Italian coach remembered with special event
Filippo Pozzato won the Franco Ballerini Day criterium, held in memory of Franco Ballerini. Pozzato won a two-up sprint against Francesco Ginanni after 75km.
Ballerini died in a rally car accident in February, at age 45. The winner of two Paris-Roubaix was the coach of the Italian National road team at the time of the accident. He had been responsible for the squadra azzura since 2001 and was very successful, with wins of Mario Cipollini (2002), Paolo Bettini (2006, 2007) and Alessandro Ballan (2008).
Pozzaot and Ginanni escaped the field and saved a 20-second lead over the peloton. The sprinters fought it out for third place, with Alessandro Petacchi besting Mark Cavendish.
Results Franco Ballerini Day (75 km)
1. Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha) 1h39’50s
2. Francesco Ginanni (Androni Giocattoli) s.t.
3. Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese Vini) + 0’20
4. Mark Cavendish (Team HTC-Columbia) s.t.
5. Matteo Tosatto (Quick Step)
6. Enrico Gasparotto (Astana)
7. Manuel Belletti (Colnago-CSF Inox)
8. Raffaele Ferrara (CamioOro-NGC)
9. Roberto Ferrari (De Rosa-Stac Plastic)
10. Francesco Failli (Acqua e Sapone)