Team MILRAM with only five riders in the Giro after Sabatini's withdrawal

Photo: © Cofidis

Photo: © Cofidis

MILRAM captain Eirk Zabel sprinted to fourth place in the 13th stage of the 91st Giro d'Italia.  The 37 year old missed a podium place by a hair in the sprint finish.  The German ProTour team had to accept another blow as MILRAM rider Fabio Sabatini withdrew from the race.  The 23 year old Italian had to drop out of the Giro because of continuing problems with his left knee.  The day's win went to the Briton Mark Cavendish (High Road), ahead of Italian Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) and Basque rider Koldo Fernandez (Euskaltel).

„Today we could see how strong our team can be in a finale,“ said MILRAM captain Erik Zabel.  „We had planned to ride forward after the final curve.  Marco and Alberto brought me perfectly into position.  Too bad that it wasn't enough in the end.“

The 13th stage started for Team MILRAM with another loss.  Fabio Sabatini did not start the stage becaus of pain in his left knee which had bothered him for several days.  The five MILRAM riders remaining in the race made the best of the situation.  Matej Jurco was active in chasing down the two escapees, Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis) and Josu Agirre (Euskaltel), who left the peloton at km 36 and were able to build up a lead of up to 8:24 minutes.

Their flight was finished 12 km before the finish, after the sprinter teams helped lead the chase.  In the finale, Markus Eichler was the first to make tempo, before Alberto Ongarato, Marco Velo and Erik Zabel formed a short MILRAM train.  He was passed by the three other riders only in the last meters and once again finished fourth.

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