Saab-Salomon Scores First World Cup Win of 2005

Race Report:

Salomon Takes First Win in Photo Finish in Zurich

David Pier Romani Wins in Sprint

By Robert "Just the Factoids" Burnson

Until Sunday, Saab-Salomon was often the bridesmaid but never the bride of this year's World Inline Cup.

Team members Pascal Briand and Franck Cardin could be counted on to regularly (five times in 11 races) finish second.

But no team member had managed to cross the finish line in first place.

That changed Sunday when the newcomer to the Salomon team, Pier Davide Romani (formerly of Hyper), won the 39-kilometer Zurich World Inline Cup.

Romani, 25, was part of a group of four skaters who broke ahead of the main pack midway through the race.

One small group of racers, lead by Athleticum Rollerblade's Kalon Dobbin, caught the lead pack near the end of the race.

But Romani won the sprint for the finish to give Saab-Salomon its first win of the season.

Romani was skating on 110-mm Supersonic wheels. Recently, he has been working to learn how to change speeds skating on the monster wheels.

The large wheels give racers a high top cruising speed. But they are tough to get rolling initially due to their added weight.

Obviously, that wasn't much of a problem for Romani in Zurich.

Top finishers in Zurich...

Men:

1. Pier Davide Romani, Saab Salomon, time: 50:22.09
2. Alexis Contin, Rollerblade World, 50:22.21
3. Mikael Lannezval, World Inlinecenter, 50:22.26
4. Baptiste Grandgirard, Fila International, 50:22.29
5. Kalon Dobbin, Athleticum Rollerblade, 50:22.66
6. Güttingen Scott Arlidge, Athleticum Rollerblade 50:25.71
7. Luca Saggiorato, Fila International, 50:37.98
8. Jorge Botero, Rollerblade World, 50:38.23
9. Massimiliano Presti, Fila International, 50:38.32
10. Stefano Galliazzo, Mariani WRC, 50:38.44

Women:

1. Jessica Smith, Hyper Team USA , 59:39.66
2. Andréa Harrichellar, Athleticum Rollerblade 59:39.77
3. Laura Lombardo, Roces International, 59:39.86
4. Andrea Noemi Gonzales, KIA Motors, 59:39.94
5. Theresa Ryan Cliff, KIA Motors, 59:40.02
6. Angèle Vaudan, Rollerblade World, 59:40.14
7. Lardani Laura, Rollerblade World, 59:40.40
8. Tamara Llorens, Rollerblade World, 59:40.47
9. Nicole Begg, Saab Salomon, 59:40.70
10. Maria Laura Orru, Lion Girls, 59:40.74