credited the same time as the winner.
A final kilometre attack from Luca Ascani (D'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo) came to nothing as the lead group sped into the finish and Visconti’s superior sprint paid off against what was mostly a group of pure climbers.
Despite a number of attacks from his chief rivals for the leader’s red jersey, Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) finished in 15th place to hang on and take the race overall.
Australian Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) finished behind a split in the group, losing 10 seconds and, with Visconti awarded a 10 second bonus, slipped from fourth to sixth overall. The Italian champion’s victory lifted him up to fourth, just 6 seconds off the podium.
Result stage 5
1. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli
2. Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
3. Gianni Meersman (Bel) FDJ
4. Luca Ascani (Ita) D'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo
5. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-ISD
6. Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ
7. Luis Felipe Laverde (Col) Colombia es pasion - Café de Colombia
8. Pasquale Muto (Ita) Miche-Guerciotti
9. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
10. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) FDJ
Final overall standings
1. Emanuele Sella (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
2. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-ISD @ 30s
3. Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox @ 32s
4. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli @ 38s
5. Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre-ISD @43s
6. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare @ 56s
7. Gianni Meersman (Bel) FDJ @ 59s
8. Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Miche-Guerciotti @ 1’05”
9. Angel Vicioso (Spa) Androni Giocattoli @ 1’08”
10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox @ 1’11”