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2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
|
| STAGES |
20 and prologue |
21 |
20 and prologue |
| TOTAL KILOMETERS |
3,363 |
3,485.5 |
3,435 about |
| DAILY AVERAGE |
168.150 |
165.980 |
171.750 about |
| KIND OF STAGE: | |||
| Level |
11 |
11 |
12 |
| Semi Mountain |
3 |
3 |
4 |
| Mountain |
4 |
5 |
3 |
| Time Trial |
2 |
2 |
1 |
| AGAINST THE CLOCK |
81 |
82 |
59 |
| Gradient in meters |
18,200 |
17,300 |
18,500 |
| REST DAYS |
2 |
2 |
2 |
Final 2004 Giro d'Italia General Classification:
Here are the Stages. I've noted the major climbs:
Saturday, May 8: 6.9 km Prologue, GENOA (individual time trial)
There are 169 riders scheduled to start the prologue. 1st off will be Mario Scirea (Domina Vacanze) at 3:42 PM Italian time (6:42 AM Pacific Daylight time). The order of the last 5: Popovych, Rebellin, Astarloa, Garzelli, Perez-Arango, Simoni. Simoni will roll at 6:30 PM (9:30 AM PDT). The route is fast and technical. The speeds should be high. Current weather (3:30 PM Italy): 61F (16C), Wind SSE 8 MPH (13 KPH), mostly sunny.
Provisional Results:
Sunday, May 9: Stage 1, GENOA - ALBA, 143 KM
Results for Stage 1:
GC after stage 1:
Other competitions:
Points (sprinter) Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo)
Mountains: Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner)
Team GC: Lampre
Monday, May 10: Stage 2, NOVI LIGURE - PONTREMOLI, 184 KM
Stage 2:
Results:
GC after Stage 2:
Other Competitions:
Sprinter's Jersey:
Mountains:
Team GC:
The finish: McGee's teammate Gilbert leads out McGee who goes early. Cunego comes around him for the win. And Popovych must have made contact as well since he came in 10th.
6 Km. to go: A group of 8 with Astarloa and McGee have just made contact with the lead group. The Pink Jersey is over a minute behind.
Km 171: Over the top, Saeco's Cunego put the hammer down and about 40 riders are clear. Looks like all the big boys are there, but no one has seen Popovych yet. Simoni's Saeco is driving the group hard down the hill. Saeco has what looks like 5 riders up at the front. what a masterful job they have done. And... Landbouwkrediet is chasing, so Popovych must have been caught snoozing.
Km 161: Garzelli's Yellow Vini's are riding hard tempo on the climb. Simoni is right at the front keeping an eye on things.
Km 158: Saeco's Stangelj is away from the break which has come apart. In the peloton Saeco red is at the front. Will we see Simoni try to leap up to his teammate. He's done this before.
Km 155: At the base of the climb, the lead is 1 minute.
Km 141: 16 riders left in the group with a lead of 2min 38sec. they are working well together.
Km 127: On the descent after the Passo del Bocco, the lead group of 23 has 4min 5 sec.
Km 90: The lead has grown to 4min 5sec with Gerolsteiner's Robert Forster the virtual Maglia Rosa.
At Km 76, 23 riders are away with a lead of 3min 15 sec having broken away at Km 36. The group include Fornaciari, Stangelj, Hamburger, Forster, Marin, Svorada and Zampieri.
Tuesday, May 11: Stage 3, PONTREMOLI - CORNO ALLE SCALE,191 KM. Tough hill-top finish in the mountains just north of Pistoia.
Stage 3:
Results:
GC after stage 3:
Other Competitions:
Sprinter (points):
Climber:
Intergiro: Crescenzo D'Amore (Aqua & Sapone)
Team GC:
Live updates:
2 Km to go. Saeco's Mazzoleni and Cunego cover another rider's move and get away. Then BAM! Simoni sprints out, up to Cunego and away. Simoni has wings! No one can answer. Garzelli falls back. Popovych loses ground then claws up to the 1st group behind Simoni.
6 Km to go: Saeco continues to lead. All the GC contenders are gathered at the front.
Km 180: The attacks are coming one after another. So far no one has any particular lead. Saeco is still at the front of the pack.
Around Km 177: Mazzoleni is caught. He blows a kiss to the camera. We're all together for the final assault.
Km 169: The lead is down to 3min 38sec. Saeco is at the front of the pack, in the big ring, on the climb pounding away. Garzelli's Yellow Vinis are up at the front, but keeping their noses out of the wind for now.
Km 160: Mazzoleni is in Poretta now and the final climb is starting. His lead is down to 7min 18sec.
Km 151: On the descent and the lead is down to 8min 48sec. The Saeco team is at the front doing almost all of the work.
Over the Passo del Oppio: the pack just went through a little over 9 minutes behind. The gap is going down and Mazzoleni is looking tired.
Km 133, 2 km from the top of the climb. Mazzoleni's lead is down to 11 minutes. Saeco's Fornaciari is leading the pack in the big ring!
Km 127: Mazzoleni is in the small ring as he heads for the Passo del Oppio. He still has a lead of over 12 minutes. The chase can't be too hard as the pack isn't very strung out. It is comforting to see that the pros must occasionally at least get out of the saddle for a moment on this mountain. I was just riding up here a month ago and I found it really, really hard going.
Km 102. The lead is down to 13min 35sec. Saeco and Gerolsteiner are leading the chase. After the 3rd hour, the average speed has been lifted to 33.45 km/hr. They'll be putting their bikes in the small ring pretty soon. The climb to the Passo del Oppio is a good, hard ride.
Km 97: Mazzoleni has a lead of 16min 5sec. The average speed after the second hour was 30.8 km/hr.
Km 75: Renzo Mazzoleni of Tenax is away alone with a lead of 12min 50sec. He broke away at km 36 He is on the descent of the first rated climb, the Foce Carpinelli. They are riding in the Apuan Alps, the rugged land of northern Tuscany. Yesterday two riders retired. There are now 167 riders in the Giro. Giro race news reports that the weather at the start was a bit overcast, but no rain or wind. For a while now, the riders will be in river valleys. But then the roads will really bite hard.
Wednesday, May 12: Stage 4, PORRETTA TERME - CIVITELLA IN VAL DI CHIANA, 187 KM
The sprinter's should have their day in the sun. It seems that the mood of the peloton is to go piano for the first half of the race. If so, look for another early break. They do stick now and again.
Stage 4:
Official Results;
Revised GC after Stage 4:
Other competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
InterGiro Leader: Alessandro Vanotti (Denardi0
Team GC:
The sprint. A tough elbows-and-belly-buttons everywhere sprint. Cipollini was up there, faded and then in the middle of the bunch, crashed hard. La Gazzetta Dello Sport says that Cipollini ran into his teammate Andrus Aug 250 meters from the line. Cipollini is being sent to the hospital to make sure there isn't any real damge to his knee.
11 Km to go. The rain has come back for the finishing curcuit. A lot of riders were caught in a crash at the back of the field before entering the circuit. They seem to be badly gapped. No CG contenders seem to be involved. Garzelli's team has moved up to the front behind Fassa. Does Garzelli feel lucky?
Km 159: Still all together with 5 Fassas in front doing the work. A bunch of Saecos are right behind them with Simoni keeping an eye on things.
Km 146: The break is caught. As they say in Italy, gruppo compatto.
Km 131: Petacchi has regained the pack. A break of 6 (A. VANOTTI, G. MURAGLIA, N. LODA, F. WEGMANN, ARANAGA-AZKUNE, M. PICCOLI) has a 48 second lead. Fassa is leading the chase. It looks like the rain has stopped.
Km 120: It's raining. It looks like Petacchi has crashed on the Poggio di Sugame. He has almost the entire Fassa team pacing him back up.
166 riders started. At kilometer 56, they were all together. The first hour was covered at the blinding speed of 33.2 km/hr. The weather in Pistoia, which they rode through in the first hour: 57 F (14C). The wind is 7 mph (11 KPH) ENE. It's cloudy. Rain is possible.
Thursday, May 13: Stage 5, CIVITELLA IN VAL DI CHIANA - SPOLETO, 177 KM
This is being promoted as a good stage for the pure sprinters. I dunno. I have ridden on the streets of Spoleto where the race will make 3 circuits. If my understanding of the race route is correct (see the trio of spikes in the elevation map above), that entails a tough big-ring climb each time. I see it as a Rebellin-type sprint or a good chance for a last-minute break.
Stage 5:
Results:
GC after Stage 5:
Other Competitions;
Points (Sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro leader : Crescenzo D'Amore (Acqua & Sapone)
Team GC:
The sprint. Fassa lead it out for a while, but Petacchi lost his position in the last corner. McEwen started from way out and barely won it. If the line had been a few inches further down the road, Pollack probably would have been the winner. The sprinters again have shown that nowadays they have the power to survive high speed climbs like the finishing circuits of today's stage. They surprised me. Cipollini finished the stage way back.
7 km to go: McGee and company are caught before the start of the last climb.
On the second circuit of Spoleto, Bradley McGee gets away on the climb and take Moos and Marzoli (?) with him. they are stuggling to stay with him, but they have 9 seconds. Fassa and Lampre are at the front of the pack.
Km 165: They are in Spoleto now. The break has been caught.
Km 142: here are the riders in the break: B. HAMBURGER, M. BACKSTEDT, T. ZIEGLER, M. ALBASINI, M. MORI, D. PODGORNIK. They are working well together. Fassa is leading the chase. The roads are dry.
Km 136: The break has formed into two groups with a lead group of six containing Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt about 12 seconds ahead of the rest of the break and over a minute ahead of the field. The second group contains Cioni. The second group is disorganized and appears to be falling apart.
Km 129: A break of 15 riders has a lead of 1min 12 sec. Dario Cioni who is high up in GC (at 52sec) is in the break, so the peloton is chasing hard. De Nardi is leading the pack at the moment.
Weather at 2 PM local time in Perugia, which is near the race route (see map above): Rain, 57F (14C), wind from the North at 8 mph (13 kph). Mario Cipollini did start the stage. He has some stiches, but the report from La Gazzetta Dello Sport is that he has no broken bones.
Friday, May 14: Stage 6, SPOLETO - VALMONTONE, 164 KM
Stage 6:
Provisional Results:
GC after Stage 6:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader:
Team GC:
At about Km 146, in the hard rain the pack was all together. Over the next few kilometers, there was a series of counter attacks. Fassa's pace leading into town was nothing short of blistering. In the heavy rain, riders were coming off the back (including Cipollini and Quaranta) as Petacchi's team made sure things stayed together. With a couple of kilometers to go, World Champion Astarloa tried to get away, but Fassa was having none of that. He was caught with about 500 meters to go. It was "gruppo compatto" for a big sprint. Petacchi easily won. Just over the line, it looked as if Andrus Aug touched the rear wheel of the man in front of him. Aug went down heavily and was taken away in an ambulance.
Km 112: Baliani is 2 min ahead of Fertonani and 4 min 15 sec ahead of the field. Cipollini is having trouble staying in contact with the pack. Fassa is at the front stringing things out. They want the break caught. Next update will be in a little over an hour.
Km 99: A lone Fortunato Baliani (Panaria) is leading solo Marco Fertonani (Phonak) by 42 seconds and the field by 2 min 25 seconds.
The weather: Partly cloudy, 60F (16C), wind from the Southeast at 10 MPH (16 KPH) 165 riders started today, there were no overnight abandonments. In La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Cipollini said that he suffered badly in Thursday's stage because of his Wednesday crash. "It was a miracle I made it. What an ordeal," he said. Also, Petacchi noted that he had been ordered to make sure he stayed out of trouble during the circuits of Spoleto in yesterday's race. That would probably explain why he let himslf lose position so easily in the last corner before the sprint. He did feel bad that he didn't properly contest the sprint after his team worked so hard.
Saturday, May 15: Stage 7, FROSINONE - MONTEVERGINE DI MERCOGLIANO, 214 KM. The Montevergine has a place about 1/3 up the hill that is 10%. The entire climb entails an elevation gain of 856 meters. Being a hilltop finish, look for Simoni to pad his lead and for Garzelli and Popovych to fight back hard. It's not as steep as stage 3's Corno alle Scale. The bigger Popovych may be able to do something.
Stage 7:
Results:
GC after Stage 7:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter)
Climber:
Intergiro Leader: Massimo Strazzer (Saunier Duval)
Team GC:
About km 200: All the breakaway riders had been caught on the final climb. The break had broken up and they were reeled in one by one. During the final kilometers, Giuliano Figueras tried to get away several times. The last couple of kilomters saw blistering pace. Saeco's Damiano Cunego was the perfect domestique, marking each attack. At the end, Simoni led it out and Cunego took off and won the sprint. There was a real gap between Cunego and 2nd place Bradley McGee. The 20-second time bonus for winning the stage puts Cunego in pink.
Tim Maloney of Cyclingnews is right. This could be the new Greg Lemond. Both are former Junior World Champions who can climb and sprint and are really nice guys. And could Simoni be Cunego's Bernard Hinault? Next Saturday's individual time trial will let us know if this is the revelation of a complete rider with every tool at his disposal. Cunego could be the Campionissimo the Italians have been dreaming of since the retirement of Felice Gimondi.
Km 180. At the start of the climb, the lead is down to 3min 40 sec. I'll post the results of the stage at about 9:30 AM PDT.
Km 155: At Km 12, Rubens Bertogliati and Massimo Strazzer (both Saunier Duval) broke away. They were joined by Michele Gobbi (De Nardi), Niki Aebersold (Phonak), Luca Mazzanti (Panaria) and Daniele Righi (Lampre). The six riders now enjoy a lead of 5min 5sec. Saeco is leading the chasing pack. The average speed of today's race is much higher than the earlier Giro stages. By Km 149, the average was at 42.150 KPH.
The weather in Caserta, through which the stage will pass at Km 142: 70F (21C), mostly sunny with the wind at 5 MPH (8 KPH) from the Northeast. Three riders did not start today's stage: Mario Cipollini, still suffering from his Stage 4 crash, Andrus Aug, who is still in the hospital after yesterday's crash, and Ondrej Sosenka of Acqua & Sapone. 161 riders rolled off to start Stage 7.
Sunday, May 16: Stage 8: GIFFONI VALLE PIANA - POLICORO, 214 KM
Stage 8:
Results: Things are a bit confusing. The official Giro site shows McEwen at 117th place, the last of the front group.
Ok, I get it. McEwen was relegated to the back of his group for getting a madison hand-sling from a teammate just before the sprint.
GC after Stage 8:
Other Competitions
Points (Sprinter)
Climber:
Intergiro Leader: Massimo Strazzer (Saunier Duval)
Team GC:
With about 20 Km to go, the break was caught. Then, the Fassa Bortolo train delivered Signor Petacchi on time and in place for his 4th stage win this Giro.
Km 172: Now the lead is down to 1min 55sec. Looks like it's probably another bunch sprint.
Km 164: The break's lead is down to 2min 55sec.
Km 130: This stage is really rolling along. The average speed so far is 40.430 KPH. Since Kilometer 52, there has been a break. At one time, the group of six had a lead of 7min 5sec. At present it is 6min 16sec. Off the front are: A. BERTOLINI, J. PEREZ CUAPIO,M. VELO,M. PICCOLI,J. DURAND, and M. PEREZ ARANGO .
The weather at 2:00 PM, local time: 64F (18C), partly sunny with an 11 MPH (18 KPH) wind from the north. 159 riders started today. Davide Rebellin and Juan Carlos Dominguez have retired from the race.
Monday, May 17: Stage 9, POLICORO - CAROVIGNO, 142 KM
Stage 9:
Results:
GC after Stage 9:
Other Competitions
Points (Sprinter)
Climber:
Intergiro Leader: Massimo Strazzer (Saunier Duval)
Team GC:
The finish. Out of the last corner, Petacchi bides his time on the wheel of his last leadout man and up the side, Fred Rodriguez jumps hard. Petacchi goes and slowly closes the gap, but it's too little, too late. Fred Rodriguez gets a good, clean win!
Km 129: The breakaways have been caught. Now we'll have 3 times around the finishing circuit. Gerolsteiner's sprinter Olaf Pollack was caught in the crash. There are two big groups chasing, one at 22 seconds and one at 3 minutes behind the main field.
Km 116. Illiano and Vanotti are working well together, but their lead continues to fall. It is now at 30 seconds. There was a big crash at the back of the field. Fredy Gonzalez has been taken away in an ambulance. Intergiro Leader Massimo Strazzer was badly delayed.
Km 112: the lead is down to 1min 5sec as the Blue Meanies of Fassa Bortolo are all lined up at the front to make sure things are together at the end their printer Alessandro Petacchi.
Km 80: Rafaele Illiano and Alessandro Vanotti are away with a lead of 1min 5sec on a slow moving pack.
There were no overnight retirements. 159 riders started today's stage which largely follows the coastline of the arch of the boot of Southern Italy along the coast of the Gulf of Taranto. It should be a short sprinter's stage. The first hour was done quite slowly, at 27.6 KPH. After 2 hours, the group is still together.
Weather at Taranto today: 64F (18C), mostly sunny with a 12 MPH (19 KPH) wind from the NNE.
Tuesday, May 18: Rest Day. No Giro today. The racers will travel north to the region of Le Marche, on the northwest coast of Italy for the start of Stage 10 on Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 19: Stage 10, PORTO SANT'ELPIDIO - ASCOLI PICENO, 146 KM
Stage 10:
Results:
GC after Stage 10:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader: Crescenzo D'Amore (Acqua & Sapone)
Team GC:
With 2 kilometers to go, out of seeming chaos, Fassa Bortolo gets its train going and gives Petacchi a perfect leadout and Petacchi doesn't fail. A clean, perfect win for Petacchi. The fight for his wheel was very fierce with serious bumping and pushing. Marco Zanotti was on Petacchi's wheel and would not give it up. That makes the 12th win of the season and the 5th of this Giro for Petacchi.
Tomorrow will see a tough day with the Sorrivoli climb. It has a patch of 18%.
5 km to go: Bradley McGee take a flyer and looks beautiful. The pack is just moving too fast and he's quickly caught.
Km 136, 10 to go: The break is caught, though Bo Hambuger fought as long as he could. The speed is high with Fassa, Tenax and Lotto at the front pulling. Just back, the Saeco squad is guarding Simini and Cunego.
20 to go. The pack can just see the break, about 40 seconds up the road, but the break continues to push on.
25 to go: It's down to a minute. Lotto and Tenax are pulling at the front of the peloton now, as well.
Km 116: The gap is down to 1min 40sec. The Blue Meanies of Fassa Bortolo have the pack strung out as they work to bring back the break. The riders in the break continue to take short hard pulls.
Km 109: At the Intergiro the lead is down to 2min 15sec.
Km 95: Lanfranchi (not Illiano as I wrote earlier) came off the break. The remaining 7 are working hard and brought their lead back up to 3 minutes.
Km 80: The break is being brought back. The lead is now 2min 35sec. Petacchi and others had come unglued from the pack on Monte Gilbeto, but the peloton is back together.
At about the 20th kilometer, 8 riders escaped:. They are Bo HAMBURGER (14), Kyrylo POSPYEYEV (17), Paolo LANFRANCHI (35), Raffaele ILLIANO (55), Giuseppe MURAGLIA (107), Fabian WEGMANN (118), Daniele RIGHI (128), Oliver ZAUGG (168). At kilometer 52, their lead is 3min 22sec.
155 riders started today. Massimo Strazzer, the Intergiro leader, crashed in Stage 9. He finished the stage being pushed by a teammate. He has retired. Also quitting are Thomas Vaitkus and Gianni Farasin.
The weather at Anconca, just north of the finish: Mostly sunny. 71F (22C) with the wind from ENE at 6MPH (10KPH)
The race jury has added 9 seconds to the riders who came in 25th to 87th in Stage 9. The pack was split up because of a crash in the run-in to town. Of the top 10 GC riders this affects Popovych, Honchar and Cioni. Here is the revised GC at the start of Stage 10 (and thanks to cycling4all.com):
Thursday, May 20: Stage 11, PORTO SANT'ELPIDIO - CESENA, 228 KM
Stage 11:
Results:
GC after Stage 11:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader: Marlon Perez Arango (Colombia-Selle Italia)
Team GC:
Sella comes in alone for his first pro win. What a ride! Cunego arrives 49 seconds later, so he keeps the pink jersey. It was a fast stage, 43.994 KPH!
5 km to go: Sella leads the 4 chasers by 1min 30sec and the field is another 30 seconds back. More red Saeco jerseys have shown up at the front of the pack. I think Selle has it.
Km 212: Sella has lost time. His lead on the field is down to 2min 30sec after going over the top of the Sorrivoli, the last rated climb. Bradley McGee forced the pace of the field over the top. Simoni and Cunego seem to be alone with no teammates. I wonder if they cooked their team early defending the Maglia Rosa.
Km 203: Saeco has hit the panic putton. It's about 3min 30sec from the Maglia Rosa group (the main field) up to Selle. They've called Betagnolli out of the intermediate chase group back to the main field to help with the chase.
Km 191: Sella is pounding. He crashes in a declining radius corner, gets back up and goes hard again. A few others following in the same corner crash. Selle is ahead of 4 (L. BERTAGNOLLI, F. VILA ERRANDONEA, M. FERTONANI, R. LOBAT) by 25 seconds. Others follow, then the pack at about 3 minutes.
Km 180: The break has fallen into several groups on the first rated climb. On the descent the dropped riders are scrambling to get back on. It looks like Emanuele Selle (Panaria) is off the front of the break by a minute, and a group of 14 of the breakers has formed on the descent. They are about 1min 30sec ahead of the field.
Km 150: On the lower slopes of the first climb, the lead is down to 2min 18sec.
Km 118: around Km 66, 20 riders got away: Presently their lead is 2min 50sec. After they went through the feed zone (the big "R" in the maps above), they became disorganized. They are back together again. The riders are: R. NOCENTINI (13), Bo HAMBURGER (14), B. LANCASTER (34), M. PEREZ ARANGO (52), A. VANOTTI (68), G. COLOMBO (73), M. DERGANC (74), M. TOSATTO (87), F. MOUREY (96), G. MURAGLIA (107), M. STRAUSS (117), F. WEGMANN (118), Jan SVORADA (124), J. VERSTREPEN (138), N. GATES (147), M. FERTONANI (154), R. BERTOGLIATI (161), G. BOSISIO (171), N. LODA (174), D. PODGORNIK (177)
153 riders started this Giro's second longest stage. There were no overnight retirements.
The weather at Ancona, on today's route: Sunny, 72F (22C), wind from the NE at 8 MPH (13 KPH). A nice day for a bike race.
The first two hours were covered at a very fast pace, 50.200 KPH! Bradley McGee hopes to regain the Pink Jersey in Saturday's only real individual time trial. He is down 1min 58 sec, sitting in 13th place. He will have to ride very well and make sure Cungeo and Simoni don't gain any real time on him today's tough stage.
Friday, May 21: Stage 12, CESENA - TREVISO, 210 KM
Stage 12:
Results: I just checked the official Giro website and they gave the 6 seconds noted below back to Simoni, etc. So the GC I've got listed now is as of 7:15 PM Italian time.
There was a split in the field during the sprint, so Simoni, Pellizotti and a few others lost 6 seconds. This is Petacchi's 6th win this Giro. He's won half of the stages!
GC after Stage 12:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader: Marlon Perez Arango (Colombia-Selle Italia)
Team GC:
The finish. Petacchi takes another in a furious bump and push sprint. The fight for Petacchi's wheel seems to grow more fierce each stage. McEwen is number 2 and just can't come around. Vini Caldirol's Zanotti is pushed (by Klemencic?) and crashes hard.
Km 194: Oops. Now they have him. We have everyone together. Gruppo compatto. It's a long straight 1.2 km finish for what will probably be a real drag race for the sprint win. A perfect Petacchi setup. I count all 9 Fassa Bortolo riders at the front with Petacchi the last of the 9 in the line. Alessio has a parallel train moving up.
Km 193: Steegmans jumped from his breakaway companions at the Intergiro (the "I" on the maps above). He is alone and away by 35 seconds. The other two have been caught.
35 Km to go. After having written about Saeco in the posting below, now they are at the front, working. I dunno why. No one in the break is a GC threat. The gap is down to 1min 30sec
Km 165: The gap is down to 2min 10 sec. Fassa Bortolo has this well in hand. Just behind the train of Fassa policemen, the Lotto boys are also in a line. In previous stages, Saeco has been running a parallel line next to Fassa in some of these situations, using what appears to be a lot of energy. Perhaps with yesterday's Saeco burnout when Simoni and Cunego didn't have any help, Saeco realized they were squandering their team. Right now Saeco seems nicely tucked in the front third of the pack with their noses safely out of the wind. In the break, Lotto's Steegmans sems to have stopped working.
Km 145: Fassa is bringing the gap down. The lead is now 3min 30sec.
Km. 138: The break is still at 3min 58sec with Fassa Bortolo at the front of the pack. After 3 hours, the average speed is a bit higher, 43.350 KPH.
Current weather at Triviso, where the stage finishes: 74F (23C), partly sunny with the wind at only 1mph (2KPH) from the ENE. The weather could be unsetteld for tomorrw's important time trial, however. For tomorrow, rain is predicted for Trieste, where the time trial will be held.
Km 96: 3 riders broke away at km 16. They currently have a lead of 4 min 18sec. They have had a lead of as much as 5min 5sec. The riders are: Leonardo SCARSELLI (Colombia-Selle Italia), Gert STEEGMANS (Lotto), Radoslav ROGINA (Tenax).
152 riders started the stage at 12:00 Noon. Massimo Iannetti (Domina Vacanze), who was one of the riders caught in a surprising declining radius curve and crashed in one of the wild curving descents did not start. He has a fractured clavicle. After 2 hours of racing, the average speed of today's stage is a brisk 43.3 KPH.
Saturday, May 22: Stage 13, TRIESTE - Altopiano Carsico - (Individual Time Trial), 52 KM
Stage 13 Individual Time trial.
Results:
GC after Stage 13:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader: Marlon Perez Arango (Colombia-Selle Italia)
Team GC:
The rain started to fall as the last riders (and the serious GC contenders ) got on the road. It stopped before the end of the stage, but there were some problems. Simoni slipped and tore himself up. Garzelli got a flat and needed a bike change. In light of those problems, their times weren't bad at all. And Bradley Mcgee didn't have the suds today to take the Pink Jersey.
With 84 riders in the barn, Marzio Bruseghin of Fassa Bortolo has raised the bar. He came in at 1:07:29. With the riders going out in reverse GC order, the times should continue to fall.
With 30 riders finished, big Magnus Backstedt of Alessio has the best time with 1:08:37.
I just looked at CNN's weather site and it says that it is 65F (18C), mostly cloudy with at 12 MPH (19 KPH) wind from the SSE. Showers are predicted. If this happens, it could really affect the riders who are highly placed in GC who ride last.
The first rider will leave at about 11:00 in the morning. The schedule calls for the last rider (Damiano Cunego) to cross the finish line at about 5:30 in the afternoon, local Italian time (8:30 PDT). It will be a bit of a challenge, with corners and climbing. The course starts at about sea level, climbs to 369 meters elevation before returning to 3 meters elevation.
Sunday, May 23: Stage 14, TRIESTE - PULA/POLA ,175 KM
Stage 14:
Results:
GC After Stage 14:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader:
Team GC:
The finish: Petacchi gets his 7th win of this Giro. He ties the postwar recod of De Vlaeminck, Maertens and Sarroni. Now, how About Alfredo Binda's all time record of 12 stage victories that he earned in the 1927 Giro? Not very likely with the Giro headed into the high mountains this week.
Km 166: The break is caught as they ride the first of two 6.5 km finishing circuits.
Km 162: It's down to 53 seconds.
Km 139: The gap is down to 1min 26sec
Km 110: Pavel Tonkov has gone back to the peloton, so now the break is three: Illiano, Marzoli and Muraglia. Their lead starting on the race's last sharp little climb is 3 minutes. Lotto is helping Fassa Bortolo at the front of the pack.
Km 90. Hauptman couldn't stay with the break and is back in the peloton. The remaining 4 have had their lead shaved to 1min 22sec.
Km 56: A break went at km 16 and is still off the front with 1min 56sec. After going over the Svi Sveti, they are still together. The riders are: Ruggero MARZOLI, Rafaele ILLIANO, Aandrej HAUPTMAN, Pavel TONKOV, Giuseppe MURAGLIA. Fassa Bortolo is at the front keeping things in check.
The weather in Trieste: 63F (17C), Sunny with the wind only 2MPH (3 KPH) from the north, a slight tailwind.
150 riders started today. Sven Montgomery and Zoren Klemencic have retired. Both crashed in yesterday's time trial. The stage goes through Slovenia and finish in Croatia. The climb (the yellow "GPM" in the maps above) at Svi Sveti is rated 2nd Category. It should not present any problem to Petaccchi and the other in-form sprinters, being so early in the stage. Their teams should make sure that things are together for the finish.
Monday, May 24: Stage 15, POREC/PARENZO - SAN VENDEMIANO, 234 KM
This is the last sprinter's stage until the final stage on Sunday with its 10 circuits in Milan. From Tuesday until Saturday, the mountain goats will be in charge. There is some really tough stuff coming.
Stage 15:
Provisional results;
GC after Stage 15:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader:
Team GC:
The sprint. It's a furious last 2 kilometers with Acqua & Sapone trying to get a rival train going to put Fred Rodriguez in position, but they are too early. Petacchi bides his time. Even though it looks too late to me, he goes and beats McEwen who looks as if he slows a bit and squeezes through a hole in the right hand side between Pollack the barriers. Petacchi wins by a wheel and gains the post-war record of stage wins in a single Giro. The sprint was clocked at 68.8 KPH (42 MPH). Now it's 8!
Km 222: The break is caught.
Km 213: Fassa pounds at the front and the gap is down to 1min 13sec.
Km 200: The gap is about 2min. There was a crash at the back of the field, but everyone is up and back in the shelter of the pack.
Km 182: The gap is down to 2min 23sec. Fassa Bortolo is at the front of the pack as is usual in the flat sprinter's stages and is slowly bringing the breakaways back.
Km 164: The lead is down to 4 minutes. Alessio's Magnus Backstedt retired from the Giro as the pack went through the feed zone. There are presently 9 out of the 19 starting teams with all their riders. OLN just reported that the Gavia Pass, the highest pont of this Giro and a monument in Italian cycling is still snowed in. The schedule calls for it to be an important part of Stage 18 on Friday.
Km 120: 4 riders are away after some early attacks and counter attacks. Presently they have 6min 35sec although at one point they had as much as 9min 35sec. The riders away are: Russell VAN HOUT (58, Colombia-Selle Italia), Mario SCIREA (79, Domina Vacanze), Daniele RIGHI (128, Lampre), Giancarlo GINESTRI (172, Tenax).
This is the 2004 Giro's longest stage. 150 riders started today at 11:25 AM. There were no overnight retirements. The weather: a nice day for a bike race, sunny, 63F (17C) with a 5 MPH (8KPH) wind from the SSW.
Tuesday, May 25: Stage 16, SAN VENDEMIANO - FALZES, 217 KM
Forcast for the weather for Tuesday in Bolzano, just to the west of the route is Sunny and warm, 69F (21C).
Stage 16:
Results:
GC after Stage 16:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader:
Team GC:
The finish: Cunego had been dragging Nocentini up the climb, but dropped him. Simoni seemed content to drop Popovych and then sit in his group.
2 Km to the summit: Cunego is all alone and pedaling smoothly. Figueras has attacked the Maglia Rosa group and has a real gap. As Popovych tried to close the gap up to Figueras, Simoni could see that Popo didn't have it. So, Simoni goes and take about 3 riders with him, but not Garzelli or Popovych. Popovych is alone and chasing.
15 km to go: Cunego is riding like a man possessed. He's lost his Saeco helpers and is sweeping up the riders in the break up front. Aebersold is turning squares now. Cungeo has caught everyone. The Popovych-Simoni group is without Garzelli (I think) and is about 3 minutes down the hill.
Under the 20 km to go banner: Aebersold alone, then the original break @ 1min 30sec. Cunego's group no longer has Wegman, who blew up. They are 3 minutes behind Aebersold and 3 minutes ahead of Popovych and Simoni.
Km 190: Mountains Leader Fabian Wegman is also with the Cunego group and he's taking monster pulls wanting to get up to the break ahead and get some more climbing points.
Km 185: Cunego's group now has about 3 minutes on the Pink Jersey group of about 18. Pellizotti has rejoined and even Bradley McGee is there with Simoni and Popovych. Up the road, Aebersold is alone followed by what remains of the original big break.
Km 175: Brilliant: Saeco's Eddy Mazzoleni drops out of the front break and waits for Cunego at the top of the Furcia. Up the road, Tonti, also of Saeco, sits up and waits for Mazzoleni and Cunego. Cunego will have 2 Saeco along with Marzoli who was also caught by Cunego riders to help him. Popovych has trouble as Saeco uses their classic "rabbits up the road" strategy.
Km 160: On the Furcia. Phonak's Aebersold has attacked the lead group of 17. then, @ 1min 25 is the big break. Then following them at 4min are Piccoli, Marzoli and Pozzi. then a small group of elite GC riders in what is left of the field. Garzelli is having trouble and Pellizotti has been tossed. Cunego attacks and Popovych stays glued to Simoni's wheel.
Km 129, Descending the second major climb, the Valparola. A break went early, Km 21 with 17 riders. Noteably, Mountains Competition Wegman is in this break sucking up climbing points. A few kilometers later, another group of 5 went. As expected, super sprinter Alessandro Petacchi is having trouble on the climbs.
The group of 17, about 10 minutes ahead of the peloton: Eddy MAZZOLENI (5), Aandre TONTI (9), Rinaldo NOCENTINI (13), Alessandro BERTOLINI (23), Julio PEREZ CUAPIO (32), Fortunato BALIANI (38), Raffaele ILLIANO (55), Michele GOBBI (66), Charly WEGELIUS (69), Giuseppe DI GRANDE (106), L. LAVERDE JIMENEZ (108), Fabian WEGMANN (118), Christophe BRANDT (142), Niki AEBERSOLD (152), Alexandre MOOS (155), Rubens BERTOGLIATI (161), Oscar MASON (186)
Following them, 4min 43sec behind, 5min 17sec ahead of the pack, the ficve are now 4: Ruggero MARZOLI, Mariano PICCOLI, Renzo MAZZOLENI, Oscar POZZI
It looks like the prediction for good weather for this crucial stage in the high mountains has come true. Sunny, 75F (24C) and only a slight breeze (2 mph, 3 kph headwind) for the 147 starters. Lotto's Robbie McEwen fulfilled his promise and went home to get ready for the Tour de France.
Wednesday, May 26: Rest Day
Thursday, May 27: Stage 17, BRUNICO - FONDO SARNONICO, 153 KM
Results:
GC after Stage 17:
Other Competitions:
Points (sprinter):
Climber:
Intergiro Leader:
Team GC:
The finish: Tonkov extended his lead over Bertolini and came in all alone. Correction to the earlier posting: McGee nails the field sprint and edges out Cunego.
Km 146, under the 7 km to go banner: Tonkov is gone, Bertolini is a minute behind him. The group of seven has been caught just after Colombia's Rafaele Illinao took off on his own. Honchar's De Nardi is leading the pack.
Km 138: Tonkov just gets out of the saddle on the final series of climbs at the finish and rides away from Bertolini. Tonkov is looking smooth and strong as he rides to what will probably be a stage win.
Km 128: Under the 25 Km to go banner on the finishing Val di Non circuit: Bertolini and Tonkov are hammering. The group of seven (R. ILLIANO (55), O. ZAUGG (168), L. LAVERDE JIMENEZ (108), R. NOCENTINI (13), F. VILA ERRANDONEA (129), S. ZAMPIERI (188), M. GOBBI (66), O. POZZI (178) follows at 2min 30sec
