 Pozzato was the youngest rider in last year's Tour de France |
Italy's Filippo Pozzato of the Quick Step team won the 294km Milan-San Remo race on Saturday, the opening one-day classic of the season. He finished several metres ahead of last year's winner Alessandro Petacchi and Luca Paolini after a sprint finish.
Belgian world champion Tom Boonen was fourth and Danilo Napolitano fifth.
"It's the best day of my life. A victory here was my lifetime dream," said Pozzato, who crossed the line in six hours, 30 minutes and 42 seconds.
The next race on the season-long ProTour competition is the Tour of Flanders in Belgium on 2 April.
Milan-San Remo result:
1 Filippo Pozzato (Ita/Quick-Step) 6 mins 30 minutes six seconds
2 Alessandro Petacchi (Italy/Milram) same time
3 Luca Paolini (Ita/Liquigas)
4 Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick-Step)
5 Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Lampre)
6 Oscar Freire (Spa/Rabobank)
7 Stefano Garzelli (Ita/Liquigas)
8 Alessandro Ballan (Ita/Lampre)
MMIX
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