Arezzo, Italy - The tradition has been confirmed: in odd years Olympic marathon champion Stefano Baldini cannot win the Scalata al Castello, the 10km loop road race held in Arezzo. After winning in 2002, 2004 and 2006, yesterday night Italy's Baldini was just 3rd, out-sprinted by a pair of little-known Kenyans.

After winning just one month ago the Padua marathon, Italy's Vincenza Sicari has come back very quickly to a good shape and won the women's race.

Men’s race - Five on the final straight

Arezzo's course is very tough, with a 250m uphill stretch and a 250m downhill on every 830m lap (men: 12 laps, 10km; women: 6 laps, 5km). The men's race started really slowly, as at halfway the split was 15:05 and the leading pack still included a dozen of athletes. The first move came at two thirds of the race, with 4 laps to go, when Morocco's Cherkaoui Laalami increased the pace and Baldini was the first to follow him.

During the following lap Laalami paid his tactics and faded behind, while five remained in the lead. Along with Baldini, there were four Kenyans, Natashon Rugut Kipngetich, Solomon Rotich, Julius Choge Kirwa and David Ngeny Cheruiyot. When the last lap started all five runners seemed to keep the same pace and the fight for the win was really open.

At the end of the downhill stretch, all of the leaders sprinted for the last 200m. The fastest was Natashon Rugut Kipngetich, 23, from Kapsabet, who crossed the finish line with a time of 29:51.

"Arezzo is a very lucky place for me," he said. "Last year I was 2nd here in the half marathon which is held in the fall, with my personal best, 63:00." Rugut has also a 13:43 PB at 5000m and a 28:50 PB at 10,000m.

Baldini still uncertain for Osaka

Behind him, Rotich and Baldini were both given the same time, but the Kenyan finished ahead of the Italian. Choge and Cheruiyot were respectively 4th and 5th.

"I had not bad feelings," Baldini said after the race. "Last year I had run better, but for me today it was important to start again racing after my DNF at the London Marathon." In London Baldini dropped out before 30km because of cramps.

"The first laps were very slow and the final very fast," Baldini described the race. About his future, the Olympic champion is still uncertain. "Next Sunday I will run the Italian Half Marathon Championships in Udine," he added. "For the Worlds in Osaka we will decide in the next days."

Women’s race - Sicari runs "just the last lap"

On 22 April, Sicari had won the marathon in Padua with a good 2:30:24 in her third attempt at the 42,195km distance. One month later she was able to control the race in the first 5 laps and then just before starting the last one she launched her attack. Morocco-born Fatna Maraoui tried to follow her, but faded.

Sicari, who closed with a time of 16:23, will be in the Italian team for Osaka. "I'm ready to start the training for the World Championships, I would like to confirm I'm becoming a marathon runner," she said. "Today I really ran just in the last lap, I'm very confident."

Gloria Marconi took the last place on the podium ahead of Deborah Toniolo, who had already been given a berth for Osaka, and Bruna Genovese. "I'm growing slowly, but I'm growing," said Genovese, who had stopped training for months after her 5th place at the European Championships in Goteborg because of some physical troubles. "I'm still not competitive at such fast paces, but in the final I gained something on my rivals."

Alberto Zorzi for the IAAF

Selected Results
Men’s race (10km)
1. Natashon Rugut Kipngetich, KEN, 29:51
2. Solomon Rotich, KEN, 29:52
3. Stefano Baldini, ITA, 29:52
4. Julius Choge Kirwa, KEN, 29:53
5. David Ngeny Cheruiyot, KEN, 29:56
6. Antonello Petrei, ITA, 30:08
7. Maurizio Leone, ITA, 30:09
8. Giovanni Ruggiero, ITA, 30:19
...
11. Daniele Caimmi, ITA, 30:28
12. Paul Kogo Kipkemei, KEN, 30:32

Women’s race (5km)
1. Vincenza Sicari, ITA, 16:23
2. Fatna Maraoui, MAR, 16:44
3. Gloria Marconi, ITA, 16:56
4. Deborah Toniolo, ITA, 16:59
5. Bruna Genovese, ITA, 17:08