Giro d'Italia stage 14: Alberto Contador storms back into race lead

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Team Sky claimed their second stage victory of the Giro d’Italia in the Valdobbiadene time trial, although it came from a slightly unexpected source as Vasil Kiryienka upset the favourites to top the leaderboard. The rider from Belarus was quickest at both of the intermediate checkpoints and recorded a time of 1:17:52 for the 59.2km course, 12 seconds ahead of Astana’s Luis León Sánchez, with Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) third at 14 seconds.

All the GC contenders were affected by a late shift in the wind, which didn’t favour them anywhere near as much as it had done the earlier starters. Contador was the only one of the big hitters to finish in the top 10, which enabled him to regain the maglia rosa just a day after losing it to Astana’s Fabio Aru. The Spaniard was 2:47 minutes faster than the Italian, which gives Contador an overall lead of 2:28 on Aru. Movistar’s Andrey Amador has tiptoed his way into third at 3:36.

“This is a special victory. I’m good in time trials but I’ve not had a big victory in one for a while,” Kiryienka said. “That was a long and difficult wait for Alberto Contador and the maglia rosa to finish. It’s turned out to be a very nice day for me today, I’ve been a bit lucky perhaps.”

Asked about Sky team leader Richie Porte, who had another disappointing day, finishing more than four minute’s down on his teammate, Kiryienka said: “Richie’s not been very lucky in this race. It looked like the profile would suit him today, but we will keep fighting with all we have and keep looking for stage wins.

“The team said we were going to win the TT today... but they didn’t say who with. Dave Brailsford said to me at breakfast today that I would have a chance.”

Contador said he was very happy to be back in the maglia rosa, but admitted, “My legs are killing me. The result is a big surprise for me. I gave it all I had, and paced myself carefully all the way. The change in the wind made things much more difficult.”

Although pleased and perhaps a little surprised with the lead he now has, Contador insisted the race is far from over. “I have to keep my head. There is still a lot of this Giro ahead of us. Today has been a good day for us, but you still have to take it day by day.”

Typically, Tinkoff-Saxo boss Oleg Tinkov was much more bullish. “I’m sure Alberto would have won the time trial if it hadn’t been for the wind changing direction, so for me seeing him back in the maglia rosa is no surprise. He is the strongest rider here.”

Tinkov said he’d “almost had a heart attack” when he saw Contador crash and lose the race lead in yesterday’s stage. “Now he’s regained it, it’s very emotional. But we know the Astana riders are now going to have to attack us. Alberto could just defend his jersey, but we all know he will attack as well,” said the Russian.

Kiryienka was on course to set the fastest time throughout his ride. The Sky man knocked Patrick Gretsch out of the top spot when he finished 23 seconds faster than the Ag2r-La Mondiale rider, who eventually claimed fourth place. As Kiryienka finished, Porte was in the early stages of his TT.

He came through the first checkpoint 1:57 down on his teammate, which suggested that the knock he received to his knee in yesterday’s mass crash was hampering him. Soon, though, it became clear that all of the late starters were running well off Kiryienka’s pace as the wind turned and rain continued to soak the course.

Rigoberto Urán (Etixx-QuickStep) was 2:10 down at that first check, with Amador running only slightly quicker. Contador went through that mark 1:06 down on Kiryienka’s fastest time at that mark. Crucially, though, as far as the GC was concerned, the Spaniard was already 48 seconds up on Aru.

Before the second check, Contador passed his three-minute man, Astana’s Mikel Landa, and beyond it the Spaniard began to make significant inroads into Kiryienka’s lead. Contador looked particularly strong on the undulations towards the finish. Dancing on the pedals in his usual fashion, he was visibly faster than the labouring Aru.

The Sardinian and his team will aim to strike back, probably as soon as Sunday’s stage to Madonna di Campiglio. But the pendulum has swung back significantly towards Contador, who is now the clear favourite for victory in Milan next weekend.

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