Oscar Freire of Rabobank Takes Opening Stage of Tirreno-Adriatico
ROME, March 12, 2008 (AFP) - Spain’s Oscar Freire won the first stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico on Wednesday over 160km around Civitavecchia, edging out Italy’s Alessandro Petacchi and Spain’s Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil in a sprint finish.
Former world champion Freire, of Rabobank, will wear the leader’s blue jersey in Thursday’s second stage over 203km from from Civitavecchia to Gubbio.
Russian Mikhail Ignatiev of Tinkoff and Ukrainian Yuriy Krivtsov of Ag2r made a long breakaway and stayed ahead of the field for 110km gaining a maximum advantage of 7min 45sec on the peloton but they were reeled in just 4km from the finish.
Last year’s first stage winner Australian Robbie McEwan made a long break for home in the finish but he couldn’t hold on and eventually finished eighth.
Freire started his sprint early and although he faded at the end, he had just enough left in the tank to hold of home favorite Petacchi of Team Milram.
Petacchi lamented the fact that Freire managed to start his srpint earlier.
“Oscar managed to start the sprint a few seconds before me, because I was still in the (final) turn, while he had already straightened his bike,” he said.
“There were only 1,280-meters left and catching Freire is not easy.”
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