Rabobank's Oscar Freire set up behind a couple of opposing Liquigas cyclists before exploding across the finish line at the 101st Milan – San Remo bicycle race in Italy on Saturday.
The sprint win marked the third victory at San Remo by the 34-year-old Spanish cyclist at the official opening of Europe's spring classics season.
He was followed closely across the finish line of the 185-mile race by Tom Boonen (Quickstep) and Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre).
Italy's Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) finished in 5th place; Freire set up behind Bennati and another Liquigas cyclist in the closing kilometers to launch his sprint for the finish.
Mark Cavendish fell out of contention in the closing miles of the race as the peloton approached San Remo. The HTC-Columbia rider had fallen earlier in the week at Tirreno Adriatico. US sprinter Tyler Farrar on the Garmin-Transitions wasn't a factor either.
Vincenzo Nibali sparked a couple of attacks in the closing miles of the race. Obviously, none amounted to anything.
Lance Armstrong had been signed up for the Milan – San Remo, but canceled earlier in the week due to stomach flu. He's expected to ride again at the Criterium Internationale next weekend.
Freire previously won in 2004 and 2007.
Full results at CyclingNews and VeloNews. Replay and highlights at UniversalSports.com/cycling.
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