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90th Giro d'Italia - GT
Italy, May 12-June 3, 2007
Main Page Results & report Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 19 - Friday, June 1: Treviso - Comano Terme, 179 km
Complete live report
Live commentary by Gregor Brown
Live coverage starts: 14:30 CEST
Estimated finish: 17:11 CEST
14:27 CEST
June opens at the Giro d'Italia with a transition stage from Treviso, the hometown of Cicli Pinarello that heads due west on the flats, then up and over the Pasubio valley and the Pian delle Fugazze climb over to the Adige River valley, then over the Passo Ballino north of Lago di Garda to finish at the thermal resort of Comano Terme.
There was a lot of rain this morning when the riders left Treviso at 12.31. Even though the rain stopped shortly down the road the dark clouds are still over the riders, who are being pushed along by an east wind
14:35 CEST 88km/91km to go
We are 88 kilometres into today's stage. The riders are near the feed-zone in Valli del Pasubio but there might not be much time for eating since there are attacks after attacks - no group of riders have been able to get any significant gain over the peloton today.
14:42 CEST
Recap: The first attack of the day came from CSC's Matti Breschel, who finished 3rd in yesterday's sprint stage. He attacked at kilometre 18, on the outskirts of Montebelluna, and was later caught by a flying peloton. Breschel's move was followed by a serious looking move of 14 riders at kilometres 27. The groups gap shot to 25" after five kilometres.
Tinkoff's Daniele Contrini and Pavel Brutt made it across the group now numbered 16. The riders had 43" at kilometre 39. Just after one hour of racing Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo), double stage winner, sat up and faded back to the Gruppo Maglia Rosa. The pace was 42.6km/h in the first hour.
14:47 CEST
recap: Rabobank and Predictor kept vigil as Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) and Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval-Prodir) faded back leaving only seven riders by kilometre 58 with 13".
Three kilometres later, Mauro Facci (Quickstep-Innergetic), Ángel Gómez Gómez (Saunier Duval-Prodir), Branislau Samoilau (Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo), Daniele Contrini (Tinkoff Credit Systems), Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff Credit Systems) and Axel Merckx (T-Mobile) faded back. And finally, in Breganze, it was once again gruppo compatto.
14:50 CEST
recap: At kilometre 66 Giovanni Visconti (Quickstep-Innergetic) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r Prévoyance) launched while in the back of the peloton Andy Schleck (Team CSC) was getting serviced after a mechanical. The Italian duo gained up to 45" but it soon gave up and returned back to the peloton that was completely lined down the road.
14:56 CEST 94km/85km to go
Liquigas is leading the peloton. We are four kilometres into the climb of Pian delle Fugazze. With one kilometre to the top there is a section of 14% that should help form a serious escape. The climb is 11.36km long with an elevation gain of 820 and an average gradient of 7.2%.
While the peloton are climbing we may pull over the Cyclingnews Ferrari to take a natural break and get some caffè. It is too dreary today to have a gelato and we could use a 'pick-me-up' in this third week of the Corsa Rosa. My correspondent has been forcing us to listen to Jeff Buckley for the last two hours, and I don't know why! I will soon switch it back over to T-Rex.
15:00 CEST
Leo Piepoli puts in an attack!
15:01 CEST 98km/81km to go
His move on the Pian delle Fugazze has not lasted long and he is now back in the gruppo.
15:02 CEST 98.4km/80.6km to go
Di Luca attacks! This move is interesting.
15:03 CEST
Surely this will be a move just to stretch the legs. Leo pulls 'The Killer' back.
15:10 CEST
The moves have put Bettini, Petacchi and others in to the red and off the back.
15:11 CEST 100.4km/78.6km to go
In the Gruppo Maglia Rosa we have Cunego, Savoldelli, Gibo, Mazzoleni, Riccò, Rasmussen and Schleck.
15:13 CEST
Mazzoleni shoots off but the others are active.
15:14 CEST 101.4km/77.6km to go
Over the top the favourites have 42" over the chasers.
15:16 CEST
There is about a 15km drop to Rovereto, where there is the Garibaldi Sprint.
15:17 CEST
'Il Falco Bergamasco' will cook up this descent for teammate Mazzoleni... It will be the Savo and Mazzo show. Remember Bergamo? I bet Di Luca does!
15:19 CEST
This tire spray is going to darken the kits of Bettini and Schleck.
15:20 CEST
The fans were everywhere over that climb of Fugazze. Everyone was shaking their umbrellas in excitement. At the top of the climb the riders entered the Trento Province.
15:22 CEST
David Arroyo (Caisse d'Epargne), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Evgeni Petrov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) are also here. It is hard to make out the riders. Our windows are fogging up and the riders are all in their caps.
Bettini, Petacchi and the others passed over the top at some three minutes back.
15:23 CEST
We are coming up on three hours of racing.
15:24 CEST
Mazzo had attacked with about 2km to the top. White Lightning Schleck personally closed him down with Di Luca on his wheel. It was an amazing move but short lived.
15:30 CEST
There are about four groups all over the road. We will try to get you the names of the riders as we spot them. We do know in the front group there is Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital), Paolo Savoldelli (Astana) teammate Eddy Mazzoleni (Astana), Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir), teammate Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir), Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank), Andy Schleck (Team CSC), David Arroyo (Caisse d'Epargne), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Evgeni Petrov (Tinkoff Credit Systems).
15:33 CEST
Iban Mayo is there too. The long-haired Spaniard puts in a dig but Garzelli follows.
15:34 CEST
Noè and teammates are chasing down this climb to re-join their team leader.
15:34 CEST
15:37 CEST
Schleck has teammate Volodimir Gustov (Team CSC) leading him down this descent. We have a small move off the front with Visconti.
15:39 CEST
Our seven men on the front are Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval-Prodir), Marco Marzano (Lampre-Fondital), Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo), Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank), Alberto Losada (Caisse d'Epargne), Evgeni Petrov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) , Giovanni Visconti (Quickstep-Innergetic). They have about 44" on the Di Luca Gruppo.
15:40 CEST 123km/56km to go
The front men are approaching Rovereto.
15:43 CEST
There are a group of three with Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) and
Dario Cioni (Predictor-Lotto) chasing the front seven.
Losada and Mayo are working off the front of the race.
15:47 CEST
Note: Zabel has won for a second day in a row in Germany.
15:50 CEST
Hola! The two Spaniards Alberto Losada (Caisse d'Epargne) and Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval-Prodir) have 12" on the chase of 5 and 3'00" on the Gruppo Maglia Rosa.
15:51 CEST
Losada won the Garibaldi sprint over compatriot Mayo.
15:52 CEST
The duo now has 25" in the city of Mori.
15:53 CEST
Bettini is now some five minutes back. The world champion will not have a chance to win today and will have to wait until Milano for his last bid at a stage win in this 2007 Giro.
15:56 CEST 138km/41km to go
The two Spaniards have 23" on the five chasers and 1'53" back to the next group with Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital), Dario Cioni (Predictor-Lotto), Pablo Lastras (Caisse d'Epargne), Olivier Bonnaire (Bouygues Telecom). And it is 4'12" back to Di Luca's gruppo.
16:03 CEST
"I don't know what those guys were trying to do in that corner yesterday, they had done it twice before," said sprinter Julian Dean (Crédit Agricole) of the sprint in stage 18. "I am building for Tour de France, where I will be the lead-out man for Thor Hushovd."
The New Zealander was in a great mood, like always. He was looking forward to getting back home to Valencia where other pros, like Matthew White (Discovery Channel) and Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo) have homes.
16:05 CEST
"It is possible that an attack could come from Saunier but we have a good team. I will expect attacks," said race leader Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) at the start. The attack came from Mazzoleni but Simoni and Schleck followed.
Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas), "Today is like the last day for many. We will try to control any attacks."
16:07 CEST 145km/34km to go
Mayo is in a good move. If he can stay free with Losada over the Passo Ballino then he should be able to 'dance' his way the podium. It would mark four wins by Saunier Duval from four different rides. But we still have 34 kilometres to cover before anyone can dance on the rain soaked streets of Terme di Comano.
16:10 CEST
Vamos! Mayo and Losada have 3'38" on the Di Luca Gruppo. They are soaked! Mayo is wearing knee-warmers but Losada is not. They both have arm-warmers and long gloves.
What a stage today. The rain is terrible but it is making this an exciting stage.
16:13 CEST 149km/30km to go
The duo only has 24" on the Rasmussen gruppo. The Dane looks like he needs some warm clothes on. No arm or leg-warmers for the mountain man that leaves near Lago di Garda.
16:15 CEST
The Passo Ballino starts. It is a 15.63-kilometre affair.
16:18 CEST
Our dos amigos have 21" in hand for this climb.
16:22 CEST
Carry me a way Spanish caravan: 29 year-old Mayo last won on August 13, the Subida Urkiola. 25 year-old AL has no wins in his two years as a professional. He started his pro career last year with Kaiku and did take the neo-pro competition of the Vuelta Ciclista a la Rioja, April 21-23.
16:25 CEST 154.5km/24.5km to go
Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel) has won the TT in the Tour of Belgium. Let's hope the weather is better there. (At least the beer is! Mmmm Westmalle! The Westmalle double is so tasty!)
16:30 CEST
The two Spaniards will stand a great chance of winning if they can get over this tough stretch of 10%, about 1.5km to the top. Mayo is so strong as a climber but he seems so fragile throughout the year. Remember in 2003, he finished sixth in the Tour and won the Alpe d'Huez. Team DS Matxin will be proud of his signing and friend today.
The Gruppo Maglia Rosa is being led by Lampre.
16:31 CEST
Mayo and Losada have 1'00" over the five. The sprinters group is 11'30" back!
16:33 CEST
Garzelli has been dropped from the chase group. He is fading back to the Gruppo Maglia Rosa.
16:35 CEST 159km/20km to go
Mayo and Losada have passed the 20km banner. If it comes to a sprint Losada looks to have the legs; he could 'hold the Mayo!'
16:39 CEST
The two Spaniard are pedalling with smoothness. They are on the left side of the road, riding on the white line. To their left is a green (and wet) Trento Valley, near Ballino.
Garzelli is on his own, with six km to climb.
Mayo attacks!
16:40 CEST
Mayo, with 23 career wins, is powering solo up this climb through the small Lago di Tenno village.
16:41 CEST 162km/17km to go
Mayo went with about 4km to go.
16:43 CEST
Birthday boy, 33 years, Rasmussen is pumping along Marco Marzano (Lampre-Fondital), Evgeni Petrov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) , and Giovanni Visconti (Quickstep-Innergetic). Happy Birthday!
Losada is really suffering.
16:46 CEST 164km/15km to go
Mayo has a 4'30" spread over the 'Gruppo Maglia Rosa' and 48" to the four chasers.
Rasmussen is chasing on his own. He has attacked with -15.5km
16:47 CEST
Marzano is chasing Rasmussen.
16:50 CEST 165.5km/13.5km to go
Mayo crosses the top. He has 13.57 to go. The road drops a bit, arriving in Fiavè, then it kicks slightly to Cavrasto before the final 6.45km down to the finish.
Rasmussen at 41" ... The other three join the Dane. Mayo has a big job ahead of him.
16:50 CEST
Losada is close to being caught by the Gruppo Maglia Rosa. Rain is still dropping on this race.
16:52 CEST
The Gruppo Maglia Rosa passes the GPM at 3'00".
16:54 CEST
Mayo has only 33"! Go Mayo!
16:56 CEST 170km/9km to go
The riders are passing through the cheese producing town of Fiavè. Here is made a light tasting cheese. Ahhhh, so good! Mayo is dedicated. He looks smooth and will have an easier time descending solo then the Di Luca Gruppo. But, he only has 29" on the chase of four.
17:00 CEST 173km/6km to go
Visconti and Petrov are own their own in chasing down Mayo at 30". Rasmussen and Marzano are further back. The Sicilian comes through to pull while the Russian takes a small break. They will be watching each other.
17:01 CEST
Petrov slid out in a corner. Visconti is on his own to chase down Mayo. The Basque in his first ever Giro may get the win!
17:02 CEST 175.5km/3.5km to go
Mayo is getting closer to this win. He is working his way like a pro down the hill.
Petrov crashes again!
17:04 CEST 178km/1km to go
Mayo passes some of the final turns. He has eased up slightly on his speed now that it is only Visconti chasing. Easy does it!
Visconti's heart rate is 157.
17:06 CEST
It is hammering rain here but the Basque is going to get a beautiful win. Four wins in the Giro by Saunier, Piepoli, Riccò, Simoni and now Mayo!
Bravo Mayo! Bravo! Win number 24 for the Saunier rider. At 4:34 of racing.
17:06 CEST
Visconti gets second. Then Marzano.
17:07 CEST
Rasmussen and then Petrov. Petrov took it very slowly across the line. It is so wet here!
17:11 CEST
The Gruppo Maglia Rosa comes in at 2'44" after Mayo. The riders are cold and wet and they are rushing for their team buses. We are rushing off to talk to Mayo and the favourites.
Thanks for joining Cyclingnews on this wet day to Trento. Check back later for a full report and results.
Ciao and Adios!
Provisional Results
1 Iban Mayo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quickstep-Innergetic 3 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 4 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 5 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems General classification after stage 19 1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 3 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
