Most SAUNIER DUVAL-SCOTT riders did well in their National Road Race Championships, held today. Rubens Bertogliati landed the best spot: he came in 4th in the Swiss National RR Championship (Gansingen, 186 kilometres). His was one of the day´s big names, as he was part of a long breakaway that unfortunately didn´t end in victory. Rubens was overpowered by Markus Zberg (Gerolsteiner), Marting Elmiger (Ag2r) and Mathias Frank (Gerolsteiner) -the three podium climbers- in the final stretch. In France, Aurélien Passeron finished 7th in the French National RR Championship (Semur-en-Axois, 239.2 kilometres). He was the fastest chaser of a bunch of six escapees, which included winner Nicolas Vogondy (Agritubel). In Bergamo, Italy, Riccardo Riccò did well too, staying in the lead throughout the race and fighting for a place on the podium in the last kilometres. Champion Filippo Simeoni (Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce) launched his successful attack with four kilometres to go. In Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain, Raúl Alarcón and Alberto Fernández de la Puebla played an active role in the national road race, managing to be present in some of the most important breakaways. Juanjo Cobo was even more aggressive, chasing long-time breakaways Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) and Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d´Epargne) till the very end. Valverde won the race, followed by the fifteen riders who almost caught him in the last few kilometres. Cobo came in 16th.
SPANISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Results (Talavera de la Reina, 202 kilometres)
1. Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) 5:13:13; 2. Sevilla (Rock Racing) at 0:01; 3. Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne) at 1:04; …16. Cobo (SAUNIER DUVAL-SCOTT) at 1:06; 59. Del Nero (SDS) at 20:08; 62. Lobato (SDS) s.t.; 67. De la Fuente (SDS) s.t.
FRENCH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Results (Semur-en-Auxois, 218 kilometres)
1. Vogondy (Agritubel) 6:03:02; 2. Coyot (Caisse d’Epargne) at 0:36; 3. Loubet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) at 0:42; … 7. Passeron (SAUNIER DUVAL-SCOTT) at 2:00.
SWISS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Results (Gansingen, 186 kilometres)
1. Zberg (Gerolsteiner) 4:37:52; 2. Elmiger (Ag2r) s.t.; 3. Frank (Gerolsteiner) at 0:16; 4. Bertogliati (SDS) at 0:36.
