At 3 pm the most important race of Internazionali d'Italia 2010 series' second round was scheduled and Open Men bikers attended by. Many of the athletes, who were present in Massa Marittima, like as Absalon and Schurter, didn't show up as the Organization Committee has already confirmed.
In Montichiari, almost 150 athletes attended the Open Men race, which has been broadcasted in the maxi video wall settled in the finish area. At the starting line Marco Aurelio Fontana followed the cameraman's motorcycle too strictly and hurt it imperceptibly. In the starting loop Johnny Cattaneo has fallen down along the long steps' section. Cattaneo lost lot of time because a technical judge was trying to recover his bike.
A trio composed by TX Active Bianchi's biker Stephan Tempier, Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Tony Longo (Full Dynamix) were leading the race, followed by TREK Loca Team's biker Mantecon, whose gap was around 7". The peloton was at 13".

Both Mantecon and Zoli performed with a handy cam. Mantecon installed it on board his bike, while Zoli wore it back. RAI Sport Sat will use these images for its reportages. At the same time, Marco Aurelio Fontana's newest idea was greatly the winning one: he mounted chainring sets 39 and it was the perfect decision for the track of Montichiari, full of technical ramps.
In the first lap, he overcame U23 Cristian Cominelli, who performed for long time in the 5th place. During the second lap, Mantecon's gap was 52" but Cominelli overcame him in the most technical part of the track. The gap of the peloton group composed by Gutierrez, Fruet, Zoli and Corti was around 1'25". At the end of the third lap, the leading positions didn't change. Fontana and Longo started paired the last but one lap, but the biker from Trentino tried to attack in the uphill section. In other provisional positions, there were Stephan Tempier, Mantecon, Cristian Cominelli and the peloton group composed by Paez, Fruet, Alvarez, Corti and Zoli, who tried to control Cattaneo, whose performance was great. In the U23 category, Cominelli controlled Polish Marek Konwa and his compatriot Piotr
Brzozka.

Another important moment happened in the last lap, when Longo has a problem with his chain. Fontana triumphal preceded him at the finish line, but Tony Longo seemed very satisfied about his 2nd position. Once again in this season, Longo confirmed his good physical condition.
3rd place for Stephan Tempier, who didn't lose his concentration for the entire competition. Tempier preceded Spaniard Mantecon and Cattaneo, who put right in his fall happened during the starting loop.

Paez tested his physical condition waiting for the Pan American Championships in South America.

Fontana is actually leading the Elite Men category thanks his first success in Massa Marittima while Cristian Cominelli leads the U23 category. Just to remember: Marco Bui firstly appeared at the starting line wearing his new jersey: Bui recently joined Team Torpado Surfing Shop looking forward to his most important goal: the 2012 Para-Olympic Games in London.

INTERVIEWS
Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory team), Open Men category's winner:
"Since 2007 I'm trying to win Montichiari's race. Today I controlled a little bit my opponents, although I didn't feel well during the entire week. Till the beginning I attacked but Longo seemed very fast. In the last but one lap I increased my rhythm. The track was very hard but the Organization Committee's changes made it more amazing and beautiful than ever. It was perfect for a Cross country race".

Tony Longo (Team Full Dynamix) 2nd classified in the Open Men category:
"Today I felt well and I tried to compete besides Marco Aurelio Fontana, who performed stronger than me in some passages. We controlled each other for a little bit, but due to a technical problem in the last lap I lost an important opportunity. This accident conditioned the possible, final duel with Fontana".

Stephan Tempier, (Tx Active Bianchi), 3rd classified in the Open Men category:
"I always performed in the first positions, but I hadn't enough energies to confront against Fontana and Longo. In the last lap I tried to increase my rhythm but the opponents followed me strictly. I'm very satisfied about my third position".

Cristian Cominelli, (Tx Active Bianchi), 1st classified in the Under23 Men category:
"After the third position in Massa Marittima I'm finally wearing the leadership's jersey. I tried to compete besides the strongest athletes, but when I understood they were stronger than me, I preferred not to compromise my performance. I will attend the entire series".

(MM)
(ph. Michele Torretta / solobike.it)

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