RadioShack have a goal of two stage wins at this Giro, the chances of achieving that (after the TTT) have plummeted.
No doubt having Nizzolo and Zubeldia in the team cost us.
--- That is the 3rd TTT where Cancellara has not finished with the lead RadioShack riders in EPIC!
Will be interesting to see how the GC develops. Although the Shonak curse on RadioShack means my team won't do anything.
@Ollfardh: Could you maybe link all the stages in the opening post for people to catch up easily?
Also, thanks to a rather dull Barca - Real I started playing Stage 3, so here's the report, sponsored by Copa del Rey.
Stage 3
After yesterday’s close, exciting team time trial, Stage 3 hopes to keep the GC contenders and viewers on their seat once again, as the Giro d’Italia leads from Sorrento to Marina di Ascea. With over 200 kilometers and two tough climbs, the race could favor men with some fit legs from the Ardennes and Romandie, while riders who are still looking for their form may end up with a bad surprise here. The two climbs, who will be deciding, are the Mercato Cilento and the Sella di Catona.
Smile for the camera: Belkov is the first to attack today, just like he was the first to crash on the first stage. The spirit of Löwenherz I may say. Unfortunately for Belkov though, no other team seems inclinded to send a rider upfront to him just yet. Eventually, after quite some kilometers already, Enrico Barbin (BAR) sets out to join Belkov at the front of the race. Bardiani is really showing themselves, making it two out of two possible breakaway efforts! Will Barbin make the team forget poor TTT from yesterday? In the hilly beginning of the stage, Lampre, SKY and Movistar do most of the chasing, however the two riders upfront soon gain over 3 minutes lead. The two struggle then though to increase their lead further.
It’s postcard trip for the both guys upfront so far as they reach the 4 minutes lead and leave the first hills behind them. Still a long way to go alongside the coast to Marina di Ascea.
Oh no, at around Kilometer 100, shortly ahead of the intermediate sprint, the peloton has decreased their lead to under 2 minutes. Reason is presumably the intermediate sprint itself, Sky is chasing hard to launch Hanzen.
And truly, there comes Hanzen and takes the third of the intermediate. So basically, all that hard chasing effort was for nothing. Barbin narrowly escapes with some points and cash. Brouwer (BEL) and Nizzolo (RTL) score points too. Obviously the peloton is together again and the breakaway attempt failed after roughly 100 kilometers.
Since the break is caught, there isn’t much waiting to form a new one. Who but a rider from Bardiani should make the start? It’s Battaghlin, on his wheel is Ulissi (LAM). Jelle Vanendert (LTB), Santaromita (BMC) and Gesink (BEL) all want to join the fun too. Basically three riders with big outside chances want to know for it real early on already.
The boys say goodbye to the coast for now, with a minute lead and two climbs ahead of them to climb. Gesink paces while Vanendert wants to get some new bottles. The lead is nothing but secure and the boys will have to work hard to keep ahead of the peloton, where SKY is doing its fair share of work. The initial headwind turns into a harsh crosswind, which blows into the sea, and the peloton is far stretched.
The serpentines don’t grant much protection from the harsh wind, which is always changing its direction as the riders ride from left to right and right to left, but they always ride up. At least, their lead increases up to 2 minutes, which is quite solid but now. They need to keep their spirit intact though at this first climb by sharing their work and each one taking fair turns. Further back, meanwhile the peloton falls apart in the short flat segment. The 48 points on the wind-scale blowing right in your face surely has something to do with that…
The first mountain sprint of the days gets won by Battaghlin, who has now the equal points as his teammate O’Callaghan. Ulissi and Santamorita score points too.
BMC manager has yet another reason to be pissed off at his team, as the Directeur Sportif makes some strange decisions: Cummings & Oss are leading the peloton, chasing their own teammate Santamorita. Or is this just the usual set of tactics applied by BMC? But in fact it must be quite simpler: They are fed up with Gesink’s games upfront and obviously treat him as a main GC contenders. So they sacrifice Santamorita’s possible stage victory for Evans’ decent GC result? FDJ are interested in the chasing effort too.
It’s done for now, however Santamorita is allowed to attack again. The other break members join too, but only Gesink is kept in the peloton.
Kiserlovski attacks at the foot of the Sella di Catona- . The Croatian surely has the type of legs necessary for such a stage.
The race is turning fast into a true feast of attacks right now! After Kiserlovski’s coup failed, Albasini turned up the heat followed by Hesjedal. Gerrans and Bakelants were up there too, Kiserlovski tried it again, and then the big two of the race tried their luck: Nibali and Quintana, however Sky didn’t let them go far. Yet.
While Caruso tries to get upfront, we notice that Albasini actually successfully escaped. A few seconds behind him are Hesjedal, Gerrans(!) and Bakelants.
Nibali, Scarponi and Quintana attack… jesus, it’s neverending is it? 3 kilometers still to the top. Nibali sees Bakelants already upfront and they soon join the group.
This looks like a winning move, doesn’t it? With Albasini still upfront and the peloton back there, Quintana doesn’t take it easy and immediately placed an attack of his own. While Nibali’s effort were more punchy and quick, Quintana really pushes forward here. His lead exceeds quickly 20 seconds and he is set to join Albasini upfront. Of course, Albasini doesn’t stand much chance of keeping up with Quintana, who really rides like the devil’s behind him… well, it’s not a devil, but it’s a shark who is personally hunting for him here. Yes, Nibali leads the peloton himself! It’s one kilometer to the top…
While Albasini really, really made it over the top with Quintana, Betancur looks to attack a kilometer from the mountain top. Nordhaug looks the freshest behind him, Nibali clearly already suffered quite a bit under his chasing effort. The lead is 40 seconds by now! Quintana and Albasini have some major tailwind now, 45 on wind scale. Combine that with a good long descent and both of them have good chances to make it to the finish.
The Colombian has to do all of the work on his own though, since Albasini is clearly done for the day and just hopes to recover in time for the finish presumably. Quintana isn’t racing for the stage win though, he wants the overall victory and today he really shows why is one of the main contenders here. However, the descent is trickier than expected…
Nibali manages to cross the gap at the 10 kilometer mark when it’s slightly uphill. Strong performance by him, however Quintana and Albasini also made it easy for him since they came in a bit of a twist apparently. Nibali, now on Quintana’s backwheel, strangely wants to no work initially.
This is enough for the peloton to catch up and Simon Gerrans (OGE), the Australian Champion, immediately takes things in his own hands. It's clearly his moment now as Orica GreenEdge looks for the second success here.
Gerrans races down the hill in an insane manner, he’s seemingly unstoppable. 30 seconds and he keeps it towards the peloton as he heads down. However, most riders prepare already for the bunch sprint and there are still the fastest men in the peloton up there. Lead by Sky's Adrien Hanzen who opens up the sprint and Daniele Bennati (TST) who rush up from behind.
Bennati and Hanzen may have opened up the sprint too early. Although they catch Gerrans, they miss now the legs for the finale 200 meters. Gerrans is finished and exhausted... but one man has clearly the legs. Brouwers in the white jersey of the best young rider gets a second win there in the 200 finale meters, however Cavendish is right behind him!
It's Brouwers who takes the stage win (and the Maglia Rosa)! A fantastic performance by the rider who finished this sprint perfectly after strong performances on the first day and narrowly missing out on pink on the second day. Hanzen may have written history yesterday, but so does Brouwers by being the first EPIC rider to take a stage win in a Grand Tour. Congratulions, Willem... how could we forget him at some point. We're worse than Charlton Kirby.
We hope that Brouwer enjoys his spell in pink on stage 4, because odds are: He'll lose it since the peloton takes on the first serious mountain stage of the Giro d'Italia!
Great report. Very thrilling duel between the two big guns. This seems to be a thrilling match-up.
And heads up for my sprinters again. Well done Visconti!
Ollfardh wrote:
Also, three stages a day is fantastic, but you can definitely go slower if you want
Hm, granted I may be a bit too fast, if you think so just say the word. Of course there won't be every day three stages. I enjoy the reporting very much though and I'm probably the one who wants to see the most how each stage turns out and such. Lots of action going on so far thanks to a fantastic line-up, hopefully it continues.
@Cycleman: The Oger is totally rocking Italy!
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
What the hell? I am actually really surprised now since Majka was following Betancur's attack on top of the second mountain finish and was really looking good there. Kreuziger too by the way but he just never really attacked much but rather followed once. Majka must have crashed in the descent, I'm sorry I didn't spot that.
EDIT Here's a picture of him following Betancur and Nibali. Majka's #96. Fairly certain he must have crashed.
Great tactics boys, great tactics. Nice to see a red jersey in the breakaway though and Evans is clearly confident at least. I'm sure that confidence will be gone after tomorrow's stage.
Disappointed to see Burton already losing time but it doesn't really matter, it's breakaway time.
Manager of Bunzl - Centrica
ICL's World Tour Champions and Talented Bottlers
