GESINK SPRINTS TO GIRO DELL’EMILIA VICTORY
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;setCaption(document.image_thumb); "Rabobank’s Robert Gesink outsprints breakaway campanions Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) and Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia-HTC) in a three-man fight for victory. Photo by Cor Vos.")
;setCaption(document.image_extra_one_thumb); "Robert Gesink celebrates with teammate Bauke Mollema. Photo by Cor Vos.")
Team Rabobank’s Robert Gesink, displaying the strong form he showed at the Vuelta a España, rode his Giant TCR Advanced SL to victory at the 100th edition of the Giro dell’Emilia in Italy.
The young rider beat Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) and Swede Thomas Lovkvist (Columbia-HTC) in a sprint finish after 198.2km and five ascents of the San Luca climb. The winning move took place when Gesink chased Fuglsang to form a strong group with Kazakh Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) and Lövkvist after two of the five ascents of the San Luca climb. The four stayed together until the last ascent of the San Luca, when Vinokourov lost sight of the three, leaving it wide open for Gesink to take a convincing sprint victory.
The 100th edition of the Giro dell’Emilia is Gesink's first win since a crash forced him out of a podium spot at the Vuelta a España last month. This victory shows that Gesink has recovered well from his injuries, and is one of the most promising young riders in the pro peloton.