February 28, 2004 – The Swiss racing calendar kicked off today with the first of two hilly races scheduled for the weekend in Chiasso and Lugano. The 192 riders began racing in cold (34-f) temperatures and the remnants of a recent snowfall on the sides of the Chiasso roads. Most were dressed in their full winter kits for the day's hilly 166 km race around this southern Swiss city. With the road heading upwards almost immediately, the riders settled in for seven circuits of 12 km each, followed by five circuits of 16 km that extended the course's main climb, taking the racers up an even steeper and longer pitches.

The day's first major break was an escape of seven that pulled away on the third lap of the race. With the split hovering at 1:15 on the peloton, Navigators' Viktor Rapinski attacked and started a solo bridge that took him almost 1.5 laps to accomplish. Racing up and down the twisting hills, he joined the leaders, now at 1:35, near the end of lap-4. Over the next several laps, the group stayed in front of the main field, although their lead was being slowly but surely chipped away.

As the field headed up to the top sections of the course for the first of the large circuits, the breakaway was simultaneously finished off while the front of the peloton exploded with leg-searing attacks. When the dust had settled, there were two groups of four and six riders each that joined up over the climb and began to put distance on the remainder of the field. Leaving a trail of burning legs behind them, the 10 sped on while a chase of approximately 40 formed behind. The Navigators squad had Chris Baldwin and Ciaran Power in the group, but no one in the leading break.

By the next lap it was only eight in front followed by a chase of 12, including Power. The next two laps saw most of the action occurring in the chase as riders came out of the chase groups, with some of them making their way back into the mix, while others were burned off for good. The final lap saw Franco Pellizotti (Alessio) and Leonardo Bertagnoli (Saeco) break clear of the front group to finish 1-2 13-seconds in front, while Cedric Vasseur (Cofidis) took the final podium spot. Navigators' Power finished in the second group.

1 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi          4.14.35 2 Leonardo Bertagnoli (Ita) Saeco 3 Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis