Memorial Pantani

Italian certifies good fitness for late season schedule, ends in 3rd place at Memorial Marco Pantani after making part of dangerous front group, reeled back by the bunch with just 5k from the finish

Movistar Team have started early to take profits from their tournée across the Italian classics in the final month of their 2012 season. Giovanni Visconti has notched up the third place of the podium at the Memorial Marco Pantani, held on Saturday morning over 183 kilometers from Cesena to Cesenatico, including three passages through the climb of Montevecchio, the last of those marking the hardness of the race. There, 60k from the finish, a 23-rider echelon broke apart and splitted again to end up in 11, with the Sicilian as one of the most interested on making it succeed. 

Visconti’s group, which earned more than thirty seconds of advantage over the main bunch -always featuring Marzio Bruseghin (9th) and Pablo Lastras (12th)-, was eventually caught in the third of four local, final laps in Cesenatico, where the sprint finish allowed the Italian showing again his great late-season fitness as he took his podium spot behind Felline (AND) and Viviani (LIQ). The telephone squad will have another chance on Sunday during the GP Industria e Commercio di Prato, with 178km and eight climbs towards Carmignano (2.4km / 6%).