Rodriguez wins Tour of Lombardy

MILAN: Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez won a rain-lashed 106th edition of the Tour of Lombardy yesterday to become the first Spanish winner of the ‘Race of the Falling Leaves’.
Rodriguez, who has won stages in all three Grand Tours, launched a solo attack on the final climb 9km from the finish and despite being chased down went on to finish the 251km classic in triumph.
Fellow Spaniard Samuel Sanchez claimed second place after getting the jump on Olympic silver medallist Rigoberto Uran of Colombia at the line as a number of pre-race favorite fell out of contention in the treacherous conditions.
Although well-deserved, his win came in the absence of Belgium’s former two-time winner and new world champion Philippe Gilbert, who crashed out around 80 km from the finish.
Another contender, Italian Vincenzo Nibali, came down on a descent shortly after and despite latching back on to the lead peloton the Liquigas leader was among those caught out when Rodriguez launched his decisive attack.
Rodriguez’s maiden Lombardy triumph, five months after winning Fleche Wallonne, means he secures the number one World Tour ranking held by British Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins.
He now has 692 points with Wiggins, who was not racing on Saturday, now in second place on 601.
The Spaniard launched his bid for victory on the steep climb to Villa Vergano, whose summit was 9.5 km from the finish.
Alberto Contador, Sergio Henao, Uran, Mauro Santambrogio, Nairo Quintana, Thomas Lovkvist and 2011 champion Oliver were soon giving chase.
And for a brief moment it looked like the seven-strong group — containing three Sky riders in Uran, Henao and Lovkvist — would reel in Rodriguez, who held a slim lead of 20secs with 6km remaining.
Their lack of collaboration, however, was to play in the Spaniard’s favor. Zaugg, frustrated, finally countered Rodriguez in the closing 1.5 km but by then it was too little too late.
In 105 previous editions hosts Italy have dominated with 67 victories, with 12 for Belgium, 11 for France, five for Switzerland and three each for Ireland and the Netherlands.
Riders from Britain, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Russia, and now Spain, have claimed one win each.