Crafty Freire claims third Milan-San Remo win

The 34-year-old Spaniard, who previously won the event in 2004 and 2007, crept into third place as the 298-kilometre race reached its conclusion on the winding streets of San Remo and broke for the line with 100 metres to go.

He had too much power for Belgium's Tom Boonen, who finished second, with Italy's Alessandro Petacchi taking third place.

"Winning the San Remo always produces fantastic emotions," said Rabobank rider Freire.

"I'm so happy with what I managed to do. My team-mates worked really hard and I dedicate this victory to them.

"I was worried about poor conditions but, fortunately, the weather got better during the race. Even when it was going quickly on the climbs, I felt good."

In 2009, Freire announced his retirement but decided to launch a final campaign with Rabobank in 2010 before calling it quits.

"The important race was today's. There is a new generation of cyclists coming of age but old riders like me are still competitive. I've won four out of the five sprints I've contested this year."

"My 14th season will for sure be the last one," he said.

On a grey day in north-west Italy, a trio of Italians comprising Fabrice Piemontesi, Daniele Ratti and Diego Caccia launched the first breakaway of the race after 14km and opened up a lead of 22 minutes over the peloton.

They lost four minutes on the ascent of the Passo del Turchino and were eventually swallowed up by the first of two chasing packs shortly after the Manie climb with 91km left to race.

Maxime Bouet of the AG2r team set off on a solo attack with 61km remaining but he too was unable to pull clear of the peloton.

Last year's winner Mark Cavendish suffering a lack of early season because of illness form fell off the pace and was dropped by his team 23km from the finish, having already had to change a wheel due to a puncture.

Frenchman Yoann Offredo was the next rider to pull clear and the Francaise des Jeux man reached the foot of the Poggio, the race's final climb at 10km from the finish line, with a lead of 18 seconds.

Offredo was reeled in shortly before the Poggio summit as Italy's Stefano Garzelli assumed the lead, but it was his compatriot Filippo Pozzato who led the race into the final stretch after seeing off a vain attack from Vincenzo Nibali with just over 2km to ride.

Pozzato, though, could not hold onto the lead and in the final sprint, Freire powered through from the heart of the pack to claim victory from Quick Step's Boonen and Lampre's Petacchi.

"I did the maximum, I gave everything I could in the sprint," said Boonen.

"I was in a good position. But I couldn't manage to get onto Freire's wheel. He was two lengths ahead of me, he was very strong."

Petacchi said: "I think I raced a great Milan-San Remo. Taking third place after everything that happened to me was good."

HTC-Columbia's Michael Rogers who launched an attack toward the top of the Poggio was the best placed Australian, finishing on the same time as the race winner, in 25th place.

Final classification: 298km, Milan - San Remo

1 Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank 6:57:28, 2 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step, 3 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini, 4 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox, 5 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo, 6 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo, 7 Francesco Ginanni (Ita) Androni Giocattoli, 8 Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana, 9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto, 10 Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone.

The Australians:

32 Simon Clarke (Aus) ISD - Neri, 3 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française Des Jeux, 97 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo, 99 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky, 100 Cameron Wurf (Aus) Androni Giocattoli, 120 Stuart O'grady (Aus) Saxo Bank, 122 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin - Transitions, 126 Allan Davis (Aus) Astana, 129 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky, 141 Luke Roberts (Aus) Milram, DNF Baden Cooke (Aus) Saxo Bank, DNF Matt Goss (Aus) HTC - Columbia.