Bettini wins sprint finish to defend world road-race title
30.09.2007 18:00
Sport and Travel
- Source: USA Today
STUTTGART, Germany — The host city could not stop Paolo Bettini from competing, and the opposition could not stop him from winning.
Bettini won the first back-to-back world road-race titles in 15 years Sunday, drawing on raw anger after a week of criticism and court action to come from behind in a sprint finish. As the Italian crossed the line, his face contorted with emotion, Bettini made the motion of shooting a gun. "It was an instinctive gesture, not targeted at anyone," Bettini said. "If anyone felt it was directed at him, they have reason to think." The Olympic champion finished the 166.2-mile race in 6 hours, 44 minutes, 43 seconds, edging Alexandr Kolobnev of Russia and Stefan Schumacher of Germany. The race took place two days after Stuttgart city authorities lost a court battle to ban Bettini for refusing to sign an anti-doping pledge. "It was a torturous week for me," Bettini said. "I had a lot of anger inside me. The only thing I could do was respond with a victory." Aggressive as ever, Bettini won the race with powerful climbing and a burst at the end to become the first repeat winner since compatriot Gianni Bugno in 1991-92. "He came, he saw, he won," said UCI cycling federation president Pat McQuaid, who handed Bettini the winner's rainbow jersey days after criticizing him for not signing the anti-doping pledge. "It is no problem to give a rider of that caliber the jersey, especially after the pressure he was under." The 33-year-old Bettini collapsed crying in the arms of a team official at the end. He has said he is committed to the anti-doping fight but considers the fines the pledge mandates to be excessive. Behind the medalists, Frank Schleck of Luxembourg was fourth and Australian Cadel Evans was last of the leading group. Davide Rebellin, Bettini's best teammate in the closing stages, crossed sixth, 6 seconds behind. The course was set up for strong climbers with enough endurance to get over the Herdweg and Birkenkopf hills on each of the 14 laps before finishing with a long uphill to the finish. On the last climb of the day, Bettini put on the pressure, and only four could stay with him. Bettini goaded the others into going for the finish line, knowing he would be the best sprinter. Kolobnev opened the sprint from a long way out, Bettini bided his time and struck at the right moment, shouting out his joy and frustration while crossing the finish line.
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