Mass sprint without Zabel

Photo: courtesy Wim Dingemanse

Photo: courtesy Wim Dingemanse

A crash 14 kilometers before the finish line took away MILRAM captain Erik Zabel's chances to win the 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia.  The 37 year-old was not injured, but fell out of the main field.  MILRAM teammate Marco Velo waited for his captain and brought him back to the peloton, but neither of the MILRAM pros were not involved in the day's sprint.   The stage win again went to the Italian Daniele Bennati (Liquigas).  He beat the Briton Mark Cavendish of Team High Road in a photo finish.  Third in the mass sprint after 172 km between Forli and Carpi was Australian Robbie McEwen (Silence-Lotto).

Directly at km 0, Basque rider Dionisio Galparsoro (Euskaltel) set off from the peloton and quickly had a large advantage.  The Spaniard had a maximum lead of 14 minutes on the totally flat course, but it wasn't enough in the end.  His flight was ended 10 km before the end and the sprinters' teams took over.

The important thing on the curving last two kilometers was to be up front.  It was too late for Erik Zabel.  After his crash, he first had to get back to the main field, along with Marco Velo.  Because of the many curves, the MILRAM captain was unable to make it up to the front.  That is where Alberto Ongarato was, who had no chance against the sprinters with his early break to the finish line.  The victory went to Daniel Bennati ahead of Mark Cavendish in an exciting finish.  The Italian in the point leader's jersey crossed the finish line a hair ahead, to take his third stage win.  There were no changes in the overall rankings.


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