ROME, March 17, 2009 (AFP) – Italian Michele Scarponi of the Diquigiovanni team secured overall victory at the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race after the seventh and final stage won by Britain’s Mark Cavendish on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old Scarponi thus claims the biggest win of his career five months after returning to the peloton last August following an 18-month ban for his role in the ‘Operation Puerto’ doping scandal.

Michele Scarponi Wins Tirreno-Adriatico

Scarponi struck a crucial blow on Monday when he beat breakaway companions Stefano Garzelli (Acqua Sapone) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) to the finish of the sixth stage to take the overall lead.

On Tuesday’s 169km ride around San Benedetto del Tronto it was simply a case of keeping an eye on the rivals daring enough to attempt to snatch victory, and Scarponi held on to secure victory in his local region.

In the general classification Garzelli finished just 25sec behind Scarponi with Germany’s Andreas Kloden, of Astana, in third place at 1:07.

Basso, who returned from a two-year doping ban in October, finished fifth at 1:13, 03sec behind Sweden’s Thomas Lovkvist of Columbia.

With Saturday marking the opening of the one-day spring classics season at Milan-San Remo – for which Tirreno-Adriatico is the main warm-up – Cavendish showed more than ever why he is a strong contender for the race known as ‘La Primavera’.

After yet another perfect lead-out by his Columbia team the Manxman pulled out from behind his rivals to coast to his first victory of the race.

Cavendish, who won four stages at last year’s Tour de France, only had American Tyler Farrar of Garmin for close company with sprint rivals Australian Baden Cooke (Vacansoleil) and Italian Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) in his wake.

Mark Cavendish of Team Columbia Wants To Know If You Can Hear His Roar

7th stage
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) Columbia 4hr 9min 46sec, 2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin same time, 3. Baden Cooke (AUS) Vacansoleil s.t., 4. Daniele Bennati
(ITA) Liquigas s.t., 5. Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR) Francaise des Jeux s.t., 6.
Angelo Furlan (ITA) Lampre s.t., 7. Aurelien Clerc (SUI) AG2R s.t., 8. Danilo Napolitano (ITA) Katusha s.t., 9. Luca Paolini (ITA) Acqua e Sapone s.t., 10.
Allan Davis (AUS) Quick Step s.t.

Final overall standings
1. Michele Scarponi (ITA) Diquigiovanni 27hr 32min 22sec, 2. Stefano Garzelli (ITA) Acqua e Sapone at 25sec, 3. Andreas Kloden (GER) Astana 1:07, 4. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE) Columbia 1:10, 5. Ivan Basso (ITA) Liquigas 1:13, 6.
Davide Rebellin (ITA) Diquigiovanni 2:06, 7. Linus Gerdemann (GER) Milram 2:32, 8. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin 2:33, 9. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR) Columbia 2:41, 10. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Liquigas 2:54

Photo’s by: CorVos Pro