Stefano Garzelli won the Tirreno-Adriatico race by taking two crucial bonus seconds in the two intermediate sprints on the final day. Defending champion Michele Scarponi led the race going into the final stage, but finished second in the overall, with the same time as Garzelli. Edvald Boasson Hagen took the bunch sprint, ahead of Alessandro Petacchi.

Mark Cavendish continued his unsatisfying race and crashed with about eight kilometers to go. He rolled away seemingly unhurt, but clearly looking annoyed.

Scarponi also looked unhappy, in his case because he was unable to repeat his overall victory. He blamed Michael Rogers, stemming from an incident in the penultimate stage yesterday. “He didn’t let me on Garzelli’s wheel. If I don’t win, it is thanks to Rogers,” Scarponi said before the stage.

But Garzelli gave Scarponi a hearty hug on the podium and squeezed a smile out of his compatriot. Evans also looked happy with his third place, clearly  having started the season on good form.

Sky dominates final

Boasson Hagen was all smiles after his final test for the Milano-Sanremo race this weekend. “I will take a few days of rest. My condition is ok, but I hope that it will be improve  a little bit more for Sanremo.”

Sky dominated the final and set up the sprint perfectly. “I want to thank my teammates. This is a very nice victory for me and for them,” Boasson Hagen said.

The race started hilly, with two more mountains classifications awaiting the riders.

But all eyes were on the two intermediate sprints in the final circuits, with 40 and 20 kilometers to go, respectively. The Androni Giocattoli team set things up nicely and took most of the top spots.

But Garzelli’s Acqua & Sapone team placed him into third place both times, giving him one bonus second each. That put Garzelli and Scarponi on equal overall time, but Garzelli took the win, thanks to having the better total stage placings for the week.

Results

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky)
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre Farnese Vini)
3. Sacha Modolo (Colnago – CSF Inox)
4. Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Columbia)
5. Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-Farnese Vini)
6. Tyler Farrar (Garmin Transitions
7. Robbie McEwen (Katusha)
8. Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank)

Final general classification

1. Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone)
2. Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli)
3. Cadel Evans (BMC) 0’12
4. Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) 0’22
5. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) 0’27
6. Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia)