Coppa Citta di Asti 158km

Yesterday the South Australia.com AIS team came directly from the finish of the Giro delle Regioni to Asti for the international Under 23 race, Coppa Citta di Asti. The race is over 158km and starts and finishes in the city. In between it covers seven laps of an undulating circuit of 20 kilometers. The Australians have a strong record in this race with Aaron Kemps winning in 2004 and Nicholas Sanderson running third last year.

Shaun Higgerson joined an early break which quickly built up a srong lead of over three minutes before the main group organised a chase. Shaun punctured and the effort of the chase back told and he was dropped as the front group began breaking up. The remaints of the lead group were only caught at about 100 meters from the finish as the main group sprinted to the line. Matt Goss was overhauled just before the line and had to accept second place from Italy's Oscar Gatto, the winner of the last stage of Regioni the previous day.

1 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Zalf 3h50'00"

2 Matthew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com AIS @st

3 Stefano Basso (Ita) Marchiol @st

4 Walter Proch (Ita) Gavardo Techmor @st

5 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) Gavardo Techmor @st