24th Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali (2009) March 24-28th

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Stage 1:  a) Riccione circuits 81.2km
b) Misano Adriatico, TTT, 14.3km  Full Results and Report

Damiano Cunego is one of many stars at this low-key event. Here for Ardennes classics training?	The peloton passes under on the start/finish sign; 9 laps of the 9k circuit. Not much of a crowd.	Almost a three-way photo finish
Not so close from this angle	1st Danilo Napolitano (Team Katusha) 81,2 km in 1h58'00" 41,288km/h	Stage 1a podium: L-to-R: 2nd Marko Kump (Adria Mobil), 1st Danilo Napolitano (Team Katusha), 3rd Enrico Rossi (Ceramica Flaminia Bossini Docce)
Part two of stage 1 was a cronosquadre in the rain. Italian Pro Continental Team, ISD, not only shocked the ProTour teams, but they won the 14.3k TTT by a healthy 17 seconds in a time of 17.17 (49.641 k/h)	The San Marino based Miche-Silver Cross-Selle Italia was second	Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo were third just one second out of second place
Hard to believe but Team Saxo Bank finished 6th in the same time as 5th place Columbia Highroad (the highest placed ProTour team).	Despite last year's Coppi e Bartali GC winner and TT specialist Cadel Evans at the front, Silence Lotto could only manage 10th place. Not a good showing for the ProTour teams on this day. Cadel explains the reasons.	Th new Italian-Ukrainian based ISD is a time-trial team to reckon with... at least, in the rain. Oscar Gatto (far right) will wear the leader's jersey going into stage 2

Stage 2:  San Lazzaro - Faenza, 182.1km  Full Results and Report

The peloton rolling through the vineyards south of San Lazzaro and east of the Appenine mountains where the stage has been set for a hilly finish	Jose Serpa (Col) of Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni launches the decisive move on the day's second climb, Monte Trebbio, with 25k to go	Nine riders including last year's GC winner, Cadel Evans (3rd), made the move before the break was whittled down 5k later to just...
Jose Serpa (Col) of Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni follows the lead of Damiano Cunego (Ita)	1st Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. is rounding into fine form before the Ardennes Classics season. Here's a better photo of the sprint finish.	Stage 2 podium, L-to-R: 2nd Jose Serpa (Col) Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli, 1st Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. , 3rd Giovanni Visconti (Ita) ISD. Visconti is now in the leader's jersey.

Stage 3:  Borgo San Lorenzo - Serramazzoni, 163.4km  Full Results and Report

Lots of climbing through the Appenine mountains early into stage 3 ... the Queen stage of this year's race	Of course, lots of descending too	Damiano Cunego laying down the hammer
A 1 km duel ending in a "sprint" finish just like yesterday...	... with Damiano Cunego (Ita) of Lampre winning for the second time in 24 hours this time over last year's Queen Stage and GC winner, Cadel Evans (Aus) of Silence-Lotto.	Damiano Cunego now looks good for the overall win sporting a nice leader's jersey and a 28 second lead over Cadel Evans.

Stage 4:  Massa Finalese - Finale Emilia, 162.8km  Full Results and Report

Cadel Evans and Damiano Cunego during the flat final circuits	A sprint finish naturally	1st Yuri Mitlushenko (Ukr) Amore & Vita-McDonald's ahead of 2nd Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha and 3rd Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas
	1st Yuri Mitlushenko (Ukr) Amore & Vita-McDonald's. Not a man too mess with.	Clearly a day for the powerful, stocky, quick twitch men in the peloton

Stage 5:  Scandiano - Sassuolo, 178.5km  Full Results and Report

The day's scenery along the hilly circuits around Scandiano and Sassuolo	Narrow, twisty roads	Even though he's part of the small main break, the race leader, Damiano Cunego has little room to work with as he rides on the white line
Adam Hansen (Aus) of Team Columbia-High Road failed to negotiate all of the tricky corners	Cadel Evans (center) was aggressive on the last set of the hills attempting to make up 28 seconds on the GC leader Damiano Cunego (left). But in the end, all he could do was eek out a stage win.	1-2 on GC and 2-1 on today's final stage. No opportunity for a victory salute.