Cunego? Who's That?

by Jen See on Feb 23, 2011 12:12 PM EST in News

Damiano Cunego, Lampre-ISD. Photo: Getty. Cunego... who?! Yes! He won a race! Damiano Cunego won today's stage of the Giro di Sardegna. He also took over the race lead from Peter Sagan of Liquigas. The time gap sits at a massive 2 seconds. Today's stage apparently ended on a climb and Cunego won from a sprint ristretto, which is maybe like espresso ristretto, but probably not. According to Cicloweb.it, Cunego waited 527 days for this victory. 527 days?! I'm sure he wasn't counting or anything. The Italian, who has three Giro di Lombardia wins and a Giro d'Italia maglia rosa to his credit, did not win a single race last season. So happy day to Cunego! Brief results at Tuttobiciweb.it.

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nice squashy head photo…

Anyone who has every thought a working Photojournalist has a glam job needs to rethink...

by Christopher See on Feb 23, 2011 12:15 PM EST reply actions

It's Look Like Cadel Evans Day

Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...

by TheFigurehead on Feb 23, 2011 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

Cunego

needs to lose some kilos!

moo

by Willj on Feb 23, 2011 12:38 PM EST up reply actions

Now the jawline

makes him look worryingly like The Di Luca.

by ike2112 on Feb 23, 2011 1:05 PM EST up reply actions

still?

Wait, lemme fix. It was like way way way worse the first time.

by Jen See on Feb 23, 2011 12:45 PM EST up reply actions

okay

I think he’s less squishy head now.

by Jen See on Feb 23, 2011 12:47 PM EST up reply actions

I reckon he's the first rider I've seen look good in those dumb sunglasses

I hope the Oakley lineup changes this year in a big way.

"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens

by platypus on Feb 23, 2011 9:18 PM EST up reply actions

Those aren't Oakleys

Specialized “Arc”, I’m fairly sure.

by tedvdw on Feb 24, 2011 4:02 AM EST up reply actions

Ha...

IL Piccolo Zucca (pumpkin)….

I wonder how many VDS revisions are taking place now.

"It's crazy. In Belgium they would have stopped the train"
-Peter Van Petegem, April 2006-

by Mr Van P on Feb 23, 2011 12:36 PM EST reply actions

I wonder how many VDS revisions are taking place now

Damiano is not in question, to be loved! :-)

by ceccovb on Feb 23, 2011 1:20 PM EST up reply actions

Aaaaw, I like him.

He’s one of my favorites. I really hope he doesn’t go 527 days before he wins again ;)

by Jen See on Feb 23, 2011 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

I met him in a criterium after Lombardia 2008 (also pic with him and Nibali anywhere in my hard disk): he’s a nice guy and very humble.

by ceccovb on Feb 23, 2011 1:38 PM EST up reply actions

yay!

by Jen See on Feb 23, 2011 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

pic plz! :)

moo

by Willj on Feb 23, 2011 4:11 PM EST up reply actions

I'm shy...

(I was joking… searching for them…)

by ceccovb on Feb 24, 2011 1:46 AM EST up reply actions

perhaps best not to jinx him by putting him on the team, then? ;-)

"There is nobody doing it for the money. Everybody is doing it because they want to ride bikes." Lizzie Armitstead

by civetta on Feb 23, 2011 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

lol
He’s the first man I pick one month ago…

by ceccovb on Feb 23, 2011 1:53 PM EST up reply actions

*picked

my english is disgusting…

by ceccovb on Feb 23, 2011 1:54 PM EST up reply actions

So is my Italian ;)

We’ll call it even. Sent an email in Italian last week. Oooh! So many mistakes!

by Jen See on Feb 23, 2011 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

Basta!

It’s just fine I think.

If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH

by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 23, 2011 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

seriously.

We don’t obsess about such things here. Or at least, I don’t.

by Jen See on Feb 23, 2011 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

Cunego at 10 points

That should be quite a bargain.

by ursula on Feb 24, 2011 10:11 AM EST up reply actions

Amazing

My bags are guaranteed sand-free.

by Jens on Feb 24, 2011 3:05 PM EST up reply actions

Amazing

My bags are guaranteed sand-free.

by Jens on Feb 24, 2011 3:05 PM EST up reply actions

I'm a big fan as well

Couldn’t be happier. I remember reading a 2010 cycling preview in some cycling publication at this time last year and one of the writer’s actually opined that Cunego could win 20 races (yes, 20 races, lol) if his new found approach to racing (pursuing stages, forsaking the GC) was continued in the new year. Who would have imagined that he would have come away completely empty handed, lol…

Good result, hopefully he can defend the overall lead against Sagan.

by Fernando on Feb 23, 2011 12:42 PM EST reply actions

He admitted himself after the season

that was his problem – he tried to win 20+ races/stages and failed at them all as he stretched himself too thin. That was why he thought about leaving the team. So they signed Scarponi and have told Cunego to focus solely on the hilly classics; Scarponi can ride GC, Pietropoli/Bole the hilly bunch gallops, Ale-Jet go for stages with his Hondo guide and it leaves Cunego to focus on what he’s best at.

by ike2112 on Feb 23, 2011 1:13 PM EST up reply actions

I would like to see him continue onto Coppi Bartali

That races suits him well (he’s won it twice)

I think it’s important for him to continue winning as many of these small Italians races as possible, build some confidence going into April, because against the likes of Gilbert and Evans in the Ardennes he’s got his work cut out for him..

by Fernando on Feb 23, 2011 1:20 PM EST up reply actions

Of course

that makes it hard to justify the huge salary he’s been getting for the last few years

by Monty. on Feb 23, 2011 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

Serpa got 2nd

Another fine ride by the Ricco taunter, and Sella 3rd. From a pictureboard on cyclingfans it looks like Capecchi attacked on the last little lump, but I guess was pegged back. Can see Sagan in the background of Cunego’s victory pic with Sella on his wheel and a red jersey too (maybe Garzelli or Ballan?). Weird if Sagan got jumped at the line by Sella…

by ike2112 on Feb 23, 2011 1:10 PM EST reply actions