Cycling: Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) will be able to win one of the most exciting Giro d'Italia ever. The Italian distanced himself from Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) with a firework of attacks and took the Maglia Rosa from him on the penultimate day of the tour. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), meanwhile, was able to knock Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto-NL Jumbo) off the podium and Mikel Nieve (Sky) drove Damiamo Cunego (Nippo-Vini Fantini) out of the mountain jersey. Rein Taaramäe's (Katusha) stage win was almost lost in this exciting battle for the ratings. The Estonian broke away from a leading group on the penultimate climb and was able to celebrate his second victory in a Grand Tour as a soloist at the finish.
Cunego was too weak on the mountain
After the fight for the pink jersey was reignited yesterday, the 20th stage was the day to decide. With three mountains of the 1st category and the final ascent of the 3rd category, one can confidently speak of an extremely tough mountain stage. But in addition to the overall classification, the blue mountain jersey was also at stake due to the many points to be awarded. The early attacks in the race were mostly for that rating, forcing Damiano Cunego (Nippo-Vini Fantini) to join the group as well. He was able to do this at first, but was no longer able to keep up the pace up to the Col de Vars. However, since his four biggest competitors, Mikel Nieve (Sky), Stefan Denifl (IAM), Darwin Atapuma (BMC) and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) were represented in the eleven-man lead group, old master Cunego was able to dream of overall victory in the mountains classification early on knock out of the head.
Nieve wins the mountain jersey 2016
The Austrian Denifl won the first climb of the day, but on the second climb up to the Col de la Bonette, Nieve attacked and was able to break away from the leading group. The Spaniard saw the chance for the mountain jersey. By winning the second mountain classification of the day, he overtook Cunego. At the summit, Nieve was 1:09 minutes ahead of a group of six pursuers and 10:17 minutes ahead of the peloton, but to save energy he let his first pursuers catch up with him again on the descent. Thus, eight riders were at the front of the race: Mikel Nieve (Sky), Alexander Foliforov (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Gianluca Brambilla (Etixx-Quick Step), Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Tanel Kangert (Astana), Joseph Dombrowski (Cannondale). ), Darwin Atapuma (BMC) and Rein Taaramäe (Katusha). Since only 42 points were still up for grabs in the mountains classification and Nieve's only rivals, Denifl and Cunego, were not in the lead, Nieve was able to celebrate overall victory in the mountains classification early.
Stage win for Taaramäe
Meanwhile, the favorites in the main draw were watching each other. Apart from two minor speed increases by Movistar for Alejandro Valverde and by Tinkoff for Rafal Majka, there was no action worth mentioning on the first two climbs. This was to change going up to the Colle della Lombarda, where at the summit the riders not only crossed the border between France and Italy, but were also just 10,3km from the finish. Dombrowski, Atapuma and Visconti initially broke away from the leading group, but Kangert and Taaramäe were able to reestablish contact. Before the summit, Kangert then had to wait for captain Vincenzo Nibali (Astana). Meanwhile, Taaramäe pulled away and was able to successfully defend his lead on the descent and the final climb. The Estonian won his second Grand Tour race after a stage at the Vuelta in 2011. Atapuma followed 52 seconds back, followed by Dombrowski with 1:17 minutes.
Nibali with a firework of attacks
Nibali opened fire with a first attack up Colle della Lombarda. The Italian had 44 seconds to catch up on overall leader Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge), who immediately jumped onto the rear wheel and showed no weaknesses. The other classification drivers also followed them. Michele Scarponi (Astana) led the group of favorites a few more kilometers towards the summit before Nibali attacked again. Valverde and Chaves were initially able to follow, but had to let Nibalis tear away when he attacked again. While Valverde battled Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto-NL Jumbo) for third place, Chaves tried not to let the gap to Nibali grow to the threatening 44 seconds. Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale) joined the two and tried to set the pace for his Colombian compatriot Chaves, but the latter was unable to follow and not only lost touch with Valverde, but flew back into the group just before the mountains classification Majka and Kruijswijk back. The time confirmed the assumption: with the help of Kangert, Nibali has already reached the Chaves group for a minute and thus dressed himself virtually in pink.
Nibali's second Giro win is imminent
Images from the finish area were repeatedly broadcast live on television, showing Astana manager Alexander Vinokourov jubilantly with his fist on the one hand, and Esteban Chaves' sad parents on the other. Nibali finally finished 6:44 minutes behind the day's winner Taaramäe, with Valverde and Uran just 12 seconds behind. Nibali slacked off a bit in the last few kilometers but Chaves completely collapsed. He was even distanced by Majka and ended up losing 1:36 minutes to Nibali. The Italian will be able to win the Italian national tour for the second time after 2013. In the finish area, Nibali and Chaves' mother hugged each other, Astana cheered enthusiastically as Chaves rolled across the finish line, completely exhausted.
Final result Giro d'Italia stage #20
Tour Locations | Driver | Country | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Queen Taaramae | EST | Katusha | 04:22:43 |
2 | Darwin Atapuma | COL | BMC | 00:00:52 |
3 | Joe Dombrowski | USA | Cannondale | 00:01:17 |
4 | Mikel Nieve | ESP | TeamSky | 00:04:12 |
5 | Alexander Foliforov | RUS | Gazprom-Rusvelo | 00:04:36 |
6 | Vincenzo Nibali | ITA | Astana | 00:06:44 |
7 | Alejandro Valverde | ESP | Movistar Team | 00:06:57 |
8 | Rigoberto Urán | COL | Cannondale | |
9 | Giovanni Visconti | ITA | Movistar | 00:07:47 |
10 | Rafal Mayka | POL | Tinkoff | 00:08:06 |
Appreciation Giro d'Italia
Driver | Country | Team | Time | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Vincenzo Nibali | ITA | Astana | 86:32:49 |
2. | Stephen Chaves | COL | Orica GreenEDGE | 00:00:52 |
3. | Alejandro Valverde | ESP | Movistar | 00:01:17 |
4. | Steven Krujswijk | NED | LottoNL Jumbo | 00:01:50 |
5. | Rafal Mayka | POL | Tinkoff | 00:04:37 |
6. | Bob jungels | LUX | Etixx - Quick Step | 00:08:31 |
7. | Rigoberto Urán | COL | Cannondale | 00:11:47 |
8. | Andrew Amador | COL | Movistar | 00:13:21 |
9. | Darwin Atapuma | COL | BMC | 00:14:09 |
10. | Constantsin Siutsou | BLR | Cannondale | 00:16:20 |
Leave a Comment