Stage 7 results: Garzelli collects two bonus seconds on the "ceremonial" stage to win the overall on a virtual tie with Scarponi; Boasson Hagen wins the sprint finish
Stage 7 preview: Civitanova Marche → San Benedetto del Tronto, 164k (rolling/flat)
March 15 update: Today is the last day. Stefano Garzelli is only down by two seconds on GC to Michele Scarponi, but this is a flat "ceremonial" stage where the sprinters should take all the bonus time.
Update;: Garzelli has placed third in both intermediate sprints to tie Scarponi on time and with a tiebreaker takes the overall lead.
— Steve Interactive map
Diretta: Live Video Streaming and TV Coverage
March 9 update: Eurosport in Europe, Universal Sports in North America, Sporza for Belgium and RAI in Italy (of course). Check back at race time for the online links and tv schedules. Feel free to send in additional sources for live video or tv coverage as they become known. Big Photos from Sirotti after each stage. More to come... — Steve Tutta la Tirreno live
Telecronaca su Gazzetta.it — gazzetta.it
Live video streaming. First option is restricted to Italy, others are accessible worldwide; Live feed starts 15:15 CET most days on either RAI Sport or RAI Tre
Europe; Live daily coverage and/or delayed; Stage 2 is live on Eurosport 2 at 14:00 GMT (90 min) and reboardcast at 18:00 GMT (60 min); The main channel, Eurosport, 1 will reboadcast at 16:15 GMT;Tip: mute the french audio and launch the english audio
March 15 update: Stage 6 is a rolling stage with four 20 km finishing circuits with two steep hills per lap. The stage ends on one of the those hills that maxes out at 19%. This will be fun (classic) stage to watch. — Steve Interactive map and profile of the hilly finish circuit
Stage 5 results: Enrico Gasparotto attacks the steep climb first and then wins the bunch sprint; Scarponi's overall lead is shaved down by Garzelli
Astana's Enrico Gasparotto was caught at the top of the wall with 1 km to go. A four man bunch sprint ensued which he won.
9 Big Photos from Stage 5 — sirotti
Stage 5 results:
1 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana
2 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
3 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
5 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo :08
6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
7 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
8 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia
General classification after stage 5
1 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 23:40:44
2 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 0:00:10
3 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana 0:00:15
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:18
5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:00:27
6 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 0:00:29
7 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:00:31
March 13 update: The stage 5 route has been changed due to road damage on one of the climbs. Therefore, the stage will be 18 km shorter and the three moderate climbs have been replaced by one tough climb -- see the profile and map links in the race summary table (right). The finish, with the 750m 15% wall (max 20%) just 1 km from the line, is still intact. — Steve Interactive map and profile of the finish (interactive map not updated for the route change; finish is the same).
Stage 4 results: Michele Scarponi easily wins the hill climb into Chieti and takes the overall lead
March 13 update: There was a long transfer to today's start in the Umbria region (San Gemini). This is a key stage and we'll end it with an uphill finish in Chieti which has a maximum grade of 19% and there is a 15% section near the finish. Should be fun. — Steve Interactive map and profile of the finish.
Stage 3 results: Liquigas sets up Daniele Bennati for a fast sprint finish win
Stage 3 preview: San Miniato → Monsummano Terme, 159k (bumpy)
March 11 update: Stage 3 takes place in the same area as Stage 2. There will be a figure eight around Monsummano Terme before a flat finish. This seems like another sprinter's stage but there are a couple good bumps towards the finish so a break could survive to the finish.
... read more of the Stage 3 Preview (more stage previews are in the works).
Stage 2 results: Liquigas provides a great leadout but Tom Boonen wins the sprint finish
March 10 update: This is the second stage in Tuscany and we moved north to the area between Lucca and Pistoia. The first part of this stage heads south to the flats of Fucecchio just west of Florence. We then return to Montecatini Terme and continue north to a wooded region where the stage peaks with a steep 762m climb at Goraiolo. The roads in this area are really windy so the combination of a decent climb and twisty roads will shatter the peloton. But there is still 80 km to go at this point.
... read more of the Stage 2 Preview (more stage previews are in the works).
Official startlist with bib numbers for the 2010 Tirreno-Adriatico now posted
March 9 update:Here's the official provisional startlist for Wednesday's start. — Steve Two ways to view the startlist:
Stage 1 results: A late four man break barely succeeds on a miserable day
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March 9 update: Stage 1 features the flat route heading south along the Tyrrhenian Sea in Tuscany. There will be a few small hills (bumps) as the peloton loops inland around the finishing town of Rosignano Solvay. There is a small hill in the last 8 km but we should see a sprint finish over the last few flat kms among some of the best sprinters in the business. But the roads are windy so a break could succeed. Factoring in a windchill around 40F and a 30% chance of rain and it could be a more difficult day that otherwise expected.
Feburary 16 update: The route for the 2010 Corsa dei Due Mari ('race of the two seas') has been announced. There are lots of new host towns for this year's edition. Like last year, the race starts with three stages in Tuscany before moving east into Umbria and then the traditional final stage finish in San Benedetto del Tronto. Montelupone was slated for a third straight year but didn't make the final list of stages. Stages 4 and 6 will have good uphill finishes but not nearly as steep as Montelupone. In general and as is the tradition for this race, there will be several stages for the sprinters and several stages for the classics riders. There is no time-trial stage this year. More analysis to come...
Also follow steephill on Twitter for the latest race info and video updates.
This race is rapidly growing in popularity among the riders as an alternative to the bad weather and mountains of Paris-Nice. The race is also becoming very popular among bike racing fans worldwide as it's the first big showdown of the best sprinters and a gauge for the upcoming Spring Classics. In North American, Tirreno-Adriatico will be televised daily on Universal Sports.
The 2010 Tirreno-Adriatico will be dedicated to the memory of Franco Ballerini, the director of Italian cycling, who recently died in rally car accident.
Feburary 9 update: 22 teams for Tirreno-Adriatico 2010:
ACQUA & SAPONE-MOKAMBO (IT): Garzelli, Paolini
AG2R LA MONDIALE (FR): Efimkin, Elmiger
ANDRONI-DIQUIGIOVANNI (IT): Scarponi, Ginanni
ASTANA (KZ): Vinokourov
BMC (US): Evans, Ballan
CAISSE D'EPARGNE (ES): Uran, Bruseghin
CERVELO TEST TEAM (CH): Hammond, Hushovd
COLNAGO-CSF INOX (IE): Gavazzi
EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI (ES): Samuel Sanchez
FRANCAISE DES JEUX (FR): Guesdon, Roux
GARMIN-TRANSITION (US): Farrar, Hesjedal
ISD-NERI (IT): Visconti
LAMPRE-FARNESE VINI (IT): Petacchi, Bernucci, Hondo
LIQUIGAS-DOIMO (IT): Nibali, Pellizotti, Bennati
OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO (BE): Peraud
QUICK STEP (BE): Boonen
RABOBANK (NL): Freire, Gesink
SKY PROFESSIONAL CT (UK): Boasson Hagen, Lofkvist
TEAM HTC-COLUMBIA (US): Cavendish, Pinotti, Rogers
TEAM KATUSHA (RU): Pozzato, Kirchen
TEAM MILRAM (DE): Gerdemann, Ciolek
TEAM SAXO BANK (DK): Cancellara, Andy Schleck Armstrong sì, Riccò no for Milan-San Remo — velonews
January 28 update: The 2010 Tirreno-Adriatico takes place Thursday March 11th thru Wednesday March 17th. For the second year in row it will start with three stages in Tuscany. Livorno will host the first stage on Thursday March 11th before the stage weaves through the nearby hills with the finish (most likely) in Rosignano Marittimo. Stage Two should start and finish in Montecatini Terme, the town involved in organizing the 2013 world championships. Stage Three on Saturday March 13th is expected to start in San Miniato, Pisa and finish on Monsummano Terme. — Steve