1. Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Mapei 7.13.36 2. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Saeco 0.01 3. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Brescialat s.t. 4. Jose Rubiera (Spa) Kelme 1.33 5. Andrea Noe (Ita) Asics 6. Nicola Miceli (Ita) Aki 7. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) Polti 8. Giuseppe di Grande (Ita) Mapei all s.t. 9. Daniele de Paoli (Ita) Ros Mary 2.00 10. Sergei Gontchar (Ukr) Aki 11. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme 12. Felix Garcia (Spa) Festina all s.t. 13. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno 3.19 14. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Roslotto 4.44 15. Marco Fincato (Ita) Roslotto 16. Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Cantina all s.t. 17. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco 4.48 18. Leonardo Calzavara (Ita) Aki 6.25 19. Marco Velo (Ita) Brescialat 20. Marcello Siboni (Ita) Mercatone Uno all s.t.
1. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Saeco 98.29.17 38.104 km/h 2. Pavel Tonkov (Rus) 1.27 3. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) 7.40 4. Nicola Miceli (Ita) 12.20 5. Serguie Gontchar (Ukr) 12.44 6. Wladimir Belli (Ita) 12.48 7. Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) 12.54 8. Marcos Serrano (Spa) 16.07 9. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) 18.08 10. Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa) 18.56 11. Andrea Noe (Ita) 20.51 12. Felix Garcia Casas (Spa) 21.50 13. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) 24.20 14. Dario Frigo (Ita) 31.35 15. Jose Gonzalez Pico (Col) 37.34 16. Alberto Volpi (Ita) 41.32 17. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) 43.28 18. Roberto Conti (Ita) 47.22 19. Axel Merckx (Bel) 47.44 20. Eugeni Berzin (Rus) 49.02
Gotti, closing in on the first Giro title for an Italian since 1991, held onto an overall advantage of 1 minute, 27 seconds with one stage left.
I.m very happy. What a feeling. There.s still the final leg tomorrow, but by now I think I can consider the Giro mine, Gotti said.
He matched Russia.s Tonkov in a captivating one-on-one duel up the Passo del Mortirolo, a 12,5 km climb to a height of 1.892 meters above sea level.
Tonkov did out-sprint Gotti and Wladimir Belli at the end of the 238 km route through the Dolomites from Val di Sole to Edolo for his third stage win. Tonkov completed the course in 7 hours, 13 minutes, 36 seconds.
Gotti and Belli were one second back.
I wish could switch my position today with that in the overall standings, said Tonkov, who rides with the Mapei team. What can I say? Ivan was very strong today. I couldn.t pull away.
The day was also marked by Italian veteran Gianni Bugno.s early individual breakaway. The 1990 Giro champion rode alone for about 160 km and built up a lead of about five minutes over the other riders. But Bugno, who.s far back in the overall standings, was reeled in by Gotti and Tonkov halfway up the Mortirolo climb.
The two leaders were joined by Belli near the summit.
The Giro ends Sunday with a mostly ceremonial, 165-kilometer ride into Milan, Italy.s financial capital. Saturday represented Tonkov.s last real chance to overtake Gotti, who rides for the Saeco team.
Gotti has not relinquished the leader.s pink jersey since he wrested it from Tonkov one week ago by capturing the mountainous 14th stage.
Ivan Gotti was 24 hours away from producing Italy.s first Giro d.Italia triumph since 1991 on Saturday despite losing a duel with Russian rival Pavel Tonkov.
Tonkov snatched his third stage win of the 22-day event, but his hopes of a second overall victory faded on the feared ascent of the Mortirolo mountain.
He finished one second clear of Gotti with Italian Wladimir Belli surviving a 70 kph scare for third place on the 21st and longest stage of 238 km from Male. to Edolo.
Belli.s attempt to escape off the front ended when he lost control and scraped along a wall for several metres.
Tonkov earned a time deduction for his success and trimmed Gotti.s outright lead by five seconds to one minute 27 seconds.
Thousands of spectators swarmed over the 16 km climb, anticipating a gigantic struggle. In fact, there was more of a threat from frenzied fans packing the road than either rival.
Gotti fired off three short-lived attacks but a poker-faced Tonkov calmly held him.
``I thought about attacking again, but there was something in me that stopped me. May be it is because we are friends,.. said Gotti.
The Italian angrily waved his arm as the excited crowds closed in, leaving just enough space to pedal a bike through. To confirm the hellish situation, a fan dressed as the devil complete with horns, tail, and fork joined in the melee.
``I was afraid,.. said Gotti. ``So many people were touching me...
``It was a very dangerous situation,.. said Tonkov. ``The Giro organisation should provide protection...
The Russian said he had mistakenly chosen gears that were too big for such a climb. ``Still, I am happy with three stage wins and being second overall. The stronger guy is winning the Giro...
For most of the race an old hero, Gianni Bugno, emerged to excite the roadside crowds. He rode alone for 170 km, reviving memories of his two world titles, and triumphs in the World Cup and the 1990 Giro.
As he climbed the Mortirolo mountain the tiring Bugno, Tonkov.s team mate, was brought to a stop when motorcycles carrying photographers tangled and fell. After restarting he looked behind to see the duellists closing fast.
Accidents apart, Gotti should clinch victory on the final leg into Milan on Sunday.
1. TONKOV PAVEL (Rus - Mapei-GB) km 238 in 7.13'36" (abb. 12")
2. GOTTI IVAN (Ita - Saeco) a 1" (abb. 8").
3. BELLI WLADIMIR (Ita - Brescialat-Oyster) s.t. (abb. 4").
4. Rubiera a 1'33"; 5. Noh; 6. Miceli; 7. Guerini; 8. Di Grande; 9. De
Paoli a 2'; 10.
Gontchar; 11. Serrano; 12. Garcia Casas; 13. Garzelli a 3'19"; 14.
Savoldelli a 4'44";
15. Fincato; 16. Gentili; 17. Frigo a 4'48"; 18. Calzavara a 6'25"; 19.
Velo; 20. Siboni;
21. Bortolami; 22. Podenzana; 23. Volpi; 24. Bugno (abb. 6"); 25. Lozano;
26. Merckx;
27. Faresin; 28. Pellicioli a 7'55"; 29. Missaglia; 30. Gomez Gonzalo; 31.
Gualdi; 32.
Djavanian; 33. Jeker a 8'15"; 34. Puttini; 35. Molinari a 8'23"; 36.
Gonzalez Pico; 37.
Sivakov a 8'59"; 38. Finesso (abb. 2"); 39. Magnusson; 40. Loda a 10'03"
(abb. 4");
41. Poser; 42. Sgambelluri a 10'36"; 43. Della Vedova; 44. Forconi; 45.
Ouslamine; 46.
Cenghialta; 47. Barbero; 48. Schmidt a 11'07"; 49. Donati a 11'10"; 50.
Moos; 51.
Gonzalez Gutierrez a 11'13"; 52. Mondini; 53. Berzin a 13'11"; 54. Conti;
55.
Konyshev; 56. Zanette a 13'15"; 57. Bettin; 58. Apollonio; 59. Petito; 60.
Bettini; 61.
Cipollini; 62. Lecchi; 63. Hvastija; 64. Pumar; 65. Padrnos a 14'51"; 66.
Baronti a
16'38"; 67. Lebreton; 68. Roscioli; 69. Dalla Costa; 70. Pozzi A.; 71.
Tebaldi; 72.
Fornaciari; 73. Calcaterra; 74. Caruso; 75. Bottaro a 17'55"; 76. Vergnani
a 17'59";
77. Coppolillo; 78. Patuelli; 79. Piccoli a 21'10"; 80. Bontempi a 21'41";
81. Chiesa; 82.
Dotti; 83. Pianegonda; 84. Cabello; 85. Vidal; 86. Fontanelli a 21'53";
87. Spruch a
21'56"; 88. Crepaldi a 22'22"; 89. Cauz a 23'03"; 90. Laddomada a 24'55";
91. Frattini
C. a 25'; 92. Bramati; 93. Boscardin a 25'16"; 94. Brasi; 95. Mazzanti;
96. Ouchakov;
97. Cassani; 98. Tani; 99. Hernandez; 100. Giacomelli a 26'40"; 101.
Paluan; 102.
Peschel a 28'24"; 103. Santaromita; 104. Alberati a 28'42"; 105.
Gallorini; 106.
Frattini F. a 29'29"; 107. Pierdomenico; 108. Di Renzo a 30'18"; 109.
Giraldi a 30'37";
110. Wust.
General Classification:
1. GOTTI IVAN (Ita - Saeco) in 98.29'17", media 38.104.
2. TONKOV PAVEL (Rus - Mapei-GB) a 1'27".
3. GUERINI GIUSEPPE (Ita - Team Polti) a 7'40".
4. Miceli a 12'20"; 5. Gontchar a 12'44"; 6. Belli a 12'48"; 7. Di Grande
a 12'54"; 8.
Serrano a 16'07"; 9. Garzelli a 18'08"; 10. Rubiera a 18'56"; 11. Noh a
20'51"; 12.
Garcia Casas a 21'50"; 13. Savoldelli a 24'20"; 14. Frigo a 31'35"; 15.
Gonzalez Pico a
37'34"; 16. Volpi a 41'32"; 17. Podenzana a 43'28"; 18. Conti a 47'22";
19. Merckx a
47'44"; 20. Berzin a 49'02"; 21. Forconi a 51'47"; 22. Gomez Gonzalo a
53'47"; 23.
Gentili a 54'16"; 24. Petito a 1.02'58"; 25. Bettini a 1.04'55"; 26.
Siboni a 1.05'06";
27. Puttini a 1.13'14"; 28. Faresin a 1.14'37"; 29. De Paoli a 1.15'11";
30. Velo a
1.16'10"; 31. Jeker a 1.16'18"; 32. Sgambelluri a 1.29'16"; 33. Coppolillo
a 1.30'01";
34. Bortolami a 1.30'32"; 35. Calzavara a 1.33'24"; 36. Pierdomenico a
1.34'22"; 37.
Konyshev a 1.37'01"; 38. Donati a 1.37'32"; 39. Pellicioli a 1.39'50"; 40.
Cenghialta a
1.42'29".
41. Mazzanti a 1.43'26"; 42. Paluan a 1.43'56"; 43. Barbero a 1.45'13";
44. Loda a
1.46'24"; 45. Padrnos a 1.46'28"; 46. Fincato a 1.47'56"; 47. Sivakov a
1.49'21"; 48.
Piccoli a 1.53'17"; 49. Patuelli a 1.59'59"; 50. Lozano a 2.00'22"; 51.
Ouslamine a
2.03'27"; 52. Gonzalez Gutierrez a 2.06'29"; 53. Missaglia a 2.06'34"; 54.
Dotti a
2.09'16"; 55. Vergnani a 2.11'05"; 56. Lecchi a 2.14'40"; 57. Molinari a
2.14'46"; 58.
Finesso a 2.16'15"; 59. Hvastija a 2.19'17"; 60. Della Vedova a 2.21'16";
61. Poser a
2.25'53"; 62. Gualdi a 2.26'21"; 63. Roscioli a 2.29'07"; 64. Hernandez
Bertran a
2.29'50"; 65. Laddomada a 2.31'36"; 66. Boscardin a 2.33'56"; 67. Mondini
a
2.38'41"; 68. Lebreton a 2.40'53"; 69. Tebaldi a 2.43'17"; 70. Baronti a
2.44'16"; 71.
Frattini Francesco a 2.44'35"; 72. Moos a 2.48'05"; 73. Pumar a 2.48'42";
74. Pozzi A.
a 2.49'38"; 75. Bugno a 2.50'07"; 76. Caruso a 2.53'59"; 77. Zanette a
2.54'29"; 78.
Vidal Martinez a 2.54'41"; 79. Crepaldi a 2.55'14"; 80. Djavanian a
2.55'26".
81. Cabello Luque a 2.55'31"; 82. Chiesa a 2.55'58"; 83. Apollonio a
2.59'24"; 84.
Tani a 2.59'26"; 85. Magnusson a 2.59'44"; 86. Frattini Cristiano a
3'01'13"; 87.
Schmidt a 3.01'30"; 88. Bettin a 3.03'39"; 89. Cipollini a 3.05'50"; 90.
Dalla Costa a
3.09'47"; 91. Brasi a 3.13'54"; 92. Fontanelli a 3.14'24"; 93. Alberati a
3.15'34"; 94.
Ouchakov a 3.16'16"; 95. Giraldi a 3.17'14"; 96. Bramati a 3.17'59"; 97.
Gallorini a
3.21'07"; 98. Fornaciari a 3.24'44"; 99. Bottaro a 3.25'06"; 100. Spruch a
3.26'09";
101. Pianegonda a 3.26'43"; 102. Bontempi a 3.34'24"; 103. Calcaterra a
3.34'49";
104. Peschel a 3.36'24"; 105. Wust a 3.37'48"; 106. Cassani a 3.40'47";
107.
Santaromita a 3.51'36"; 108. Giacomelli a 4.04'38"; 109. Cauz a 4.04'44";
110. Di
Renzo a 4.21'03".