Cancellara powers to San Remo victory

SAN REMO, Italy -- Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara upstaged the sprinters to claim an impressive solo victory in the Milan-San Remo on Saturday, the first one-day classic of the cycling season.

The CSC rider pulled away from a small group of leaders inside the final 3km of the 298km race to effectively end all expectations of a bunch sprint.

The former Paris-Roubaix winner's move proved decisive, and allowed him to add another prestigious title to his growing tally in what was the race's 99th edition.

Cancellara's victory means he adds Milan-San Remo to his two world time trial wins, his 2006 Paris-Roubaix triumph, and seven days in the yellow jersey at last year's Tour de France -- where he also won two stages.

"I've dreamt so much of winning here -- and now I've done it!" said the Swiss, who won his first major stage race last week in Tirreno-Adriatico.

Cancellara had time to savor his triumph, coming over the finish line with his arms in the air and two seconds to spare as a group of around 10 riders battled for the podium places.

Italian Filippo Pozzato of Liquigas grabbed second place ahead of Belgium's Philippe Gilbert, of Francaise des Jeux, with Italian Davide Rebellin claiming fourth.

Last year's winner, Oscar Freire of Spain, finished in eighth position.

Gilbert, the recent winner of hilly Flemish semi-classic Het Volk, had tried to attack Cancellara's group on the descent of the final climb, the Poggio, only to have a change of mind.

It was soon afterwards, on the flatter, winding roads leading to the finish line, that Cancellara put the time trialling skills that have won him the world title for the past two years to good use.

In dry and sunny conditions, the early stages were brought to life by a four-man breakaway composed of Italians Filippo Savini and Nicola d'Andrea, American William Frischkorn and Latvian Raivis Belohvosciks.

They led for an impressive 250km after pulling away from the peloton after just 23 of the race's 298 kilometers but were reduced to three when D'Andrea began dropping back on the descent of the newly-included climb at Le Manie.

World and Olympic road race champion Paolo Bettini then attacked at the foot of the Cipressa, the penultimate climb, to be joined by Sweden's Thomas Lovkvist of High Road and eventually Rebellin, Swede Niklas Axelsson, and Paolo Savoldelli.

However with the Poggio still to climb, their slender lead was fragile.

Under CSC's charge, helped by Pozzato's Liquigas team, Bettini and company were overtaken with ease on the Poggio.

Successive attacks, including those of Rebellin and Gilbert, tore the chasing peloton to shreds minutes before the finale.

When Euskaltel's Inigo Landaluze tried his luck by pulling in front with a little more than 2km to go, Cancellara made his move and countered.

The 27-year-old left everyone in his wake with a time trialling performance that handed Switzerland their first San Remo win since Erich Maechler triumphed 21 years ago. E-mail to a friend