Ricco sticks to promise as Piepoli wins on Hautacam

HAUTACAM, France (AFP) — Italian Riccardo Ricco would be forgiven for looking forward to a career as a bookmaker, especially given his rate of success on this year's Tour de France.

Ricco, a brash 24-year-old Italian, has won twice here including Sunday's ninth stage when he sprinted away from his rivals on the climb over the Col d'Aspin to win in Bagneres de Bigorre.

Afterwards, he said he would be helping ageing teammate Leonardo Piepoli claim an even more prestigious win, atop the Hautacam - a climb so difficult it cannot be rated by organisers, and last appeared as a finish in 2000.

After a tense and thrilling battle on what was the second and most difficult day of climbing in the Pyrenees, Ricco's prediction came true as Piepoli came over the finish line next to Spanish teammate Juan Jose Cobo.

At nearly 37 years ...