Coppi e Bartali (2013) Photos March 20 - 24

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Race director Adriano Amici checking out the Police Lamborghini at the start in Gatteo	Damiano Cuengo won two stages and the overall at this race in 2009. He'll be one of the favorites this year	The Norwegian team, OSTER HUS - RIDLEY
Davide Rebellin in front of the signature Coppi e Bartali poster that most of us are familiar with	Last year's winner, Jan Barta, of NetApp Endura	UnitedHeathcare at the teams presentation
Ivan Basso is here	So are Stefano Garzelli and Mauro Santambrogio of Vini Fantini	The start with the Gatteo mayor about to drop the flag on the 28th edition of this fine race
Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli) attacked in the final km on the return to Gatteo after 100 km of racing	A good perspective on the finish and the winning move	Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli) wins stage 1a
Double victory salute with teammate Mattia Gavazzi crossing second ahead of Alessandro Bazzana (UnitedHealthcare)	Androni Giocattoli team owner Gianni Savio with Fabio Felline	One-two for Androni Giocattoli
Your stage 1a podium: 2nd Mattia Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli + 1s , 1st Fabio Felline (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 2:22:15, 3rd Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare	Fabio Felline took the leader's jersey into the afternoon team time-trial...	As a twist, to even things out, teams were split into "teams" of 4 riders. Katusha "A" squad won the 11.2 km TTT in 13:15 despite finishing in the rain
Led by Moreno Moser, Cannondale "B" finished second + 5s	NetApp Endura with last year's overall winner, Jan Barta, finished 3rd + 8s	Androni Giocattoli with the morning's stage 1a winner, Felline Fabio, finished 14th +31s
Katusha's winning four man squad on the podium	New race leader, Maxim Belkov (Katusha)	Maxim Belkov (Katusha)

Stage 2:  Zola Predosa → Piane di Mocogno, 157 km  Full Results and Report

Gianni Savio and his Androni Giocattoli squad during the morning's team presentation/sign-in	A fine day for bike racing; the stage 2 start in Gatteo	A classic Coppi e Bartali course today: hilly with narrow roads
An early escape led by Unitedhealthcare's Jacobe Keough	A landscape shot of the Emilia-Romagna region
The main action consisted of five times up and down Monte Tiffi	As you can see, it was a fast technical descent down Monte Tiffi	Vini Fantini - Selle Italia's Matteo Rabottini was one of several riders who crashed on the descent
Diego Ulissi... we'll see him again later	Ivan Basso on the attack	The oldest rider in the race, Davide Rebellin (CCC Polsat - Polkowice) at the front
Damiano Cunego attacks	Davide Rebellin (CCC Polsat - Polkowice), with his game face on, chased down Cunego but brought his teammate Diego Ulissi with him	On the fifth and final time over the top of Monte Tiffi (el. 560m), Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) successfully attacked before a 8 km descent to the finish, That's Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli) in the distance trying to catch back up after crashing on the previous descent while leading the race
	Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) wins Stage 2	2nd Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli) + 34s
3rd Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Merida) leading in a group of 18 riders + 1:11	Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) gets a hug from Damiano Cunego who finished 3rd + 1:11	A nice podium photo for the Lampre scrapbook
Your stage 2 podium: 2nd Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli) + 34s, 1st Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) 4:33:23, 3rd Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Merida) + 1:11

Stage 3:  Crevalcore → Crevalcore, 14.3 km  Full Results and Report

Yup, you better have your sh*t together when you race Coppi and Bartali; Unitedhealthcare's Redant Hendrik and Roberto Damiani going through the race bible prior to Stage 3	The day's climbing started in Madonna di Puianello at km 60	Narrow, twisty roads again today
Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani Valvole - Csf Inox) loves a good solo attack seen here attacking at Lama Mocogno, a hill at km 100	He was joined by these riders	The 10 man break up the road
Filippo Savini (Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest), attacking on Passo Cento Croci, the GPM at km 130	Lampre-Merida driving the chase	Stage 1a winner, Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli), now solo nearing the top of snowbank lined Passo Cento Croci
Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli) checking his gap	Race leader Diego Ulissi and Lampre-Merida teammate Damiano Cunego	Descending Passo Cento Croci
Ivan Basso and Franco Pellizotti gingerly navigating the wet, narrow descent	That's a narrow road!	On to the finishing climb
The GC leader at the front of the chase	Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini - Selle Italia) putting in a dig
Unitedhealthecare's Lucus Euser about to be reeled in with 3 km to go.	The slight downhill finish after the climb to Piane di Mocogno (el 1303m) resulted in a closely contested sprint finish between Damiano CUNEGO (LAMPRE-MERIDA) and Mauro SANTAMBROGIO (VINI FANTINI - SELLE ITALIA)	This looks to close to call but Damiano Cunego got the nod
Finish perspective in Piane di Mocogno	Definitely no time for a victory salute	After another tough stage, Diego ULISSI (LAMPRE-MERIDA) maintains his race lead
Second win in a row for Lampre and they keep the leader's jersey	Damiano Cunego can now flash a victory salute, his first of the season	Hold that smile. Your stage 3 podium: 2nd Mauro SANTAMBROGIO (VINI FANTINI - SELLE ITALIA), 1st Damiano CUNEGO (LAMPRE-MERIDA), 3rd Matej MUGERLI (ADRIA MOBIL)

Stage 4:  Crevalcore → Crevalcore, 14.3 km  Full Results and Report

At over 53 minutes back on GC, Filip EIDSHEIM (TEAM OSTER HUS - RIDLEY) was the first man down the ramp on the flat, non-technical 14.3 km individual time trial loop starting and ending in Crevalcore	Michele Merlo (Vini Fantini - Selle Italia) was the third rider on the course
As expected, Adriano MALORI (LAMPRE-MERIDA) won the 14.2 km ITT in 16:14, 14s better than Anton VOROBYEV (KATUSHA)	3rd Moreno MOSER (CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING) + 16s	Race leader Diego ULISSI (LAMPRE-MERIDA) was 6th + 39s to extend his overall lead to 1:35
Stage 4 ITT winner, Adriano MALORI (LAMPRE-MERIDA)	Your stage 4 podium, 2nd Anton VOROBYEV (KATUSHA) + 14s, Adriano MALORI (LAMPRE-MERIDA) 16:14, 3rd Moreno MOSER (CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING) + 16s	Lampre has now won the last three stages with three different riders and Diego ULISSI (middle) continues to lead the race

Stage 5:  Monticelli Terme → Fiorano Modenese, 141 km  Full Results and Report

The horrible 2013 European weather returned to Italy for the final stage with Lampre at the front of the chase	Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) riding away from the break in freezing rain.	Damiano Caruso (Cannondale)
Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) claims the shortened stage 5		Overall winner, Diego Ulissi (Lampre), post-race
Your Stage 5 winner, Damiano Caruso (Cannondale)	Stage 5 podium: 2nd Alessandro MAZZI (UTENSILNORD ORA24.EU) + 13s, 1st Damiano CARUSO (CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING) 3:00:13, 3rd Boris SHPILEVSKY (LOKOSPHINX) + 1:28	Race director Adriano Amici presenting one of the winner's prizes to Diego Ulissi
According to cyclingnews, "the race organisation called the race on general classification one lap early when the peloton was still 3:40 behind the breakaway, with Lampre-Merida's Diego Ulissi keeping the overall victory."