THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING »

Get the VeloNews Email Newsletter FREE

  Learn More | Archive
Home » Top Stories » Road »

Live Coverage - Stage 10 Giro d'Italia

Published: May. 20, 2008
  • 01:57 PM: Good day and welcome

    to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 10th stage of the 91st edition of the Giro d'Italia.

    After a day off, the peloton returns to action with an individual time trial from Pesaro to Urbino. The course will prove challenging. The opening 18.5km are mostly flat on wide-open roads ideal for the time trial specialists, but the final half of the course, with a 300-meter climb to Monte di Colbordolo at 23.4km and a technical final 7km, serves up a challenge where carrying speed will be critical.

    The 4.7km climb at Colbordolo features ramps as steep as 10 percent. After a fast decent and some rolling contours, there’s another short but steep climb at Cà Angelone at 32km with ramps at 12 percent. That’s followed by some false flats and a very technical final 3km with a sharp descending hairpin turn followed by a series of sweeping turns and a very steep final 500 meters with ramps as steep as 14 percent.

  • 02:05 PM: Contador

    One rider we'll be keeping a close watch on is Astana's Alberto Contador. He learned yesterday that he had suffered a "minor" elbow fractre in that unfortunate crash last Saturday.

    "Contador's visit to the radiologist today (Monday) revealed a fissure in the radius head of his left elbow," his Astana team said in a statement on Monday.

    Despite the discomfort, Contador will have to rest that elbow on his aero bars today and that might affect his performance.

  • 02:37 PM: Early standard

    Tinkoff's Mikhail Ignatiev has the best time, so far, having covered the course in 1:00:09. It's going to be a while before we see the biggies riding the course, so these early marks will be largely without impact. We doubt we'll even see a stage winner emerge from the early starters today, unless we see a substantial change in the weather.

  • 02:44 PM: Top three

    At this point, our top three finishers are
    1. Mihkhail Ignatiev (Rus), Tinkoff, 1:00:09
    2. Danny Pate (USA), Slipstream, at 0:59
    3. Rik Vebrugghe (B), Quick Step, at 2:59

    Of course, it's still early. We'll be checking split times out there, too. High Road's Tony Martin is setting a super fast pace and looks to be knocking Ignatiev out of the top spot.

  • 02:50 PM: Today's weather

    It's cloudy, with a near-100% chance for rain today. The winds are around 13kph. The weather is going to be a factor today... especially for those feeling a little nervous if they're already suffering from past injuries; someone like Alberto Contador, for example.

  • 02:59 PM: Top 10, so far

    1. Tony Martin (G), High Road, 58:54
    2. Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Tinkoff, at 1:15
    3. Damien Monier (F), Cofidis, at 1:19
    4. Laurent Mangel (F), Ag2r, at 1:44
    5. Danny Pate (USA), Slipstream, at 2:14
    6. Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road, at 2:19
    7. Geraint Thomas (GB), Barloworld, at 2:29
    8. Steven Cummings (GB), Barloworld, at 3:02
    9. Hubert Schwab (Swi), Quick Step, at 3:04
    10. Jeremy Roy (F), FdJ, at 3:39

  • 03:21 PM: Technical issues.

    We apologize for the gap, folks. We had a few network issues here. We're back and fortunately not much has changed. We can expect a bit of a shake-up in the top-ten here soon when David Millar finishes, but we don't expect he'll be knocking Martin out of the top spot... but then again, he might.

  • 03:30 PM: Nice ride

    by CSC's Jason McCartney. He's now second, trailing High Road's Martin by just 19 seconds.

    It's still going to be some time before we see the really serious assaults on the top marks today. Currently Martin holds the lead with a 58:54, but that may be under threat by Vasili Kirienka from Tinkoff who has blasted through the time checks with the best times so far. Of course, none of this will really have any impact until we see how folks like Di Luca, Savoldelli, Contador, Leipheimer and Kloden perform today.

  • 03:35 PM: Martin's time is still holding

    The rain today has been sporadic. If it picks up, though, it may make things dicey for the top riders in the field and we could see an early time, like Martin's, hold up.

  • 03:41 PM: Menchov

    The winner of the Vuelta a Espana is on the road. He's a solid time trialist, but the wind and rain are both picking up.

  • 03:47 PM: Current top three

    1. Tony Martin (G), High Road, 58:54 (40.135 km/h)

    2. Jason McCartney (USA), CSC, at 0:19

    3. Michael Blaudzun (Dk), CSC, at 0:33

  • 03:52 PM: Reader comment

    Jonathan D. writes

    Frankly, I found the first name only list to be refreshingly challenging at 9 in the morning. I say give us more brain teasers in the future.


    Well, JD, we do our best to keep you alert... we just wish we had been!

  • 03:55 PM: The rain

    has stopped again. The roads are nice and dry. We're watching Leipheimer, who is out on the road. He's in his usual tight position.

  • 03:57 PM: The rain

    is actually still falling at the start, but the road under Leipheimer's wheels are relatively dry... although he found himself having to pass by a badly located motorcycle on the course... not too good.

  • 03:58 PM: Kloden is out there

    and we'll be tracking his time, as well.

  • 04:00 PM: The rain

    at the finish has stopped, too. It's an interesting finish, with very narrow, twisty roads on an uphill grade.

  • 04:04 PM: Pinotti

    the man who held the maglia rosa last year, is setting top times at the time checks.

    Contador is now on the road... he got a bit of a scare as he left the start house as it appeared that his chain slipped a little... that has to be unnerving with a broken elbow.

  • 04:06 PM: At 23.4km

    Pinotti blows through the time check with a time of 33:17; that is now 35 seconds faster than Vladimir Gusev... and nearly a minute up on current leader Tony Martin. Zooooom.

    Let's see how he does at 32km.

  • 04:08 PM: Ricco Suave...

    Ricardo Ricco is on route on wet roads.

    Meanwhile, Leipheimer is coming up on the 23.4km time check.

  • 04:12 PM: Defending champion Danilo Di Luca

    is on the road

  • 04:13 PM: Menchov

    hits the time check at 23.4km, two seconds behind Pinotti.

    Pinotti hits the time check at 32km with a time of 46:29... the best by a long shot.

  • 04:15 PM: New leader

    Astana's Gusev is the new top rider at the finish, with a 58:46, meaning he lost a bit of his mo' in the final stretch. Pinotti will probably top that, if he keeps up his current pace.

  • 04:19 PM: The top-three

    1. Vladimir Gusev (Rus), Astana, 58:46
    2. Tony Martin (G), High Road, at 0:08
    3. Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Tinkoff, at 0:18

    Race leader Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) is now on the road. We may see something of a shake-up on GC today, but the biggies are still quite a ways back on time, so we'll have to wait and see what impact today's TT will have.

  • 04:22 PM: Pinotti

    Wow 57:17... nice, nice ride. We have a new leader folks.

  • 04:23 PM: The new top three

    1. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
    2. Vladimir Gusev (Rus), Astana, at 1:29
    2. Tony Martin (G), High Road, at 1:37

  • 04:26 PM: Another fast rider

    out on the course right now is Lampre's Marzio Bruseghin is setting new top times at the time checks.

  • 04:27 PM: Leipheimer at 32km

    is now 22 seconds slower than Pinotti. He may be picking it up as he nears the finish.

  • 04:30 PM: Kloden

    has just passed by Davide Rebellin, meaning the Italian has his usual dejected look... you know the one he's been showing in sprints lately.

  • 04:31 PM: Van den Broeck

    is now in second, finishing with a time of 57:59

  • 04:34 PM: Menchov

    finishes in 57:27, so he's now in second. That is a serious effort by a man who has to be considered a GC contender.

  • 04:35 PM: Leipheimer

    finishes with a time of 57:42, now he's got the third best time of the day.

  • 04:38 PM: Top Four

    1. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
    2. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, at 0:10
    3. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, at 0:25
    4. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC, at 0:26

  • 04:38 PM: A new leader

    Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre) has set a new best time of 56:41.

  • 04:41 PM: Top five

    Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre 56:41
    2. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, at 0:36
    3. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, at 0:46
    4. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, at 1:01
    5. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC, at 1:02

  • 04:42 PM: Let's see

    how Kloden does. He's 3km from the finish.

  • 04:44 PM: Kloden

    is heading through the final 1.5km

  • 04:45 PM: It's going to be close

    but Klöden still has a bit to go.

  • 04:47 PM: Kloden

    finishes with a time of 57:01... not good enough to beat Bruseghin, but let's see what it does to GC. His is the second best of the day, so far.

  • 04:52 PM: Contador

    has hit the 32km mark, 10 seconds better than Marzio Bruseghin's time. Impressive.

  • 04:52 PM: BUMMER!

    Nearing the finish, Savoldelli has lost his chain in the final few hundred meters.

  • 04:53 PM: Savoldelli

    finishes with a time of 57:25... better than Menchov's time and that includes a bike switch.

  • 04:56 PM: Top five

    1 Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 56:41
    2. Andreas Kloden (G), Astana, 57:01
    3. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
    4. Paolo Salvodelli (I), 57:25
    5. Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank, 57:27

  • 04:58 PM: Visconti

    has just passed Matthias Russ, meaning that he has upped his relative position on the man who was second on GC by more than two minutes.

  • 05:00 PM: Di Luca

    has crossed through the 32km mark a full 1:41 off of Contador's time.

    Contador is heading to the finish...

  • 05:01 PM: Contador

    finishes with a time of 56:49, just eight seconds off of Bruseghin's time. That last little climb had to hurt his elbow.

  • 05:03 PM: Top three... so far

    1 Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 56:41
    2. Alberto Contador (Sp), Astana, 56:49
    3. Andreas Kloden (G), Astana, 57:01

  • 05:06 PM: Ricco

    is heading to the finish. He's had a bad day.... having crashed at one point and now heading to a time well off of the top 10.

    He gets a 58:45.

  • 05:10 PM: Visconti

    is working hard to keep his hold on the jersey. He's turning in the time trial of his life, giving it a 110-percent...

  • 05:11 PM: Di Luca

    finishes with a time of 58:52, the 15th best of the day and not a performance that will put him in good position to repeat his overall victory from last year.

  • 05:14 PM: Visconti

    is heading to the finish. He won't win today, but it looks like he may hold on to his jersey. Really the big winner of the day (at least in terms of GC) is the injured Alberto Contador. Visconti will probably keep his jersey, but Contador may move up into the top-four, putting him in prime position as the race heads into the mountains.

  • 05:16 PM: Visconti

    finishes with a time of 57:46, which is good enough to keep the jersey. Bruseghin wins the stage.

  • 05:17 PM: Russ

    finishes with a time of 1:00:43, losing nearly 3:00 to Visconti, but he has managed to hold on to second place.

  • 05:18 PM: Today's top ten

    1. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 56:41
    2. Alberto Contador (Sp), Astana, 56:49
    3. Andreas Kloden (G), Astana, 57:01
    4. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
    5. Paolo Savoldelli (I), LPR, 57:25
    6. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 57:27
    7. Vincenzo Nibali (I), Liquigas, 57:35
    8. Gustav Erik Larsson (S), CSC, 57:40
    9. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, 57:42
    10. Gilberto Simoni (I), Serramenti PVC, 57:43

    The GC picture has changed, too:

    Overall

    1. Giovanni Visconti (I) Quick Step, 43:12:02
    2. Matthias Russ (G), Gerolsteiner at 3:31
    3. Gabriele Bosisio (I), LPR, at 5:50
    4. Alberto Contador (Sp), Astana, at 6:59
    7. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, at 7:52
    6. Andreas Klöden (G), Astana, at 7:54
    7. Vincenzo Nibali (I), Liquigas, at 8:04
    8. Paolo Savoldelli (I), LPR, at 8:09
    9. Riccardo Ricco (I), Saunier Duval, at 8:32
    10. Danilo Di Luca (I), LPR, at 8:33

    Okay folks, that's a wrap. Join us tomorrow when things may change even more. The Giro is going to the mountains and Contador's position on GC is likely to change a bit again. See you then.