Tirreno-Adriatico

In an exclusive video, RadioShack-Nissan rider Chris Horner tells VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood that his second-place at the 2012 Tirreno-Adriatico silenced a lot of doubts.

RadioShack rider optimistic heading out of Italy

Italian hopes to become second consecutive Tirreno-Adriatico winner to top Tour de France podium

American Horner falls 15 seconds short in bid to become first American to win Italian stage race

1. Vincenzo NIBALI, Liquigas-Cannondale in 29:38:08 2. Christopher HORNER, RadioShack-Nissan +14 3. Roman KREUZIGER, Astana +26

Three top riders on GC are separated by six seconds ahead of final-day time trial

With Cavendish, Goss and Gilbert among more than a dozen riders to to peel their numbers in Offida

Horner leads Italian WorldTour race with final time trial looming

Tour champ says he would not have been a factor at Prati di Tivo

Defending champ pulls out as precaution ahead of "La Primavera" title defense

American plays tactical games to defend overall lead on Prati di Tivo

American isolated in final kilometers, but rides clever tactic to keep blue jersey

After a brutal Tour de France and an embolism in his lung, Horner is back to his old tricks

The young Slovakian, Peter Sagan, takes the stage, while Radioshack's Chris Horner moves into the overall lead.

As his teammate Mark Cavendish did yesterday, Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen sprinted to victory in the third stage of Tirreno-Adriatico

World champ prevails in crash-depleted bunch sprint, Goss maintains lead

Stage 1 of the 2012 Tirreno-Adriatico, through the lens of Roberto Bettini

Evans loses 58 seconds

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Horner returns to racing after Tour de France crash, blood clot

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Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) says winning Tirreno-Adriatico will be another early season goal as he takes aim at the Giro d’Italia in 2012.

NetApp in, Acqua e Sapone out

While Tony Martin and Cadel Evans were the headliners this past week for their overall victories at Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico respectively, the biggest news was the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision to uphold two-year suspensions on Italian racers Franco Pellizotti and Pietro Caucchioli.

Stage 7:

• 1. Fabian CANCELLARA, (SUI) Leopard-Trek, at 10:33
• 2. Lars BOOM, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 9
• 3. Adriano MALORI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 19
• 4. Rick FLENS, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 20
• 5. Bert GRABSCH, (GER) HTC-Highroad, at 22

FINAL GC:

• 1. Cadel EVANS, BMC Racing Team, in 27:37:37
• 2. Robert GESINK, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 11
• 3. Michele SCARPONI, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 15
• 4. Ivan BASSO, Liquigas-Doimo, at 24
• 5. Vincenzo NIBALI, Liquigas-Doimo, at 30

SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO, Italy (VN) - World time trial champion Fabian Cancellara (Leopard-Trek) capped a week in Italy with a stage win on the final day of Tirreno-Adriatico Tuesday. Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) defended his maglia azzura with a solid ride to earn his place atop the final podium.

Quick Step's 23-year-old Italian Davide Malacarne locked up his victory in the climber's competition during stage 6 of Tirreno-Adriatico Monday.

Stage:

• 1. Cadel EVANS, (AUS) BMC Racing Team, in 4:37:58
• 2. Giovanni VISCONTI, (ITA) , at s.t.
• 3. Michele SCARPONI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at s.t.
• 4. Vincenzo NIBALI, (ITA) Liquigas-Doimo, at s.t.
• 5. Ivan BASSO, (ITA) Liquigas-Doimo, at s.t.

• 1. Cadel EVANS, (Australia) BMC Racing Team, in 27:26:33
• 2. Michele SCARPONI, (Italy) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 9
• 3. Ivan BASSO, (Italy) Liquigas-Doimo, at 12
• 4. Robert GESINK, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 15
• 5. Vincenzo NIBALI, (Italy) Liquigas-Doimo, at 21

Cadel Evans weathered a late storm to consolidate his Tirreno-Adriatico lead with an impressive victory on stage 6 of the Italian race on Monday.

MACERATA, Italy (VN) – Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) is taking a good look at three of his top Tour de France rivals this week in Italy. The overall leader at Tirreno-Adriatico said Sunday, however, that his focus was squarely on winning the final GC in his first stage race of the year.

CINGOLI, Italy (VN) – Training. That’s what Ivan Basso is doing at Tirreno-Adriatico this week. He also happens to be two seconds out of the lead in the general classification after Sunday’s fifth stage.

Stage 5

• 1. Philippe Gilbert, (BEL), Omega Pharma-Lotto, 6:43:23
• 2. Wouter Poels, (NED), Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team, at 0:00
• 3. Damiano Cunego, (ITA), Lampre-Isd, at 0:00
• 4. Danilo Di Luca, (ITA), Katusha Team, at 0:00
• 5. Andrey Amador Bakkazakova, (CRC), Movistar Team, at 0:00

Overall Standings

1. Cadel Evans, (AUS), BMC Racing Team, at

2. Ivan Basso, (ITA), Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0:02

3. Damiano Cunego, (ITA), Lampre-Isd, at 0:03

4. Michele Scarponi, (ITA), Lampre-Isd, at 0:05

5. Robert Gesink, (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:05

CASTELRAIMONDO, Italy (VN) ─ Classics star Philippe Gilbert didn't miss the decisive moment at Tirreno-Adriatico Sunday. Instead, the Omega Pharma-Lotto rider out-kicked a 13-rider group in Castelraimondo to capture stage 5 of the 'race of the two seas.'

CHIETI, Italy (VN) ─ Michele Scarponi landed the first blow in the GC battle, his Lampre-ISD teammate Damiano Cunego close behind, in stage 4 of Tirreno-Adriatico. Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) nearly closed a 10-second gap on the 19-percent ramp into Chieti, but came up just short, with Cunego passing him and both taking same time in the final meters.

TERNI, Italy (VN) — It’s not time to hit the Mark Cavendish panic button just yet. So says HTC-Highroad sports director Valerio Piva.

Stage 3

• 1. Juan José Haedo (ARG), Saxo Bank Sungard, 4:39:45
• 2. Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Garmin-Cervelo, s.t.
• 3. Daniel Oss (ITA), Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t.
• 4. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA), Lampre-Isd, s.t.
• 5. Mark Renshaw (AUS), HTC-Highroad, s.t.

Overall, after Stage 3

• 1. Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Garmin-Cervelo, 9:53:51
• 2. Juan José Haedo (ARG), Saxo Bank Sungard, at 0:05
• 3. Lars Boom (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:06
• 4. Oscar Freire Gomez (ESP), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:08
• 5. Thomas Leezer (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:08

Or maybe not. The UCI clarifies its rule on time trial shifters, causing some team mechanics to get creative

PERUGIA, Italy (VN) — J.J. Haedo (Saxo Bank-Sunguard) overcame a final-kilometer acceleration from Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) to steal a win in stage 3 of Tirreno-Adriatico. Hushovd’s teammate and overall leader Tyler Farrar finished second, followed by Italian Daniel Oss (Liquigas-Cannondale).

PERUGIA, Italy (VN) ─ Two weeks ago, Rabobank’s Sebastian Langeveld was the star of the opening classics weekend. With Milan-San Remo and the Belgian cobbles around the corner, the Dutchman is staying low key on his talent-rich team at Tirreno-Adriatico.

On Wednesday morning Tirenno-Adriatico kicked off with a street sprint competition. The local kids cycling club "Velo Club Carrara" had the opportunity to race the first few hundred meters, on the same course the pros would ride later in the day. VeloNews photo director Brad Kaminski sent back a few shots from the event.

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Stage 2

• 1. Tyler Farrar, (USA), Team Garmin-Cervelo, 4:56:06
• 2. Alessandro Petacchi, (ITA), Lampre-Isd, s.t.
• 3. José Haedo Juan, (ARG), Saxo Bank Sungard, s.t.
• 4. Mark Renshaw, (AUS), Htc-Highroad, s.t.
• 5. Marcel Sieberg, (GER), Omega Pharma-Lotto, s.t.

Overall Standings

• 1. Tyler Farrar, (USA), Team Garmin-Cervelo, 5:14:13
• 2. Thomas Leezer, (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:01
• 3. Lars Boom, (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:01
• 4. Sebastian Langeveld, (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:01
• 5. Oscar Freire Gomez, (ESP), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:01

Tyler Farrar's major pro wins

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• 1. Rabobank, 16.8km in 18:08
• 2. Garmin-Cervelo, at 0:09
• 3. HTC-Highroad, at 0:10
• 4. Saxo Bank-Sungard, at 0:11
• 5. Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0:22

The heavy sprint corps at Tirreno-Adriatico may be without Andre Greipel after the Omega Pharma-Lotto rider crashed hard during a pre-ride of the course and injured his face.

Rabobank takes team time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico, Lars Boom in lead

MARINA DI CARRARA, Italy (VN) _ Organizers have released the starting order for the opening team time trial at the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico.

2011 Tirreno-Adriatico startlist

ROME (VN) — Take two time trials and split them with two days for the sprinters and another three in the mountains, two of them at 240km each, and you get a new-look Tirreno-Adriatico. The race of the two seas opens Wednesday and many of the top classics riders and Tour de France and Giro d'Italia contenders are set for a showdown in the heart of Italy.

• 1966 Dino Zandegù (ITA)
• 1967 Franco Bitossi (ITA)
• 1968 Claudio Michelotto (ITA)
• 1969 Carlo Chiappano (ITA)
• 1970 Antoon Houbrechts (BEL)
• 1971 Italo Zilioli (ITA)
• 1972 Roger de Vlaeminck (BEL)
• ...

With Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans expected at the start, the 16.8km team time trial will also offer the year’s first good look at the Tour de France contenders’ form.

Acqua e Sapone and Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli snagged “wild card” spots to round the 20-squad lineup for Tirreno-Adriatico.

Italy's Stefano Garzelli won the Tirreno-Adriatico overall on Tuesday after Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen prevailed in the seventh and final stage.

Russia's Mikhail Ignatiev won the 134 kilometer sixth stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico, between Montecosaro and Macerata on Monday. The Katusha rider was followed across the line by Italian Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone) with Australian Cadel Evans (BMC) in third. Italy's Michele Scarponi, riding for the Androni team, retained his lead in the overall standings.

Milram's Fabian Wegmann recovering from shoulder injury suffered in Friday's Tirreno-Adriatico stage.

Liquigas-Doimo scored a double in Europe Friday as the team's Daniele Bennati won the third stage of Tirreno-Adriactico the same afternoon as Peter Sagan won the fifth stage of Paris-Nice.

Quick Step's Tom Boonen won Thursday's second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico, outsprinting Paul Martens (Rabobank) and Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) at the end of the 165-kilometer stage.

Gerdemann curtails a field sprint by taking off with three others in the final kilometer.

2010 Tirenno-Adriatico results

France's Paris-Nice and Italy's Terreno-Adriatico dominate this week's Euro' action

There are a lot of big names expected for the 101st edition of Milan-San Remo next month, but Riccardo Riccò isn’t among them.

Many riders will use the 'race of the two seas' as preparation for Milan-San Remo.

Mark Cavendish wasn’t going to let anyone pass him this time.   Just days after Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) relegated Cavendish to a rare second place in Friday’s third stage, Cavendish evened the score in Tuesday’s 169km finale at the 44th Tirreno-Adriatico.   Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) tried in vain to sprint early, but Cavendish darted past him in easy work to win for the fifth time in 2009. Farrar trailed through second in another strong performance for the American while Baden Cooke (Vacansoleil) took third.  

It was another day of epic racing at Tirreno-Adriatico, this time with Michele Scarponi (Diquigiovanni) snatching the stage victory and the leader’s jersey in Monday’s 235km climbing stage to Camerino. Scarponi, back to the winner’s circle after serving a racing ban after being implicated in the Operación Puerto doping scandal, darted ahead of Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone) to win the stage. Ivan Basso (Liquigas), riding with strength in grand tour-like conditions, crossed third.

It was another day of the double at Tirreno-Adriatico. Twenty-four hours after Joaquim Rodríguez (Caisse d’Epargne) won a stage and claimed the overall leader’s jersey; it was Andreas Klöden’s turn in Sunday’s individual time trial. The veteran Astana rider notched a commanding, 20-second victory in the 30km fifth stage featuring two short but steep hills. With his first victory of the 2009 season, he takes the overall leader’s jersey, six seconds ahead of Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia-Highroad).

It was a double-whammy times two for Caisse d’Epargne in racing across Europe on Saturday. Barely an hour after Luís León Sánchez won the stage and took the overall lead at Paris-Nice in France, Joaquim Rodríguez pulled off the same feat at Tirreno-Adriatico in Italy. Attacking with less than 500m to go up the punishing Montelupone climb, Rodríguez held off Davide Rebellin (Diquigiovanni) to win the hilltop finish and claim the overall leader’s jersey in the 171km fourth stage.

Tyler Farrar did what many haven’t been able to manage lately – come around Mark Cavendish to win a bunch sprint. That’s just what the 24-year-old Garmin-Slipstream did on what was a very lucky Friday the 13th. He timed his final punch to the line perfectly to win the 166km third stage from Fuchecchio to Santa Croce Sull’Arno at the 44th Tirreno-Adriatico on Friday. Farrar bolted past Cavendish’s left shoulder, taking a prestigious bunch sprint ahead of the likes of Tom Boonen (fourth) and Robbie McEwen (fifth).

Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) bolted past Mark Cavendish (Columbia-Highroad) to win Friday’s third stage at Tirreno-Adriatico. Cavendish looked to have the sprint in the bag when Farrar came off Cavendish’s wheel and surged past his left shoulder to take the biggest win of his European career.