Androni Giocattoli-CIPI sprinter continuing to Milan despite lack of opportunities
Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli-CIPI) will be one of the few sprinters to roll down the start ramp for the Giro d’Italia’s final day time trial in Milan this afternoon. Despite the fact that there has been nothing for the fastmen to aim at since HTC-Highroad’s Mark Cavendish won stage twelve into Ravenna; the race has been mountains, mountains, and more mountains, but Ferrari has climbed over them all.
The reason for the 28-year-old from Gavardo, near Brescia, not following Cavendish and Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-ISD) home after Ravenna is simple though.
“Because, for me,” he told VeloNation before the start of the penultimate stage to Sestriere, “the Giro d’Italia is a very important race; for me and for my team. So, I want to finish this Giro d’Italia.”
Ferrari’s 2011 season got off to a perfect start with victory in the first and third stage of the Tour de San Luis, in Argentina; he also led the Settimana Coppi e Bartali in March, after his team’s victory in the opening team time trial. So far he has not achieved a result to match up to his 2010 victories in the GP Lugano or the Giro del Friuli, but a third place, three fourths and a third, against opposition of the calibre of Cavendish and Petacchi, are a fine showing for his first ever appearance at a Grand Tour.
While his teammate Jose Rujano has to try to hold off Roman Kreuziger (Astana) and 2009 race winner Denis Menchov (Geox-TMC) to keep his sixth place overall, Ferrari has nothing to fight for in the classification. Instead, his arrival in Milan this afternoon will be a cause for celebration at the completion of his first ever Corsa Rosa.
“Tomorrow is the final stage,” he smiled, “we are happy!”