# 2006 Tirreno–Adriatico

The 41st Tirreno–Adriatico road cycling race took place from 8 March to 14 March 2006, over seven stages. It was won by Dutchman Thomas Dekker of the Rabobank team. The points classification was won by Alessandro Petacchi and the King of the Mountains jersey went to José Joaquín Rojas.

## Teams

Twenty-five teams, containing a total of 200 riders, participated in the race:
* Rabobank
* Acqua & Sapone
* AG2R Prévoyance
* Barloworld
* Bouygues Télécom
* Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears
* Ceramica Panaria–Navigare
* Cofidis
* Crédit Agricole
* Davitamon–Lotto
* Discovery Channel
* Euskaltel–Euskadi
* Française des Jeux
* Gerolsteiner
* Lampre–Fondital
* Liberty Seguros–Würth
* Liquigas
* Naturino–Sapore di Mare
* Phonak
* Quick-Step–Innergetic
* Saunier Duval–Prodir
* Team CSC
* Team LPR
* Team Milram
* T-Mobile Team

## Route

Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner |
| 1 | 8 March | Tivoli to Tivoli | 167 km (104 mi) | Hilly stage | Paolo Bettini (ITA) |
| 2 | 9 March | Tivoli to Frascati | 171 km (106 mi) | Medium mountain stage | Paolo Bettini (ITA) |
| 3 | 10 March | Avezzano to Paglieta | 183 km (114 mi) | Medium mountain stage | Óscar Freire (ESP) |
| 4 | 11 March | Paglieta to Civitanova Marche | 219 km (136 mi) | Hilly stage | Thor Hushovd (NOR) |
| 5 | 12 March | Servigliano to Servigliano | 20 km (12 mi) | Individual time trial | Fabian Cancellara (SUI) |
| 6 | 13 March | San Benedetto del Tronto to Torricella Sicura | 164 km (102 mi) | Medium mountain stage | Leonardo Bertagnolli (ITA) |
| 7 | 14 March | Campli to San Benedetto del Tronto | 166 km (103 mi) | Hilly stage | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |

## Stages
### Stage 1
#### 8 March 2006 — Tivoli to Tivoli, 167 km (104 mi)

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | 4h 08' 55" |
| 2 | Erik Zabel (GER) | Team Milram | s.t. |
| 3 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | s.t. |
| 4 | Mikhaylo Khalilov (UKR) | Team LPR | s.t. |
| 5 | Davide Rebellin (ITA) | Gerolsteiner | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | 4h 08' 45" |
| 2 | Erik Zabel (GER) | Team Milram | + 4" |
| 3 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | + 6" |
| 4 | Mikhaylo Khalilov (UKR) | Team LPR | + 10" |
| 5 | Davide Rebellin (ITA) | Gerolsteiner | + 10" |

### Stage 2
#### 9 March 2006 — Tivoli to Frascati, 171 km (106 mi)

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | 4h 03' 19" |
| 2 | Erik Zabel (GER) | Team Milram | s.t. |
| 3 | Mikhaylo Khalilov (UKR) | Team LPR | s.t. |
| 4 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | s.t. |
| 5 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | 8h 11' 54" |
| 2 | Erik Zabel (GER) | Team Milram | + 8" |
| 3 | Mikhaylo Khalilov (UKR) | Team LPR | + 16" |
| 4 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | + 16" |
| 5 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 20" |

### Stage 3
#### 10 March 2006 — Avezzano to Paglieta, 183 km (114 mi)

General Classification leader Paolo Bettini crashed and was forced to retire from the race after 80 km following a tangle with Lars Bak of the CSC team.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Óscar Freire (ESP) | Rabobank | 4h 27' 22" |
| 2 | Igor Astarloa (ESP) | Barloworld | s.t. |
| 3 | Riccardo Ricco (ITA) | Saunier Duval–Prodir | s.t. |
| 4 | Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) | Acqua & Sapone | s.t. |
| 5 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Óscar Freire (ESP) | Rabobank | 12h 39' 26" |
| 2 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 10" |
| 3 | Davide Rebellin (ITA) | Gerolsteiner | + 10" |
| 4 | Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) | Acqua & Sapone | + 10" |
| 5 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 10" |

### Stage 4
#### 11 March 2006 — Paglieta to Civitanova Marche, 219 km (136 mi)

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | 5h 21' 13" |
| 2 | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) | Team Milram | s.t. |
| 3 | Óscar Freire (ESP) | Rabobank | s.t. |
| 4 | Filippo Pozzato (ITA) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | s.t. |
| 5 | George Hincapie (USA) | Discovery Channel | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Óscar Freire (ESP) | Rabobank | 18h 00' 35" |
| 2 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 14" |
| 3 | Davide Rebellin (ITA) | Gerolsteiner | + 14" |
| 4 | Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) | Acqua & Sapone | + 14" |
| 5 | Massimiliano Gentili (ITA) | Naturino–Sapore di Mare | + 14" |

### Stage 5
#### 12 March 2006 — Servigliano to Servigliano, 20 km (12 mi) (ITT)

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Fabian Cancellara (SUI) | Team CSC | 27' 37" |
| 2 | Leif Hoste (BEL) | Discovery Channel | + 3" |
| 3 | Thomas Dekker (NED) | Rabobank | + 18" |
| 4 | Jörg Jaksche (GER) | Liberty Seguros–Würth | + 32" |
| 5 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 38" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Thomas Dekker (NED) | Rabobank | 18h 28' 44" |
| 2 | Jörg Jaksche (GER) | Liberty Seguros–Würth | + 14" |
| 3 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 20" |
| 4 | Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) | Discovery Channel | + 40" |
| 5 | Michael Boogerd (NED) | Rabobank | + 46" |

### Stage 6
#### 13 March 2006 — San Benedetto del Tronto to Torricella Sicura, 182 km (113 mi)

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Leonardo Bertagnolli (ITA) | Cofidis | 4h 40' 40" |
| 2 | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) | Team Milram | s.t. |
| 3 | Riccardo Ricco (ITA) | Saunier Duval–Prodir | s.t. |
| 4 | Filippo Pozzato (ITA) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | s.t. |
| 5 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Thomas Dekker (NED) | Rabobank | 23h 09' 24" |
| 2 | Jörg Jaksche (GER) | Liberty Seguros–Würth | + 14" |
| 3 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 20" |
| 4 | Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) | Discovery Channel | + 40" |
| 5 | Igor Astarloa (ESP) | Barloworld | + 46" |

### Stage 7
#### 14 March 2006 — Campli to San Benedetto del Tronto, 166 km (103 mi)

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) | Team Milram | 4h 40' 40" |
| 2 | Robbie McEwen (AUS) | Davitamon–Lotto | s.t. |
| 3 | Paride Grillo (ITA) | Ceramica Panaria–Navigare | s.t. |
| 4 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | s.t. |
| 5 | Erik Zabel (GER) | Lampre–Fondital | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Thomas Dekker (NED) | Rabobank | 27h 50' 04" |
| 2 | Jörg Jaksche (GER) | Liberty Seguros–Würth | + 14" |
| 3 | Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | + 20" |
| 4 | Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) | Discovery Channel | + 40" |
| 5 | Igor Astarloa (ESP) | Barloworld | + 46" |

### Points classification

* Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) 37 pts
* Thor Hushovd (NOR) 34
* Mikhaylo Khalilov (UKR) 28
* Erik Zabel (GER) 26
* Óscar Freire (ESP) 25
* Alessandro Ballan (ITA) 25
* Riccardo Riccò (ITA) 18
* Fabian Cancellara (ITA) 17
* Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) 17
* Igor Astarloa (ESP) 16

### Mountains classification

* José Joaquín Rojas (ESP) 11 pts
* Daniele Contrini (ITA) 11
* Matteo Priamo (ITA) 8
* José Ignacio Gutiérrez (ESP) 7
* Alessandro Ballan (ITA) 5
* Vladimir Efimkin (RUS) 5
* Fortunato Baliani (ITA) 5
* Joseba Albizu (ESP) 5
* Giampaolo Cheula (ITA) 5
* Ivan Basso (ITA) 3

### Teams Classification

* Discovery Channel 82h 38' 09"
* Team CSC + 0' 17"
* Liberty Seguros–Würth + 2' 40"
* Gerolsteiner + 2' 58"
* Phonak + 3' 34"
* Saunier Duval–Prodir + 4' 51"
* Rabobank + 4' 53"
* T-Mobile Team + 4' 56"
* Barloworld + 6' 10"
* Euskaltel–Euskadi + 6' 53"