The really tough long stage to Chieti today. Not a lot of bonuses bar the big category 1 climb to Sekka Di Corno and the sprint in L’Aquila. It is going to be the very tough parcours at the end today which could go a long way towards deciding the race. After some frankly tame racing on the earlier hill stages this on e will need to be aggressive.
Frank Schleck showed the biggest move from a Pre race favourite, though you fancy Cunego will look to hit back on this super long stage.
It is the sort of day also for a break to get a big lead and here are the six riders who are going to be our break of the day.
Passalacqua, Kinney, Wallays, Haas, Reckweg and Bol. Haas is quite well placed on GC just 1.34 behind race leader Schleck. None of the riders are a threat in the King of the Mountains however there are points right down to seventh on the 1st cat climb so it should be interesting to see who goes for it from the bunch.
Coming into the climb proper the break has a lead of approaching 9 minutes. They do still have a massive 160km left, but for now Haas is a big virtual leader.
The pack are becalmed led currently by Pendletons.
Wallays is the only rider to go for the mountains points moving himself up to the group of riders on 19 KoM points.
Van den Hugenhaben goes for the 2 point bonus for the seventh place, denying Albasini.
Behind Rabon uses the climb as an excuse to go on attack, a Milka fan (or is it Roman?) is pleased to see the move.
Haas decides to sprint for the sprint prime to nudge himself forward on GC.
The break now have 130km left and a ten minute lead, However it is now starting to reduce. Schleck has Hofland, Claerebont, Kirsch, Jungals and Koep working on the front to steadily reduce the gap.
The sprinters begin to form an Autobus with 110km to go, Boonen and Van Heerden gratefully join it.
75km to go the gap is down to five minutes and 30 seconds as we once again examine the battleground.
It’s that final double climb where you’d expect the big moves to be made. Though an early move could come on the long climb or the two short climbs following that from someone.
The break have lost their momentum and indeed lose one of their number in Reckweg before we even begin that long climb.
Wiggle’s stylish jerseys of Pavarin, Caruso and Rabottini comes to the front along with a Pearl Adidas rider Kangert. Vesuvio now have Paterski and Skujins up there so it is the time of the super domestiques.
40km to go for our lead five and their lead is down to just two minutes.
Wiggle are helping the Vesuvio super doms do the damage as the pack is down to about 90 riders.
Here we go the medium range attackers are starting their foreys, led by Bobridge and Rabon. van den Hugenhaben and Nibali try to join in this highly unlikely venture.
Wiggle just crush it immiediately. But UBS play another card with Albasini as Reckweg is pulled in.
Aggresive riding from UBS here as Nibali drags his recent companions, Bobridge, Rabon, Van den Hugenhaben and Tamouridis (Festina) onto the attack.
Pavarin and Rabottini are more than equal to the task of chasing this.
Up front the break is still clear just with Wallays now leading alone just ahead of Bol.
They move onto those first double climbs Wallays has about 80 seconds on the pack who are waiting by the looks.
25km out as the rest of the break is about to be mopped up TvG makes a move.
Looks like we are going to get more action here.
Van den Hugenhaben counters.
As Vesuvio look to control through Paterski and Skujins some more big names go on the offensive following Ponzi.
Claeys, Hagen, Sagan and Gilbert are following Ponzi here.
This small group have not gotten away but it is forcing a selection.
There is a few riders missing here mainly the decent seconds of some of these names - Pozzovivo not making it is a blow to Vespa's team hopes.
They move onto the second of this first section of double climbs catching and dropping Wallays. Olympic champion Pozzato forces himself onto the attack.
He forces a 30 second advantage as Kinney, Bewley, Franzoi, Haas and Samoilev are dropped.
Pozzato’s lead goes up to 45 seconds as the favourites start to look around. Hagen pushes on at the front as Schleck is now in his attack zone you feel..
Some riders do not want to wait for the big double climb showdown as Nibali attacks with Sagan, Bobridge and Di Maggio.
Shushemoin, Skujins and Wallays are dropped as Ponzi, Bakelants, Gilbert and Schleck set the pace. They catch the latest break, but Pozzato remains ahead.
So far we have seen nothing of Cunego, but now even he starts working as Pozzato’s lead evaporates. Bakelants, Cunego, TvG, Gilbert, Schleck, Hagen, Di Maggio, Ginanni, Ulissi, Ponzi ... They are all there.
The lesser climbers are dropping off Rabon, Burghardt, Oss, Vanendert, Rabottini, Guldhammer, Bobridge, Albasini, Pavarin.
Pozzato is caught near the top of the first climb, Nibali looks to launch an attack immediately.
Vesuvio just power through.
Bakelants goes... Nibali follows on the descent
It's a narrow road for the finale.
Into last two kilometres and Bakelants is leading it out but he and Nibali have been caught by Schleck.
DI Maggio attacks.
Schleck, Cunego and Bakelants try to follow.
Schleck overhauls Di Maggio.
Bakelants and Cunego are right there.
700m left.
Ponzi and TvG chase Di Maggio.
300m left.
Bakelants may just be ahead.
Schleck will keep GC lead but is losing the day.
BAKELANTS!
Di Maggio is 4th, Ponzi 5th, Hagen 6th, Claeys, TVG, Gilbert, Ullisi, Ginnani.
Stage result
The last climb suited the punchy climbers but again some reasonable clumps of same time riders.
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
6h30'15
2
Damiano Cunego
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
3
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
4
Cesare Di Maggio
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 18
5
Simone Ponzi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
6
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
7
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
8
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
s.t.
9
Philippe Gilbert
Pendleton's
s.t.
10
Diego Ulissi
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
11
Francesco Ginanni
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
12
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 28'04
107
Claudio Corioni
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
108
Kevin Van Impe
Pokerstars.com
+ 29'33
109
Taylor Tolleson
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
110
Jocelyn Bar
Team Puma - SAP
+ 30'03
111
Thomas Vedel Kvist
Team Puma - SAP
+ 30'26
112
Timothy Vangheel
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
113
Kiel Reijnen
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
114
Kevin Ista
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
115
Anders Lund
Aker - MOT
s.t.
116
Sean Downey
Pendleton's
s.t.
117
Oumaru Minoungou
Pendleton's
s.t.
118
Jackson RodrÃguez
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
119
Edoardo Girardi
UBS - BMC
s.t.
120
Alfredo Balloni
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 31'01
121
Frederik Nolf
Pokerstars.com
+ 33'39
122
Tom Boonen
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
123
Matej Vysna
Milka - AVG
s.t.
124
Artemio Moschella
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
125
Nick Ingels
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
126
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
Milka - AVG
s.t.
127
Welle Jallays
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
128
Gediminas Bagdonas
Team Bacardi
s.t.
129
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Koenigsegg
s.t.
130
Max Öste-Macdonald
Koenigsegg
s.t.
131
Martin Mortensen
Koenigsegg
s.t.
132
Andzs Flaksis
Wikipedia
s.t.
133
Evert Verbist
Milka - AVG
s.t.
134
Daniele Bennati
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
135
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
136
Michael Vanderaerden
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
137
Rinaldo Nocentini
Control Team
s.t.
138
Juan Van Heerden
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
139
Sonny Colbrelli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
140
Danilo Wyss
UBS - BMC
+ 34'30
141
Cristian Cominelli
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
142
Chris Opie
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
143
Wladimir Gustov
Control Team
s.t.
144
Marco Brus
Festina-Canal+
+ 39'47
145
Davide Cimolai
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 41'12
146
Kristian Sobota
Team B&O
+ 45'35
147
Erik Mohs
Pokerstars.com
+ 47'33
148
Wim De Vocht
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
149
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Team B&O
+ 49'02
150
Casper Jørgensen
Team B&O
s.t.
GC
The key thing here is that Schleck holds more than 20 seconds lead, he just has to hold Bakelants's wheel. Cunego really needs to manafacture a gap. Hagen leads a group of same timers and as he is sprinting on flat stages must have a decent countback lead.
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
26h05'29
2
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
+ 21
3
Damiano Cunego
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 37
4
Simone Ponzi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 55
5
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
+ 1'07
6
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
s.t.
7
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
8
Francesco Ginanni
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
9
Cesare Di Maggio
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
10
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 1'30
11
Diego Ulissi
Festina-Canal+
+ 1'38
12
Robin van der Hugenhaben
Koenigsegg
s.t.
13
Philippe Gilbert
Pendleton's
s.t.
14
Tanel Kangert
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
15
Peter Sagan
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 1'52
16
Damiano Caruso
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 2'00
17
Jelle Vanendert
Project 1t4i
+ 2'01
18
Matteo Rabottini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 2'22
19
Vincenzo Nibali
UBS - BMC
+ 2'27
20
Michael Albasini
UBS - BMC
+ 2'36
21
Marcello Pavarin
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 2'38
22
Rasmus Guldhammer
Team B&O
s.t.
23
Maciej Paterski
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 2'46
24
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
+ 2'49
25
Frantisek Rabon
Milka - AVG
+ 6'57
26
Marcus Burghardt
Team Bacardi
+ 7'10
27
Daniel Oss
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 8'01
28
Toms Skujins
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 8'42
29
Domenico Pozzovivo
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 8'53
30
Alexandre Shushemoin
Aker - MOT
+ 9'46
31
Jay McCarthy
Wikipedia
+ 11'12
32
Dario Cataldo
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 11'50
33
Sam Bewley
Milka - AVG
+ 11'52
34
Jelle Wallays
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
35
Nathan Haas
Aker - MOT
+ 12'24
36
Ioannis Tamouridis
Festina-Canal+
+ 12'30
37
Vegard Robinson Bugge
Aker - MOT
s.t.
38
Branislav Samoilev
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
39
Matthias Krizek
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
40
Nebojsa Jovanovic
Pendleton's
s.t.
41
Arnold Jeannesson
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
42
Mickaël Delage
Team Puma - SAP
+ 13'16
43
Matteo Montaguti
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
44
Gabriele Bosisio
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 13'34
45
Chiaffredo Grippo
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 16'21
46
Salvatore Mancuso
Team Bacardi
+ 17'19
47
Mauro Facci
Simply Red Bull
+ 18'23
48
Christophe Riblon
UBS - BMC
+ 18'49
49
Gustavo Veloso
Santander
+ 19'49
50
Nick Kinney
Wikipedia
+ 21'34
Points
Bakelants has really not quite been at his best until today, but with that rockets into 2nd on GC and the Points jersey lead. Ponzi though could outscore the Pearl Adidas prodigy on the last two flatter stages and Bewley/Boonen may still be in with a chance.
Rank
Name
Team
Points
General
1
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
25
63
2
Simone Ponzi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
12
56
3
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
16
51
4
Sam Bewley
Milka - AVG
0
51
5
Tom Boonen
Pokerstars.com
0
47
6
Damiano Cunego
Lotto - Cervelo
20
43
7
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
4
36
8
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
10
34
9
Peter Sagan
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
0
30
10
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
9
24
11
Mickaël Delage
Team Puma - SAP
0
23
12
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
8
22
13
Cesare Di Maggio
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
14
22
14
Matteo Rabottini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
0
20
15
Michael Albasini
UBS - BMC
0
20
16
Daniele Bennati
Team Puma - SAP
0
20
17
Juan Van Heerden
Simply Red Bull
0
18
18
Diego Ulissi
Festina-Canal+
6
17
19
Jelle Vanendert
Project 1t4i
0
16
20
Ramon Sinkeldam
Project 1t4i
0
16
21
Vicente Reynès
Santander
0
15
22
Francesco Ginanni
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
5
14
23
Maciej Paterski
Vesuvio - Accumalux
2
14
24
Paride Grillo
Koenigsegg
0
13
25
Travis Meyer
Wikipedia
0
12
KoM
A shortage of bonifications available means the mountains jersey was not really a factor today. There is quite a lot of points available on stage 6 and 7 though.
Rank
Name
Team
Mountain
General
1
Mauro Facci
Simply Red Bull
0
31
2
Travis Meyer
Wikipedia
0
29
3
Jelle Vanendert
Project 1t4i
0
19
4
Mickaël Delage
Team Puma - SAP
0
19
5
Jelle Wallays
Pokerstars.com
16
19
6
Gustavo Veloso
Santander
0
19
7
Ramon Sinkeldam
Project 1t4i
0
16
8
Salvatore Mancuso
Team Bacardi
0
16
9
Peter Sagan
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
0
15
10
Matteo Rabottini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
0
15
11
Jonathan McEvoy
Pendleton's
0
15
12
Michael Albasini
UBS - BMC
0
14
13
Jetse Bol
Team Puma - SAP
12
12
14
Geert Steurs
Festina-Canal+
0
11
15
Alberigo Passalacqua
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
10
10
16
Pieter Ghyllebert
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
Youth
Van Garderen tied up toward the finish and can count himself lucky to hold the young riders jersey over Di Maggio. Sagan meanwhile fought bravely but ultimately found today a bit too hard. Ulissi remains very anonymous riding to the back rank of the elite punchaers.
Name
Team
General Time
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
26h06'36 (1)
Cesare Di Maggio
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 0 (2)
Diego Ulissi
Festina-Canal+
+ 31 (3)
Peter Sagan
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 45 (4)
Rasmus Guldhammer
Team B&O
+ 1'31 (5)
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
+ 1'42 (6)
Toms Skujins
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 7'35 (7)
Jay McCarthy
Wikipedia
+ 10'05 (8)
Jelle Wallays
Pokerstars.com
+ 10'45 (9)
Nathan Haas
Aker - MOT
+ 11'17 (10)
Vegard Robinson Bugge
Aker - MOT
+ 11'23 (11)
Matthias Krizek
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 11'23 (12)
Jonathan McEvoy
Pendleton's
+ 21'53 (13)
Ramon Sinkeldam
Project 1t4i
+ 23'41 (14)
Artem Topchanyuk
Aker - MOT
+ 25'27 (15)
Team
An inexplicably poor day for Vespa hands the team title to the hard working Wiggle outfit. Ponzi will have to have a bit of luck to crack the GC podium but it looks likely he can at least look forward to standing with his pals come the final stage. Venchi have fought hard here in Italy and are just about edging the Vesuvio super domestiques.
Team
General Time
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
78h21'46 (1)
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 6'01 (2)
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 6'37 (3)
Pearl Adidas
+ 9'38 (4)
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 16'31 (5)
Aker - MOT
+ 18'04 (6)
UBS - BMC
+ 18'47 (7)
Wikipedia
+ 23'41 (8)
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
