Zabel wins World Cup opener

Erik Zabel raises his arms in delight as he finishes first

Race results | World Cup tables

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It came as no great surprise when Germany's Erik Zabel won the Milan-San Remo cycle race on Saturday.

It was the fourth time in five years that 'Signor San Remo' has won the 287km race, which opens the season-long World Cup competition.

Only two men have won this event more often and one of them is Eddy Merckx, widely considered the sport's greatest ever performer.

Home favourite Mario Cipollini of Saeco was second, a disappointment for the big sprinter, who has often failed to make the grade on the final climb.

Latvian world champion Romans Vainsteins of Domo was third in a hotly contested sprint between 50 riders.

This is the best of my four victories because I managed to beat Mario Cipollini and Romans Vainsteins who are both great sprinters

  Erik Zabel

A crash 300 metres from the finish line brought down more than 10 of these, including potential winner Belgian Peter Van Petegem

Contrary to expectations, the new Bric Berton climb at half distance did not stand in the way of a sprinter's finish.

Ukrainian Sergiy Matveyev, Swede Martin Rittsel, Spaniard David Lasa and Czech Milan Kadlec did steal away after 104km, but could not sustain the break.

The quartet opened up a lead of almost 10 minutes before they were caught at the foot of the Cipressa climb, 28km from the finish.

Ten cyclists crashed close to the finish

World number one ranked rider Francesco Casagrande was one of a number who tired to go clear but the field regrouped and arrived in San Remo as one.

Zabel, a reknowned sprinter, was perfectly piloted to the finish by his team mate Italian Gian Matteo Fagnini and won by half a bike length.

Afterwards the winner praised team-mate Alexander Vinokourov for providing the platform for his victory.

"We decided this morning that Vinokourov would be the workhorse," explained the German.

Mapei, Lampre and Telekom were among the teams who chased the four-man break down.

Matveyev's solo dash for glory failed on the Cipressa, 30km from home.

Blood and glory

Dane Bo Hamburger, Casagrande and Belgian Nico Mattan all made brief but unsuccessful escape bids.

The race stayed on the climb and descent of the Poggio, and Zabel held off fast-finishing Cipollini and the obstructed Vainsteins.

Planckaert pulled my jersey 300 metres out - coming back against Zabel in conditions like that is impossible

  Roman Vainsteins

The pile-up involved many leading riders including Russian Dmitri Konichev and Italian Stefano Zanini.

Konichev and French cyclist Philippe Gaumont received stitches.

Italians Stefano Zanini and Davide Rebellin, Spaniard Mikel Zarrabeitia and Belgian Geert Van Bondt all needed treatment.

Belgian Jo Planckaert, who was eighth to cross the line, was relegated to 19th for impeding Vainsteins

Zabel, World Cup winner in 2000, leads the 10-race series as it heads for round two, the Tour of Flanders in Belgium on 8 April.

But the Berliner is not yet concentrating on winning the World Cup again.

"For now I don't want to think about it," he said.

"Last year it cost me a lot to win the World Cup."

The German will instead aim for a record consecutive fifth green jersey at the Tour de France.

Women

Earlier, Sweden's Susanne Ljungskog, riding for the Vlaanderen team, won the 'Primavera Rosa', the women's classic between Varazze and San Remo.

Ljungskog, 25, made what proved a winning breakaway downhill on the Poggio climb.

Shebeat by five seconds Holland's Mirjam Melchers, Italy's Sara Felloni and Belarus' world champion Zinaida Stahurskaia.

Results:

Men:
1. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom 7hrs 23min 13sec (average 38.852 km/h)
2. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco
3. Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Domo
4. Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco
5. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei
6. Gabriele Colombo (Ita)
7. Gabriele Balducci (Ita)
8. Beat Zberg (Swi)
9. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal
10. Rolf Sorensen (Den) CSC
11. Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei
12. Guido Trenti (USA) Cantina Tollo
13. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Mercury
14. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Telekom
15. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi-Vini Caldirola
16. Mirko Celestino (Ita) Saeco
17. Dario Pieri (Ita) Saeco
18. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto
19. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Cofidis all s.t.
20. Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal @ 0.39
21. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank @ 0.50
22. Fabio Malberti (Ita) Liquigas
23. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
24. Marco Velo (Ita) Mercatone Uno
25. Maximilian Sciandri (GBr) Lampre all s.t.

Women:
1. S Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen-T-Interim 2hrs 51mins 34secs
2. M Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O
3. S Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum both at 5secs