Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Dauphiné Libéré Photo ©: Sirotti |
91st Giro d'Italia - GT
Italy, May 10-June 1, 2008
Main Page Results & report Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 10 - Tuesday, May 20: Pesaro - Urbino (Individual Time Trial), 39.4km
Complete live report
Live commentary by Susan Westemeyer
14:32 CEST
Hello and welcome back to the Giro. Like the riders, we enjoyed our rest day and are raring to go again. Today features our first individual time trial, and it will be an interesting one. After a flat as a pancake start, things start going uphill at km 18.5, up the Monte de Colbordolo. It's only 366 meters in altitude, with the guys riding 4.6 km of the climb. The average gradient is 6.3%, with a max of 10%. The second intermediate time check is at the top.
That is followed by a descent with a few more bumps in the road until about km 31. From there on, for the next eight km or so, it just seems to go continually up, even if it is gradual. There is a descent near the end, with a final climb of 6.3&% in the final 600 meters. We doubt that this will make the riders happy.
14:36 CEST
Here's the situation so far. Mikhail Ignatiev of Tinkoff is in the lead, at 1'00.9, with an average speed of 39,301 km/h. He is followed by Danny Pate of Slipstream (+ 59 seconds) and Rik Verbrugghe of Quick Step (+2'59).
14:37 CEST
High Road's young Tony Martin came screaming through the final intermediate time check fastest by 44 seconds. Let's see if he can hold that up to the end.
14:41 CEST
Rabobank's Graeme Brown has been having a tough time of it in the Giro this year, and is a sprinter rather than a time trialer. So there were some raised eyebrows when he was given a time of only 1'22 down at the finish, especially since he had been more than 5 minutes down at one of the intermediate checks. But his time was later corrected to 8'56. He and some of the others may have to worry about the time limit today.
14:44 CEST
It is an interesting course that doesn't really favour anyone. Too hilly for the time trial specialists, too flat for the climbers, and a general torture for everyone else.
14:47 CEST
Martin has taken over the lead and not only breaks the one hour mark, but the 59 minute mark, too. He came in at 58'54, which is 1'15 faster than Ignatiev.
14:51 CEST
Here's a look at some of today's slowpokes. Brown is the last one, at 1'09.05 or “bringing up the cow's tail,” as our mom used to say (and probably still does). CN diarist Markus Eichler of Milram came in at 1'06.05
High Road's Bradley Wiggins rode a surprisingly slow 1'05.05, and amazingly enough his team-mate Mark Cavendish, who was hoping only to survive the time cut, came in at 1'04.33.
14:54 CEST
David Millar was second at the first intermediate time check, 23 seconds slower than Martin.
|
15:00 CEST
Who is going to take it all today? Astana's Andreas Klöden keeps popping up as the top favourite, but the names of his team-mates Levi Leipheimer and Alberto Contador are mentioned too. Of course, the Tour winner is handicapped by a broken bone in his elbow. Other favourites are High Road's Marco Pinotti, who is Italian national TT champ, and Paolo Savoldelli of LPR.
15:04 CEST
High Road has another national time trial champ on the Giro squad, Adam Hansen of Australia. The "Crocodile Man", who is writing a diary for Cyclingnews, finished 2'13 down and is currently seventh.
15:09 CEST
Cyclingnews' Gregor Brown is on the spot today at the race. It is a wet spot today, he reports, as they are having rain on and off.
15:20 CEST
Tony Martin, who just turned 23 last month, was the German U19 in 2003. He rode for the Continental Team Thüringer Energie for two years before joining turned High Road this year, and can claim a win already. He won the Hel van het Mergelland this spring, after a lengthy breakaway with team-mate Adam Hansen. But the question remains – can he sing as well as his famous namesake?
15:21 CEST
Vasili Kiryienka (Tinkoff Credit Systems) is passing Eros Capecchi (Saunier Duval - Scott) on the climb, but Capecchi is trying to hang on. Is that too close? Will he get fined?
15:23 CEST
Kiryienka found his next victim and passed Joan Horrach Rippoll (Caisse d'Epargne). The Belarusan is flying! Martin's time may be in danger.
|
15:27 CEST
McCartney did his best, but came in 19 seconds behind Martin, taking over second place.
15:29 CEST
The final 20 kilometres are very demanding. Gregor Brown drove the course behind Gerolsteiner's Thomas Fothen, who was caught by Dries Devenyns (Silence-Lotto) and Yuriy Krivtsov (AG2R La Mondiale), on the uphill section Monte di Colbordolo.
He reports that the fans and wind were present on the climbs. In the final five kilometres there was a strong wind from the riders' left. Although there is a light intermittent rain, the roads are dry.
15:31 CEST
Kiryienka was 10 seconds behind Martin at the second intermediate time check, which is at km 24 of a total of 39.
15:33 CEST
The vampires were busy this morning. Gregor Brown reports that there were 38 controls carried out this morning when the UCI visited teams High Road, Barloworld, AG2R, Française des Jeux and Cofidis. They were conducted between 7:20 and 8:30.
15:40 CEST
Daniele Bennati make his way up the cobblestones in the last km and comes in comfortably in 1'01.10. Gregor Brown tells us the cobbles aren't bad and shouldn't really be a factor.
Pinotti has just passed World Champ Paolo Bettini underway.
15:40 CEST
Denis Menchov has the bad luck that is has started raining again as he starts out.
|
15:43 CEST
We have post from Australia about Adam Hansen, and where he is from. "This is Adam's mum staying up again far too late watching the race in Cairns. Adam was born in Southport but he grew up in Cairns so you were not totally wrong. Great to see a photo of him doing the Giro ....I am so proud of him." We're sure you are, and you certainly should be!
Provisional standings
1 Tony Martin (Ger) Team High Road 58.54 (40.135 km/h) 2 Jason McCartney (USA) Team CSC 0.19 3 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 0.33 4 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2R La Mondiale 1.00 5 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 1.15 6 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 1.19 7 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 8 Francis De Greef (Bel) Silence - Lotto 1.32 9 Laurent Mangel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1.44 10 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank 1.45
15:46 CEST
Bettini hung on to Pinotti as long as he could, but the Italian TT Champ finally shook the Italian World Champ. The High Road rider set a new best time at the first time check, but that is still on the flat section. It is unlikely that he will be able to keep it up on those climbs.
15:48 CEST
Kiryienka is making it close at the end but it didn't work out. He finished in 59'04, which is ten seconds down. He lost a of time in those final climbs.
15:49 CEST
Gerolsteiner's Davide Rebellin is now underway, while Menchov fights with the wet conditions Levi Leipheimer of Astana was fifth at the first time check.
15:51 CEST
Andreas Klöden is on the course now. As we said, he is one of the heavy favourites today (although we find it very difficult to use the words "Andreas Klöden" and "heavy" in the same race. The German has become involved in a small controversy lately, saying he has been tested some 22 times this year, in comparison to other riders who have not been controlled nearly so often.
15:56 CEST
Leipheimer is plugging along in beautiful aerodynamic position with his body parallel to the bike frame.
Paolo Savoldelli of LPR is still upright on his bike as his takes off down the starting ramp. There are only 11 more riders to go.
15:57 CEST
Leipheimer just lost that aerodynamic form for a moment as he had to dodge around a motorcycle and gave it a dirty look. Ahead of him, Andreas Klöden is riding on what looks like a very wet road
16:02 CEST
Pinotti has set another best time at the second time check by 35 seconds! Perhaps this will be his day after all.
Klöden was five seconds down at the first time check. He can easily look to make that up in the latter part of the stage.
16:05 CEST
Christian Pfannberger of Barloworld fights his way up that final climb and finishes with a time of 1'00.22
16:07 CEST
Everyone talks of Klöden and Leipheimer and Contador but another Astana rider is doing well right now. Vladimir Gusev has set new best time at the second and third time checks, both times fastest by 35 seconds.
16:07 CEST
16:10 CEST
A mountain climber tries his hand at time trialing. Emanuele Selle, who wears the mountain climber's jersey, is now underway (avoiding the rain puddles).
16:11 CEST
Di Luca is underway! He ignores the puddles and splashes right through them. Only three to go now.
16:12 CEST
Andreas Klöden winds his way up a climb, the road of which is painted with "Pantani".
16:14 CEST
Gusev sets a new time, as he comes in at 58'48, eight seconds faster than Martin. He came in only seconds ahead of his team-mate Antonio Colom, who started two minutes ahead of him.
16:17 CEST
Young Matthias Russ of Gerolsteiner is on the course now. He is dearly hoping to pick up enough time today over Giovanni Visconti, who currently leads the race, to take over the Maglia Rosa.
16:21 CEST
It looks unlikely that Gusev will be able to hold on to that lead. Pinotti was leading him by over a minute at the third time check.
16:22 CEST
And Pinotti beat him soundly, breaking the 58 minute barrier, too. He finished at 57'17, which 1,29 faster that Gusev.
16:24 CEST
Contador is not having a good time of it today. But considering he is riding with a broken elbow, that can hardly be a surprise, Even he admitted, "That will be tough". He also has to be careful on those wet roads.
16:25 CEST
Klöden has now set a new best time at the second time check, ahead of Lampre's Bruseghin, who was in turn ahead of Pinotti.
16:28 CEST
Gilberto Simoni is also out there on the road. His name hasn't popped up so much this Giro, but he has ridden well enough to come into this stage in 21st position.
16:29 CEST
Andreas Klöden is about to overtake Davide Rebellin, who started just before him. No German has ever won the Giro. Will Klöden be the first one, and on his first try?
16:31 CEST
Silence Lotto's Jurgen Van Den Broeck has now moved into second position, 42 seconds down.
16:32 CEST
Simoni now passes Morris Possoni of High Road.
16:35 CEST
Denis Menchov put on a great performance and came in only 10 seconds slower than Pinotti, which puts him in 2d place for the moment.
Levi Leipheimer grimaces his way up the final climb and come in at 57,42, giving him third place.
16:36 CEST
Simoni finishes in a time of 57'42, one second behind Leipheimer and 26 seconds behind Pinotti.
16:38 CEST
Bruseghin powers his way up that final curvy cobble climb and takes the lead with a time of 56'41, 36 seconds faster than Pinotti
16:40 CEST
We have been asked what happened to David Millar. He finished in 1'04.53, which currently puts him 133d on the day.
16:41 CEST
Visconti, as the last man on the course, has to be thinking of Russ and wondering just how good the German is.
16:42 CEST
Klöden carefully makes his way around a traffic circle. He doesn't want to endanger a possible stage win. Besides which, he has had more than his share of nasty crashes and injuries in his career.
16:46 CEST
Klöden is now on that final climb, but it doesn't look like he will be able to crack Bruseghin's time.
16:47 CEST
It is second place for Klöden, 57'01, which is 2 seconds slower.
Still underway are 15 riders. Unlikely that any of them will take the lead on the day.
16:49 CEST
Gustav Erik Larsson, Swedish TT Champ takes over fourth place, 59 seconds slower than the leader.
16:50 CEST
Di Luca breathes hard as he goes up a climb. Perhaps he would be more aerodynamic if he had shaved this morning...
16:51 CEST
Did we say that no one would set a new best time? Contador just went through the second time check 10 seconds faster than anyone else.
16:53 CEST
Savoldelli was a favourite coming into the stage. The two-time Giro winner finishes the stage 44 seconds slower than Bruseghin. He would have been a lot faster if he hadn't dropped his chain on the final climb!
16:55 CEST
Still on the course are Visconti, Russ, Di Luca, Sella, Riccň, Cárdenas, Contador, Pellizotti, Nibali, and Nicki Sorensen.
16:56 CEST
The cobbles are wet as Nibali and Sorensen fight their way up to the finish line. The Italian finishes in 57'35.
16:59 CEST
Russ can bury his hopes of taking over the leader's jersey. Visconti has him in his sights, having eaten up much of the two minutes difference in the starting times.
17:00 CEST
Contador slips and slides his way up to the finish line, passing Pellizotti on the final climb. The Spaniard moves into second place, eight seconds back, at 56'49. Wasn't there something about a broken elbow that would handicap him today....
17:01 CEST
It's over for Russ, as Visconti whizzes right past him.
17:05 CEST
Contador and Menchov have to be the winners of the day. Menchov was impressive and usually just gets stronger as the race goes along. Contador picked up a lot of time against his rivals for the overall title. Is this the final decision in the Astana captain debate, or will the elbow affect the Spaniard's climbing abilities?
17:06 CEST
Riccardo Riccň has just finished with a time of 58'45, which is over two minutes slower than the winner.
17:08 CEST
Danilo Di Luca nears the final climb. He won't be a threat for the stage win but will look to limit his losses in the overall.
The last man on the road will be Russ, who is winding his lonely way, no doubt seriously depressed at having being passed by Visconti.
17:11 CEST
Selle the climber goes up the final climb. His time shows that he is a climber and not a time trialist. Not far behind him is Di Luca, who finishes behind Riccň, at 58'50.
Only three riders left, and here comes one of them. Gabriele Bosisio of Lampre He just misses a top ten finish.
That leaves Visconti and Russ.
17:15 CEST
Visconti goes up the final climb in the rain. Looks like he won't get a top ten today -- nope, he is twelfth.
17:16 CEST
Russ is not so far behind and comes up the hill now. He won't even make the top fifty. His time is 1'00.43, which is over four minutes down.
17:18 CEST
That was it for today. Tomorrow the riders can look forward to a mountain stage. But tonight Bruseghin can celebrate a further Giro time trial win, and Visconti can hold on to his Maglia Rosa for at least one more day.
Provisional standings
1 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre 56.41 (41.705) 2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 56.49 3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 57.01 4 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team High Road 57.17 5 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) LPR Brakes 57.25 6 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 57.27 7 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 57.35 8 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team CSC 57.40 9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 57.42 10 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC 57.43 Intermediate times Check 3 - km 32.2 1 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 46.55 2 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre 46.05 3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 46.05 4 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team High Road 46.25 5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 46.28 6 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) LPR Brakes 46.33 7 Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) LPR Brakes 46.40 8 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step 46.42 9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 46.47 10 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC 46.47 Check 2 - km 23.5 1 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 33.01 2 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre 0.08 3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0.12 4 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team High Road 0.16 5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0.18 6 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) LPR Brakes 0.24 7 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team CSC 0.35 8 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC 0.39 9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.42 10 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 0.44 Check 1 - km 9.6 1 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team High Road 11.32 2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 0.02 3 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0.03 4 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0.04 5 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 0.05 6 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0.06 7 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step 0.08 8 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Astana 9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.09 10 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team CSC
