Freire meets Petacchi

Oscar Freire (Rabobank), already winner of the 1st stage, has doubled the bet by winning the sprint at the 6th stage of Tirreno-Adriatico Monday at Castelfidardo. The Spanish response to the victory of Petacchi and confirmed that he was in good shape before Milan-Sanremo Saturday, which he is racing title holder. The triple world champion, 32 years old, has three riders ahead of the Italian on the line, Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas), Danilo Di Luca (LPR) and Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step). This is the 9th stage victory of the Spanish Italian about the race (which he also won the final ranking in 2005). 2nd This success shows how Freire is sharp, less than one week of the "Primavera", a race he has already won twice, in 2004 and last year. In the overall rankings, Switzerland Fabian Cancellara (CSC), a brilliant winner of the time-trial yesterday, has meanwhile kept his tunic leader. The profile without difficulties of the 7th and final stage Tuesday (176 km around San Benedetto del Tronto) should normally s'adjuger enable it to the test. "A thousand times yes to a doping control" Moreover, as in Paris-Nice Sunday, the riders took a few minutes late leaving in protest against the doping control suffered by the Belgian Kevin Van Impe when he was preparing the funeral of his stillborn child. "A thousand times yes to a strong anti-doping and responsible, a thousand times no to all violations of the rights that belong to the riders as any human being," said Filippo Pozzato in particular, vice president of the Association of riders Italian. "The cyclists have long been at the forefront in the fight against doping. We worked, and we are doing today more than ever (...) But our spirit of cooperation should lead to aberrations such as the one our colleague has been the victim, "he said.