Cycling: After nine second places at the Giro d'Italia, Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) almost celebrated his first victory of the day on Sunday. The Italian looked like the winner of the final stage ahead of Germany's Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin) and Matteo Trentin (Etixx-Quick Step). However, Nizzolo was later distanced from the jury because he had left his driving line and obstructed the other drivers. Thus, Nikias Arndt was declared the stage winner - already the fourth German in this Giro at the top of the daily podium. The Maglia Rossa and thus the overall victory was secured for the second time in his career by Vincenzi Nibali (Astana). The overall podium is completed by Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) and Alejandro Valverde. Mikel Nieve (Sky) celebrates his victory in the mountains classification, the sprint classification goes to Daniel Oss (BMC) and Bob Jungels (Etixx-Quick Step) is honored as the best young professional. Arndt's second place can be classified as a successful conclusion for the Germans. With two stage wins by Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step), three by André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) and one by Roger Kluge (IAM), they are the second most successful nation behind the Italian hosts.
Dutch duo tries pair time trial
The final stage today led over 163 km from Cuneo to Turin, with the riders having to cross the finish line for the first time after 103 km. After eight finish passages, the 7,5 km long loop was the last time. Except for an approximately 800 m long ascent with an incline of up to 8% right at the beginning of the circuit, this was a fairly flat profile. A good opportunity for all non-German sprinters to still win a stage. The breakaways also saw their chance, because last year the Belgian Iljo Keisse from the Etixx-Quick Step team proved that a final stage does not necessarily belong to the sprinters. With this hope in their luggage, a duo from Team Lotto-NL Jumbo made off with 68 km to go. Maarten Tjallingii and Jos van Emden tried their luck as in the pair time trial. The two were able to extend their lead to over a minute, but the peloton didn't give them much more time. Behind them, a small group of pursuers formed briefly around Simon Clarke (Cannondale), Gianluca Brambilla (Etixx-Quick Step), Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Manuele Boaro (Tinkoff) and Eugert Zhupa (Wilier Triestina-Southeast), but they also closed the gap could not close and a few kilometers later they were caught again by the field.
Nizzolo gets the Maglia Rossa, Arndt gets the day's win and Nibali the Maglia Rosa
Meanwhile, Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) won the first sprint ranking and was almost unassailable in the fight for the Maglia Rossa. After a few falls, the jury then decided to take the time now. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) was thus already the winner of the Giro. Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) and Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale) fell, among others. As expected, the leading duo was caught up in the final kilometers and the remaining sprinter teams prepared for the mass sprint. Several attacks caused confusion, and Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani-CSF) even had a fall, who drove too close to the spectators and caught a fan. Due to the early timing, the field had already shrunk to a good two dozen riders. Sean De Bie (Lotto Soudal) attacked and Eduard-Michael Grosu (Nippo-Vini Fantini) followed, but both were oversprinted in the final meters. Giacomo Nizzolo finally got his first win at the Giro d'Italia after finishing second countless times. In addition, he secured the overall victory in the points classification for the second time in his career. Due to the neutralization, Nibali finished a few minutes later with his teammates and celebrated the second overall victory at the Giro d'Italia together with them. This ends one of the most exciting tours in recent years. Three different wearers of the leader's jersey on the last three stages and less than two minutes separate the top four in the overall standings.
Final result Giro d'Italia 2016 stage #21
Tour Locations | Driver | Country | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | James Nizzolo | ITA | Trek-Segafredo | 03:48:18 |
2 | Nickias Arndt | GER | Team Giant Alpecin | |
3 | Matteo Trentin | ITA | Etixx - Quick Step | |
4 | Sacha Modolo | ITA | Lampre-Merida | |
5 | Alexander Porsev | RUS | Katusha | |
6 | Sean De Bie | BEL | Lotto Soudal | |
7 | Ivan Savitsky | RUS | Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
8 | Rick Zabel | GER | BMC | |
9 | Edward Michael Grosu | ROM | Nippo-Vini Fantini | |
10 | Jay McCarthy | AUS | Tinkoff |
General classification Giro d'Italia 2016
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 |
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