Colombo and the Cipressa
Defending champion Laurent Jalabert has withdrawn from Milan-San Remo the night before the race. After an examination for a knee injury he and his team has decided to keep Jalabert in Spain for rehab.
The early breakaway of the day went over the summit of the Passo Turchino with a 2’45” lead. When the race reached the Mediterranean coast Rolf Aldag (Ger) and Mariano Piccolo (Ita) held firm to a 2’12” lead going into the famed Capo climbs (Mele, Cervo, Berta, Cipressa and Poggio).
*Race profile courtesy of Internet site: www.econ-outlook.com.au/tom/cycling/palmares.html
Mapei, Motorola and Saeco led the hard chase. The breakaway was caught before the Cipressa. Gabriele Colombo (Ita) used the Cipressa to make the decisive break with 20km to go. Colombo was quickly joined by Michele Coppolillo (Ita), Max Sciandri (GBr) and Alexandre Gontchenkov (Ukr).
As the final obstacle approached, the climb of the Poggio, the four leaders held only a few seconds lead. The breakaway plunged off the Poggio and hit the final 3 kms flat run-in to the finish holding their slight lead.
Under the 1 km kite the 23 year old Gabriele Colombo launched the winning attack and claimed the biggest victory young career.
M-SR March 23, 1996 |
294 Km |
1. Gabriele COLOMBO (Ita) 7h00'27" |
2. Alexander Gontchenkov (Ukr) +1”
|
3. Michele Coppolillo (Ita)
|
Starters: 198 |
Finishers:175 |
Average Speed: 41.995 km/h
|
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