THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING
Giro d'Italia: Greipel win thanks to Cavendish? Depends on whom you ask
Is Mark Cavendish so good that he’s already gifting sprints?
In the manner that High Road teammate André Greipel sprinted to victory ahead of Cavendish and Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) ─ when Cavendish looked back to Bennati at least three times to check that the Italian wasn’t pulling through ─ it would seem so.
No way, says Greipel. The burly 26-year-old bristled at the suggestion that the biggest victory of his professional career was handed to him by his younger teammate.
“I think he tried to pass me,” said an annoyed Greipel when pressed about Cavendish. “If you want to think it is like this, that’s fine with me. I know I am fast. If you’re a sprinter, you want to pass and win races.”
Alberto Contador (Astana) retained the maglia rosa to stay 41 seconds ahead of Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Scott) as the GC riders stepped aside for the sprinter’s last dance in Wednesday’s 146km, 17th from Sondrio to Locarno.
High Road raced superbly to close down a breakaway and drive home the peloton in the final kilometers to set up the sprint, just the sixth in this year’s difficult Giro.
The U.S.-registered team is challenging the peloton’s established trains with their own formidable line-up.
The squad’s improving effectiveness was in full display on the fast run into Locarno, with Brad Wiggins and Tony Martin leading Greipel and Cavendish through two 90-degree turns in the final 500 meters.
As Martin barreled into the final turn with 250 meters to go, Greipel was in what looked like the lead-out position for Cavendish.
But the big German – who won four stages and the overall at the Tour Down Under – just put his head down and hammered all the way to the line. Greipel said there wasn’t a plan to let him win the stage.
“(Cavendish) said nothing to me (before the sprint). Tony Martin was the first (in the last turn) and I started my sprint until the finish, and who can pass, can pass me,” Greipel said. “I think (Cavendish) is happy with me. I think I did a good job for him when he won the other day. We came first and second today. We wanted to win as a team and we won as a team.”
Cavendish, a winner of two stages so far, was glued right on Greipel’s wheel with 150 meters to go, but Cavendish never opened up his explosive sprint after checking back to make sure that Bennati wasn’t coming through.
Cavendish raised his arms before Greipel shot across the line to celebrate the team’s third victory of the 91st Giro.
“I was just watching Bennati and if he’d started to sprint I’d have gone as well,” Cavendish told a reporter from Cycling Weekly at the line. “I owed Andre this for the job he did the other day. He deserved to win. He's fast. It wasn't like I needed to come round him if he was going to win. It's perfect.”
Greipel refused to take the bait when pressed by journalists in the post-race press conference that there might be some sort of tensions between the team’s growing troupe of young sprinters, which also includes Gerard Ciolek and Edvald Boasson Hagen.
“We have a lot of races, too, so we need sprinters to win races. I think it’s really important to team to have good sprinters,” Greipel said. “To win a sprint, you also need a good team to make a train. I think we are fastest train here in the Giro. No one could follow us today. We had one guy from Milram with us today. Cavendish and I have shown that we are the fastest sprinters and we’ve won three stages.”
Bennati admitted defeat at the line, saying he was too tired after getting over the Dolomites to try to challenge the High Road onslaught.
“My legs didn’t have much today after some hard days in the mountains,” Bennati said. “I have to be content with three victories and the point’s jersey. Now we’ll ride to Milan to finish this Giro.”
Two-time world champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) wasn’t in bad position, but he came in too hot in the tight left-hander and almost kissed the barrier.
“I found myself on the outside, I made an error in the corner and I had to brake,” Bettini said. “When you brake, winning a sprint isn’t possible.”
Bettini is still trying to shake the world championship curse that dates back during the past two Giros. The Cricket is deep into second Giro wearing the rainbow jersey, but he still hasn’t won a stage.
The 91st Giro continues Thursday with the 147km 18th stage from Mondrisio to Varese. The starting and finishing loops cover the hilly routes for the 2009 and 2008 world championship routes. Everyone’s pre-race favorite is Bettini (Quick Step), unless the High Road boys can drive it home over the hilly finale.
Break in vain
Before the stage, 22 riders from CSF-Navigare, Gerolsteiner, Caisse d’Epargne and Slipstream-Chipotle for early morning blood screenings. None were deemed “inapt” and the Giro’s remaining 146 riders rolled out of Sondrio under partly cloudy skies and muggy temperatures in the 80s.
The 146km 17th stage from Sondrio to Locarno was the shortest road stage in this year’s Giro. With a relatively easy category three climb with 34km to go, it had sprint written all over it.
“We’re going to be working for Julian (Dean) today. He was fifth the other day in the last sprint and he’s just getting better and better,” said Danny Pate (Slipstream) before the stage. “I’m feeling pretty tired right now. I’ve never done a race this long before. We’re hoping to get all five guys to Milan.”
The flat opening 65km of the route rolled along the shores of Lake Como in Italy’s plush Lake District and the attacks began early. Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff) and Francisco Gavazzi (Lampre) peeled away at 5km and French rider Yann Huguet (Cofidis) soon bridged out.
That was just perfect for the GC riders, hoping to cool their jets ahead of Friday’s and Saturday’s climbing stages.
“I felt good from the first moment. The escape went away and it was almost like the second day of recovery after the time trial at Corones,” said Contador. “I didn’t have any problems today with my allergies, so that’s a good sign for the next days.”
The trio opened up an 8:12 gap at 35km. Liquigas started to work at the front to trim the gap to 4:58 after coming over a short climb that carried the peloton into Switzerland.
With the peloton breathing down their necks at only two minutes, Huguet faded back at the day’s lone climb at the Cat. 3 Passo Monte Ceneri at 112km before Ignatiev tried to solo it home to attack with 25km to go.
With 15km to go, High Road drove the gap down to 1:21, and the Russian had about as much chance of winning as a liberal running for governor of Texas.
Jens Voigt (CSC) tried to attack when the gap came down to 17 seconds with 5km to go. The German marauder was complaining at the top of the Plan de Corones time trial about how dozens of riders were taking illegal pulls on team cars up the Fedaia climb on Sunday.
“That’s cheating! That’s as bad doping,” Voigt said. “There were at least 20 riders who would have been eliminated, but they were getting pulled by the cars. These are the same bastards that are going to chase me down when I attack on Wednesday and Thursday to set up the sprint.”
Voigt was right, at least about that, and his move was short-lived. Both Voigt and Ignatiev were reeled in with about 4.5km to go.
High Road took over from there.
GC status quo
The GC contenders enjoyed a relatively easy day in the saddle, their first after three decisive days of racing across the Dolomites.
Contador, who finished with the main group of GC riders in 17th at four seconds behind 13 sprinting riders, said the first day of racing following Tuesday’s rest day was tranquilo.
“It started fast with the escape and ended fast with the sprint. The last kilometers were dangerous and everyone was fighting to be in good position not to lose time,” Contador said after his second full day in pink. “One day less to Milan.”
Contador’s confidence of overall victory is improving with every passing day. Although he refused to put a number to his chances of final victory, the team is rallying around him.
Levi Leipheimer said now Astana will do what is necessary to deliver Contador to Milan in pink.
“The team will be riding to bring Alberto to Milan in the pink jersey. It’s going to be huge for us if we win this race,” Leipheimer said. “Under the circumstances, I cannot think of anything more satisfying.”
Contador got a preview of the Gavia and Mortirolo on Tuesday’s rest day. He joined teammate Toni Colom in the team car with team DS Alain Gallopin. Road work on the Gavia turned them back from the summit, but they were able to drive over the Mortirolo.
“That’s going to the hardest day in the mountains. It’s a hard climb, a pure climber’s route,” Contador said. “I think it’s going to be incredible, with the fans lining the road. I’m sure it will put your hair on end.”
Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel arrived at the race Tuesday. A winner of eight Tours de France (seven with Armstrong, one with Contador), Bruyneel will be on hand for the final stages into Milan to try to secure a second pink jersey. Paolo Savoldelli won in 2005 while riding for Discovery Channel.
The Giro is seeing a Spanish invasion. Dozens of Spanish scribes showed up at the Giro to cover what they hope will be a final victory march to Milan. Miguel Indurain is the only Spanish rider to have won the Giro. And with Contador being snubbed by the Tour de France, this is getting huge play in the Spanish media.
