Written by: Barnaby Chesterman

ROME, March 19, 2011 – Australian Matthew Goss of the HTC-Highroad
team claimed the biggest victory of his career when he sprinted to victory in
Milan-Sanremo, held over 298km, on Saturday.

Goss proved strongest in an eight-man finish following a thrilling finale
that featured several attacks and counter-attacks.

Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, the 2008 champion who rides for
Leopard-Trek, was second, with Belgian Philippe Gilbert of Omega-Pharma
finishing third.

“I knew I’d been going well, I knew I could get a good result, but actually
to get the win is incredible,” said Goss, who becomes his team’s second winner
of the race in three years after Mark Cavendish’s victory in 2009.

“I knew Gilbert was dangerous and would try for an attack on the Poggio
(climb), so I rode across to that front group just as we reached the top, and
once I was with them I knew I was in with a chance.”

The Cipressa and Poggio climbs, near the end of the race, often prove
decisive in eliminating some of the contenders as the peloton picks up the
pace in a bid to drop the sprinters before the finale.

Goss can climb and sprint, but gave himself an extra chance of success.

“It was an advantage knowing the route. I live nearby and I’ve trained over
the Poggio a few times in the last few days just to check it again,” added the
Australian.

“The descent was fast, but it wasn’t too tricky because fortunately it
wasn’t wet, and with 500 meters to go I just gave it everything I had and
hoped for the best.”

Cancellara and Gilbert both felt they had paid for their reputations in the
finish.

“I tried to arrive on my own (at the end) but everyone else had my wheel,”
complained Cancellara.

“I think I had one of the best sprints of my life but Goss was very strong.”

Gilbert added: “I was on my own (without team-mates) in the final
kilometers. I was watched closely.”

Another Belgian, Greg Van Avermaet of BMC, had made a long break for home
inside the final 8km but he was reeled in with just over 2km to race, after
which several riders had a crack.

Gilbert, a stage winner in the recent Tirreno-Adriatico, attacked inside
the final 2km but couldn’t hold on to his small advantage and it came down to
a sprint.

Italian Michele Scarponi of Lampre was first to make a bid for home,
followed by Gilbert but Goss — the only real sprinter among the finishers —
had the legs on all of them and came over the finish with his arms in the air
in triumph.

Goss had been part of a select group of riders that had managed to stay at
the front and leave the main chasing peloton behind around 70km from home.

Several other contenders, including British sprinter Mark Cavendish, the
winner in 2009, world champion Thor Hushovd and three-time winner Oscar
Friere, were caught in the second group and were forced to chase in vain for
two hours.

Tasmanian Goss won a stage at Paris-Nice almost two weeks ago, however this
victory — his and Australia’s first in the race — trumps all his previous
career wins.

With stage victories in the Tour Down Under, the Tour of Oman, and most
recently in Paris-Nice, Goss has an impressive eight wins so far this season.

“It’s been absolutely incredible,” said Goss. “I couldn’t have dreamed up a
better start to the year.”

Milan-Sanremo was first held in 1907 and is one of five one-day classic
‘monuments’ in cycling alongside the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix,
Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour of Lombardy.

RESULTS
1. Matthew Goss (AUS/HTC) 6hr 51min 10sec, 2. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/LEO)
same time, 3. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/OLO) s.t., 4. Alessandro Ballan (ITA/BMC)
s.t., 5. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/KAT) s.t., 6. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) s.t.,
7. Yoann Offredo (FRA/FDJ) s.t., 8. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) at 03sec, 9.
Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/OLO) 10, 10. Stuart O’Grady (AUS/LEO) 12, 11. Francisco
Ventoso (ESP/MOV) 27, 12. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/LAM) s.t., 13. Daniele
Bennati (ITA/LEO) s.t., 14. Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP/MOV) s.t., 15. Marco
Marcato (ITA/VAC) s.t., 16. Dominique Rollin (CAN/FDJ) s.t., 17. Peter Sagan
(SVK/LIQ) s.t., 18. Heinrich Haussler (AUS/GRM) s.t., 19. Alessandro Bertolini
(ITA/AND) s.t., 20. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) s.t.
Selected: 28. Tom Boonen (BEL/QST) 1:12, 33. Andre Greipel (GER/OLO) 3:59,
44. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 5:23, 46. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) s.t., 52. Mark
Cavendish (IDM/THR) s.t., 94. Oscar Freire (ESP/RAB) s.t., 107. Michael
Matthews (AUS/RAB) 8:29, 127. Thor Hushovd (NOR/GRM) 9:32

Article: AFP
Photo: Corvos