De Gendt wins Giro d'Italia penultimate stage atop the Stelvio
Rodriguez keeps pink jersey
Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) took the biggest victory of his career, winning atop the Stelvio on the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia with a superb display. Damiano Cunego of Lampre took second place and third went to Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
The maglia rosa stayed with Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) who crossed the finish line over three minutes later, and he managed to make good the thirteen seconds he had lost to Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) the previous day.
“I did not expect that,” De Gendt, 25, said. “I attacked on the Mortirolo, because the descents is very dangerous. All the pieces came together. Carrara was was still in the lead. He helped me a lot."
“And I know the Stelvio very well. I have trained there for six years. I've climbed it 20 or 30 times. It's very nice to win on my mountain."
The five brutal climbs did their job in separating the wheat from the chaff, but there were no decisive moves by the favourites until the final climb. They stuck together virtually the whole way, with Ivan Basso (Liquigas) losing contact only in the final kilometres.
De Gendt didn't make the podium, but moved up from eighth to fourth, pushing Basso down to fifth place. Hesjedal defended his second place, and good chances of taking the overall title in Sunday's time trial. He owed much of today's accomplishments to the good work of Christian Vande Velde, who was ordered back out of the lead group and subsequently pulled Hesjedal – and the rest of the favourites – up much of Stelvio. Michele Scarponi again showed he was stronger than Basso, who fell back on the final climb.
Things got off to an early start for the race's queen stage, over five climbs. The peloton was still together as it started up the first of the day's climbs, the category 3 Passo del Tonale. It may have been only category 3 but it was still enough for tired non-climbers to start dropping off the back.
The break of the day finally got away on the climb: Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Barracuda), Roman Kreuziger (Astana), Damiano Caruso (Liquigas), Jose Serpa (Androni Giocattoli), Branislaw Samoilau (Movistar), Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack), Marco Carrara (Vacansoleil-DCM), Mathias Frank (BMC), Matteo Bono (Lampre), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), Tom Slagter (Rabobank), and Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini).
The Passo del Tonale was also the end of the race for four riders. Robert Hunter (Garmin-Barracuda), Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), Dominique Rollin (FDJ-Big Mat) and Ivan Velasco (Euskaltel-Euskadi) were all disqualified by the race jury for hanging on to team cars, and removed from the race.
The gap jumped to six minutes after the second climb, but dropped to about three and half minutes as the lead group started up the Mortirolo.
The grueling grind up the Mortirolo with an average gradient of 10.4% and a maximum of 21%, took its toll, blasting apart the lead group. Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack-Nissan) and Matteo Carrara (Vacansoleil) were the last men standing only 4km up the brutal climb. Behind them, the peloton also fell apart, with Lampre leading the way, perhaps in hope of helping Michele Scarponi move up in the overall standings.
Caruso moved up to the front, as Carrara weakened. Vande Velde and Serpa joined forces with Carrara on the chase. Even the climbers suffered. King of the Mountains Rabottini fell out of the lead group on the climb and was soon absorbed back in the peloton.
Vande Velde and Serpa dropped Carrara and were able to join Caruso and Zaugg in the lead up the climb. Amador was also able to move up to the leaders, making it a quintet in the lead. Zaugg took off from his companions as they neared the top. He really took off as he hit a flat-to-descending section near the top.
Even the 22% gradient near the top didn't significantly slow down Zaugg, and he made his way through the screaming throngs to the top.
Vande Velde fell back on the descent, and the favourites' group got larger again. Thomas De Gendt had jumped earlier, and more and more riders jumped to join him, with Carrara leading the way for him, Nieve Cunego and Losada.
With about 40km to go – and the Stelvio looming nearer – the favourites' group seemed to call a cease fire, slowing down for a break, as riders further behind them on GC taking their chances and jumping out. Zaugg's gap skyrocketed to nearly six minutes.
Eventually a six-man group formed to chase Zaugg, with riders from the former lead group and those who had managed to move up. All the gaps slowly came down again.
With 30.4km to go, the six caught and swallowed up Zaugg. Vande Velde had evidently been called back and was now supporting captain Hesjedal. The field, by now fairly large again, took advantage of the short flat section between the final two climbs to cut the gap.
The leading group took a four-minute gap as they started up the Stelvio. Zaugg paid for his earlier efforts and was no longer able to stay with the others.
With some 16.5km of climbing left, De Gendt jumped, followed by Nieve. Cunego struggled to remain in sight of the duo, while Amador and Kangert disappeared from view.
Vande Velde ground things away at the head of the maglia rosa group, holding the pace high enough to bring the group down to15 riders or so. Cunego clawed his way back to the two leaders, catching them with about 13km to go.
But almost immediately De Gendt attacked again, and the other two couldn't go with him. With jis jersey wide open and flapping, he seemed to have an easy time going up the climb, and in fact the gap to the maglia rosa group grew again, to over four minutes. And with every meter, he moved his way up in the rankings. In fact, he was getting dangerously close to knocking Hesjedal out of second place, and the gap was 5:05 as the favourites crossed under the 10km banner.
Vande Velde finally fell back, after having done countless kilometres of lead work. Meanwhile the riders passed the first snow fields along the way. With about 5km to go, the maglia rosa group took a look around to sum up the situation. Hesjedal moved to the front of the group, looking for, but not getting, help from the others.
De Gendt was obviously suffering as he hit the 3km marker, but over five minutes behind him, the maglia rosa group wasn't doing much better. Basso dropped off, and soon only Hesjedal, Rodriguez and Scarponi were together.
The Belgian crossed the finish line after a day's ride of nearly six hours, but barely able to celebrate his win. Cunego crossed the finish line 55 seconds later, and Nivel came in for third at 2:50
Scarponi, Rodriguez and Hesjedal gave gas at the end, and were able to cut the gap to reasonable poportsion. Rodriguez came in at 3:22 and Hesjedal at 3:35.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 6:54:41 |
2 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:00:56 |
3 | Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 0:02:50 |
4 | Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:03:22 |
5 | Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:03:34 |
6 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:03:36 |
7 | John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:04:29 |
8 | Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling | 0:04:53 |
9 | Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling | 0:04:55 |
10 | Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | 0:05:39 |
12 | Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:05:53 |
13 | Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan | 0:07:58 |
14 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | 0:08:32 |
15 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | 0:09:10 |
16 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:09:17 |
17 | Johann Tschopp (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:09:38 |
18 | Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:11:00 |
19 | Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Movistar Team | 0:11:35 |
21 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan | 0:12:06 |
22 | Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 0:13:16 |
23 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team | 0:14:04 |
24 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:16:18 |
26 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 0:16:24 |
27 | Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni Giocattoli | 0:16:27 |
28 | Thomas Rohregger (Aut) RadioShack-Nissan | 0:16:39 |
29 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:17:02 |
30 | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling | 0:17:46 |
31 | Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:18:11 |
32 | Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale | 0:19:34 |
33 | Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:20:09 |
35 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:20:42 |
36 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 0:21:27 |
37 | Jon Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:22:05 |
39 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:22:17 |
40 | Oliver Zaugg (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan | 0:22:50 |
41 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:25:55 |
42 | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | 0:28:23 |
44 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:30:53 |
45 | Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Androni Giocattoli | 0:35:39 |
46 | Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:36:08 |
47 | Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team | 0:36:31 |
48 | Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:36:37 |
49 | Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - ISD | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:36:43 |
52 | Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:37:51 |
54 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:39:21 |
55 | Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:39:30 |
57 | Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Branislau Samoilau (Blr) Movistar Team | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISD | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Victor Cabedo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | 0:39:41 |
81 | Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin - Barracuda | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Jan Barta (Cze) Team NetApp | 0:39:56 |
83 | Francesco Failli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | 0:39:59 |
84 | Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha Team | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:40:14 |
86 | Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Astana Pro Team | 0:40:21 |
87 | Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 0:40:29 |
89 | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo Bank | 0:46:00 |
90 | Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team Saxo Bank | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Emanuele Sella (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadioShack-Nissan | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Angelo Pagani (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Nelson Oliveira (Por) RadioShack-Nissan | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team NetApp | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Adrian Saez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Garmin - Barracuda | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
129 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
134 | Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
135 | Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team NetApp | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
136 | Miguel Minguez Ayala (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
137 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
138 | Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
139 | Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team NetApp | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
140 | Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
141 | Matthias Brandle (Aut) Team NetApp | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
142 | Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
143 | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
144 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
145 | Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
146 | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
147 | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
148 | Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | Row 147 - Cell 2 |
149 | Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team | 0:46:40 |
150 | Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:46:45 |
151 | Marco Coledan (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
152 | Andreas Dietziker (Swi) Team NetApp | 0:46:59 |
153 | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:47:06 |
154 | Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
155 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team | 0:47:13 |
156 | Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | 0:47:18 |
157 | Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:47:49 |
DNF | Timon Seubert (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 157 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jack Bobridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 158 - Cell 2 |
DSQ | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 159 - Cell 2 |
DSQ | Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Barracuda | Row 160 - Cell 2 |
DSQ | Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat |