Stage 0: Friday's Teams presentation; Thursday warm-up and press conference Full Results and Report
| Fans waiting for the teams presentation in Herning Denmark where the first two stages will be held |
| The first wearers of the maglia rosa(s) | Herning teams presentation panoramic | Each team, Euskaltel - Euskadi here, was led in by a Danish cargo bike | Movistar's Giovanni Visconti won the award for best pre-race bad-ass haircut. He looks like he means business. | Panoramic | Omega Pharma Quickstep | RadioShack-Nissan with Frank Schleck | Team Sky | With more sprint stages this year, Mark Cavendish is itching to get started | The fluorescent yellow of Farnese-Vini will standout in the peloton this month | Thor Hushovd and Alexander Ballan, BMC Racing | Liquigas-Canondale | Michele Scarponi and Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) are looking ahead to some big results this month | Guaranteed to animate the mountain stage, Team Androni Giocattoli. If Roberto Ferrari (center) has big hair to start the race, what's it going to look like in three weeks? | Looks like the new ORICA - GREENEDGE jerseys haven't arrived yet? | Team Sky with Geraint Thomas (2nd left), Juan Antonio Flecha (3rd right) and Mark Cavendish on the end | Mark Cavendish will be the focus of attention until we hit the mountain stages | Lampre-ISD hasn't brought a pure sprinter to this year's race. 38 year old Alessandro Petacchi, winner of 51 grand tour stages mostly at the Giro, didn't make the cut. It's fine team nonetheless. | One final word from Saxo Bank's Bjarne Riis, the local boy for the Herning stages | Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) getting riding for the Thursday warm-up | Astana's S-Works bikes | The BMC staff and riders | BMC's Giro d'Italia director sportif Maximilian Sciandri and Thor Hushovd | Lampre - ISD's Michele Scarponi and Adriano Malori | Lampre-ISD's Damiano Cunego and Michele Scarponi | Astana staff and riders | Liquigas' Eros Capecchi | Liquigas meeting prior to their TT warm-up |
| Ivan Basso | Bjarne Riis was born in Herning where the 2012 Giro d'Italia will kick-off | Race favorites at the pre-race press conference: Roman KREUZIGER (Astana): I think I’m going well. I’ve stepped up every year since 2008. I haven’t won a grand tour but I’m confident that I’m progressing. My season is going well. I had a good Tirreno-Adriatico, Giro del Trentino and Tour de Romandie. We’ll see if it’s my year.” | Frank SCHLECK (RadioShack-Nissan): “I was at the playground with my daughter when I got the call and was asked to ride the Giro d’Italia. It was a shock but then I looked at the race route and realised it’s a good opportunity for me. I’m happy to be here. I had some time off the bike after the classics and in the first week it’ll be important to find my form but least I’m fresh.” | 2006 and 2010 Giro winner, Ivan BASSO (Liquigas): “Two crashes cost me two weeks of important racing early in the season but I’ve done a lot more work in the last 40 days. I’m 34 and I’ve got to trust my experience. We’ll see stage by stage but I’m confident I can fight for success with the best riders in the race. My team is ready and we all trust each other. That’s how it has to be to ensure we are a strong team right from the start. Then we’ll see what happens in the race.” | Thor HUSHOVD (BMC Racing): “My season hasn’t gone as I hoped so far. I was sick at Milano-Sanremo, crashed at Paris-Roubaix and lost the race. I’m motivated to do well at the Giro d’Italia and want get a first win wearing a BMC jersey. I’m especially looking forward to the opening stages in Denmark, it’s like racing at home for me.” | Michele SCARPONI (Lampre-ISD): “There are a lot of favourites this year, who all have an equal chance of victory or to climb on the podium. This will affect the first part of the race; it’ll be more difficult to control. My form is good and will improve. Damiano Cunego is not a rival within the Lampre-ISD team. We’ll have a tactical advantage on the other riders.” | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha): “In Spain, they say I’m the biggest favourite to win the Giro for several years. I don’t think there’s one big favourite in the race. There are a lot of riders who can win the Giro, including some who could cause a surprise. The last week will be tough and will decide the race. The problem here in Denmark will be the wind. I don’t like it but I’m not worried about it.” | Ivan BASSO (Liquigas) again | Frank SCHLECK (RadioShack-Nissan) again | Thor HUSHOVD (BMC Racing) again | Michele SCARPONI (Lampre-ISD) again | John GADRET (Ag2R La Mondiale): “I wasn’t a favourite last year but I proved what I could do. I‘ll try and do the same thing, if not even better. The last week of the route is very difficult, all the stages are tough. But it’s the riders who make the race. Though I think the Stelvio will decide this year’s winner.” | Ivan BASSO (Liquigas) | The favorites group shot: Roman KREUZIGER (Astana), John GADRET (Ag2R La Mondiale), Michele SCARPONI (Lampre-ISD), Ivan BASSO (Liquigas), Frank SCHLECK (RadioShack-Nissan), Joaquim RODRIGUEZ (Katusha) and Thor HUSHOVD (BMC Racing) | Michele Scarponi points to his name after Alberto Contador's was scratched off | After the press conference, Michele Scarponi was presented with the maglia rosa as winner of the 2011 Giro d’Italia by Michele Acquarone –the general director of RCS Sport and Mauro Vegni –the Giro d’Italia race director |
Stage 1: Herning, DK 8.7 km ITT Full Results and Report
| Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) was one of the stage 1 favorites and he came through | Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) on his way to posting the best time of the day | Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) won the 8.7 km opening ITT in Herning, Denmark by 9s in 10:26 | Phinney driving for home | The finish line and the winning time | Tour de Romandie prologue winner, Geraint Thomas (Sky), was second today + 9s | Danish rider Alex Rasmussen (Garmin-Barracuda) was 3rd + 13s. He almost won it for the home nation. | Best Italian rider was Manuele Boaro (Saxo Bank) + 15s who was pleased to ride well in Bjarne Riis' hometown of Herning | Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Barracuda) had the best early time and it held up for 6th + 22s | A nice shot of Filippo Pozzato (Farnese-Vini) on his way to 20th + 32s | Awarded the 2011 Maglia Rosa on Thursday, Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD), didn't look like a winner today | The final rider and "last year's overall winner", Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD), finished 135th today + 1:06 | Taylor Phinney celebrates a "defining win in his career" with the highly publicized new podium hostesses wearing precarious high heels | Winning the first stage gives you the first pink jersey | The feeling of donning the Maglia Rosa for the first time in your life | Your stage 1 winner and race leader, 21 year-old American Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) | There is a good chance that Taylor Phinney will keep the Pink Jersey for at least several days because he's put some good time into the sprinters |
Stage 2: Herning → Herning, 206 km Full Results and Report
| Race leader Taylor Phinney signs in for his first day in Pink while Michele Acquarone looks on | Ivan Basso and Filippo Pozzato having an animated conversation at the start in Herning | The world champ Mark Cavendish and race leader, Taylor Phinney | It wasn't too sunny at the start but there was the threat of rain | The rollout from Herning before returning 206 km later | Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) didn't have the 2011 Maglia Rosa for very long | The main break got away early and built up a big lead: Alfredo Balloni (Farnese Vini), Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giacattoli-Venezuela) and Olivier Kaisen (Lotto Belisol) | BMC Racing at the front of the peloton as they head to the North Sea | Race leader Taylor Phinney in Pink | The peloton was welcomed by big crowds in Lyngvej | The peloton greeted by the town of Søndervig on the North Sea at km 48 |
| The weather improved when the peloton reached the coast | The peloton heading north along the North Sea in calm conditions | Unusually low winds on the North Sea meant the race didn't split apart like 2010 in the Netherlands | The Scandinavians love the Giro | The break greeted on the only "KOM" of the day at Østerbjerg, elevation 47m. | The race was back together for the 12 km finishing circuit in Herning | Passing through the finish; starting the 12 km Herning finishing circuit | The slow stage gave these Scandinavians extra time to party Giro style | Here comes the sprint finish with 75m to go | Accredited race photographers capturing the finish | The sprint finish in full-flight on the return to Herning. Mark Cavendish (Sky) at the front. | The winds of the North Sea were expected to split the peloton. But, it wasn't until a final corner crash that the split came. | Mark Cavendish (Sky) celebrates the first of what could be six wins at this year's Giro by his estimation. Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) was 2nd and Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ-Big Mat) was 3rd. |
| After suffering a mechanical with 8 km to go, Taylor Phinney (BMC) rejoined the peloton and held on to the Pink Jersey | Your stage 2 winner, Mark Cavendish (Sky) |
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| The race leader making his second Grand entrance | Taylor Phinney (BMC) remains the race leader | He's hoping to keep it until Wednesday. | Taylor Phinney and Mark Cavendish started and ended the day shaking hands, this time at the post-stage press conference. Quite a difference in height. | Mark Cavendish got tired of being the short man in the photo-op so he hopped up on a chair |
Stage 3: Horsens → Horsens, 190 km Full Results and Report
| Stage 3 featured a tribute to the life of Wouter Weylandt, the stage 3 winner at the 2010 Giro d'Italia and then killed during stage 3 of last year's Giro. It was also tragic that the mayor of Horsens, the stage 3 start and finish town, died of a heart attack over the weekend. |
| Wouter Weylandt's former team, RadioShack-Nissan, at the start in Horsens | Race Director Michele Acquarone of RCS Sport reading a tribute to Wouter Weylandt who was killed during stage 3 of last year's race | Former teammates Daniele Bennati and Frank Schleck | Today's main break with Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Barracuda), Reto Hollenstein (Team NetApp), Alfredo Balloni (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleil-DCM), Mads Christensen (Saxo Bank) and Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) | The Jutlands area of Denmark is the "hilliest" part of the country | The peloton passing through Hovedgård at km 90 |
| The peloton near today's KOM |
| The peloton near Ejer Bavnehøj, which at elevation 179m, is the highest point in Denmark | There was a crash during the sprint finish in Horsens caused by Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli) swerving and taking out the world champ, Mark Cavendish (Sky) | Mark Cavendish (Sky), on the deck, narrowly missed getting his head run over while Elia Favilli in the Farnese-Vini yellow is about to bunny right over him | The sprint finish carrying on without yesterday's winner Mark Cavendish and the race leader, Taylor Phinney in Pink, who is about to go down on the left... | ... down goes Taylor Phinney | After a great leadout, Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) is leading the sprint finish | Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) wins the depleted sprint finish in Horsens ahead of 2nd Juan José Haedo (Saxo Bank) and 3rd Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) | Matt Goss celebrating his second career Giro win (He won stage 9 in 2010) | Sprint finish crash carnage with race leader, Taylor Phinney in Pink, on the deck grabbing his ankle | Riders nursing wounds and dribbling across the line | Your stage 3 winner, Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) |
| Although he didn't cross the line, Taylor Phinney (BMC) hobbled on stage to receive his third Pink Jersey | Taylor Phinney (BMC) putting injuries aside for the moment | He's donned the race leader's jersey after each of the first three stages, but despite appearances Taylor Phinney's time in Pink hasn't been easy. | It's a good thing Tuesday is a rest day, because race leader Taylor Phinney (BMC) will need it. "I went down, but I am NOT OUT. Couldn't feel my foot there for a couple minutes...but nothing is broken... I live to fight another day." |
Stage 4: Verona → Verona, 33.2 km (TTT) Full Results and Report
| Each morning the winner's trophy arrives with tender loving care | Mario Cipollini was hoping to come out of retirement and compete at this year's Giro d'Italia. He still looks pretty good as he rode his bike recreationally in Verona this morning. It takes a lot of guts to wear white shorts at age 45. | Based on the stage 1 individual time trial results and their history, Garmin-Barracuda were the favorites for the 33 km Verona TTT. | Some great scenery at the midway point passing through vineyards but Garmin-Barracuda was too busy laying down the best time of the day to notice | Garmin-Barracuda clocking the best time over the 33 km Verona TTT course: 37:04 | Katusha had the best time for a long time and ended up 2nd + 5s, the surprise of the day. Team leader, Joaquim Rodríguez, is now sitting smartly in 10th on GC + 30s | Astana was 3rd, + 22s | One of the favorites today, Orica-GreenEDGE looked a little ragged and finished 6th + 25s | The 2010 Giro d'Italia TTT winners at a similar distance; Liquigas-Cannondale down the ramp | Liquigas-Cannondale was 7th + 26s | RadioShack-Nissan may have been admiring the scenery too much. They were 8th + 28s | When the world champ is taken out in a sprint finish the previous day, it gets a lot of the attention the next morning | Mark Cavendish getting ready for the TTT showing some of the road rash he received after yesterday's sprint finish crash | Team Sky on their way to finishing 9th +30s | BMC Racing with their big, injured Maglia Rosa at the back | BMC Racing missed having Taylor Phinney at 100% and at the front. They placed 10th + 31s | Taylor Phinney was clearly hampered by his injured ankle and lost his race leader's jersey today. He also could have lost more if not for a great bike save after riding into a grassy ditch. | BMC and more scenery | Movistar finished 11th +32s | Lampre-ISD's Michele Scarponi has the best facial expressions; he never gets too excited for a time-trial | Lampre-ISD with the help of the Italian national TT champ Adriano Malori finished 12th + 34s. As @jasonschweitzer noted, "33km and top 12 teams were separated by only 34 seconds. Lampre loses 1 second per km and finishes 12th. Amazing." | Farnese Vini may have been 14th + 59s, but they are leaving an indelible mark on this year's Giro | FDJ-Big Mat rounding the first corner on its way to 18th + 1:10 | Colnago-CSF Inox finished 19th + 1:12 | Things went downhill from his point on for Androni Giacattoli. They finished 20th + 1:44 | Your stage 4 winning TTT team, Garmin-Barracuda |
| The new race leader is now Garmin-Barracuda's Ramunas Navardauskas, the Lithuanian national road race champion | Sweet dreams, Ramunas | The post-race press-conference with Garmin-Barracuda's Ramunas Navardauskas | “Today was a special course. I was a bit nervous during the warm-up because it had technical corners, climbing in the middle and for nine guys to do it all together was not easy. I think it was really good for a team time trial, not too easy but not too dangerous. The team did a perfect ride. I was selected for the Giro especially for the team time trial. I had to do everything to help team. I think I did ok.” “I’m from Silale, a small village in Lithuania. I could have played football or cycling but I preferred cycling. In 2006 I spent a year at the UCI World Cycling Centre in Aigle. I’m not sure what kind of rider I am yet; maybe the classics or on small climbs because I can survive on the climbs a bit.” |
Stage 5: Modena → Fano, 209 km Full Results and Report
| Androni-Venezuela manager Gianni Savio made good on his promise to apologize to Mark Cavendish for his rider, Roberto Ferrari, causing the sprint finish pile up on Stage 3 | The new race leader is a bike nerd? Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Barracuda), showed up at the start in Modena looking like a propeller-head. | Hardly anyone knew him before yesterday and now look at the attention he's getting | Mark Cavendish had his game face on today. We'll see him again later. | The first 150 km of today's stage followed an ancient Roman route, Via Emilia, along the northern plains between Placentia (Piacenza) to Ariminum (Rimini). It was built in 187 BC after which towns like Bologna, Imola, Faenza, Forli, Cesena were born. | A fish-eye view of the long, straight road as the race leader and the rest of the peloton ride by early in the stage | Somewhere near Bologna and Imola, a local bakery came out to provide an impromptu feed zone | Don't mind if I do | The peloton crossing the northern Italian plains with the foothills of the Apennines in the background | The break passing through Cesena at km 105, the halfway point of the stage | Tyler Farrar sacrificed his chances for the inevitable sprint finish by leading the chase for his man in Pink; the peloton passing through the late Marco Pantani's hometown, Cesena | As soon as the flag dropped on today's stage, Farnese Vini's Pier Paolo de Negri started today's main break that lasted 170 km. He was joined by Alessandro de Marchi (Androni Giocattoli) and Lotto-Belisol's Olivier Kaisen and Brian Bulgac | The Romans built a lot of interesting roads for cyclists, but this wasn't one of them. The break forging on to the Adriatic coast. | The terrain along the scenic Adriatic coast was much different than the first 150 km. | Sprinters like Tyler Farrar, Juan José Haedo (Saxo Bank), Roberto Ferrari (Androni) and BMC's Thor Hushovd (shown here) were dropped on the twisty, narrow, rolling roads along the Adriatic coast and ended up finishing more than 9 minutes back | The sprint finish in Fano | Sky's Geraint Thomas, the last leadout man, looks on as teammate Mark Cavendish leads the depleted dash to the line | Close-up of the sprint finish in full-flight led by Mark Cavendish (Sky) | Mark Cavendish rebounds from the his stage 3 high speed tumble to take the next road stage two days later. 2nd Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team, 3rd Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan, 4th Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Barracuda, 5th Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | Finish panoramic in Fano | Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli), who caused Tuesday's sprint finish crash, was 165th today + 9:14. Every good young sprinter makes at least one reckless move in his career. Don't be surprised if this guy pulls it together and wins a stage before the end of the month. | Your stage 5 winner and new papa, Mark Cavendish (Sky) | This has to be the youngest podium kid | Not interested in a toy Giro mascot, but sleeping is better than crying | Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Barracuda) survived his first day in Pink but keeping it after tomorrow's hilly Stage 6 will be a more different task |
Stage 6: Urbino → Porto Sant’Elpidio, 210 km Full Results and Report
| The Italian national road race champion, Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), being interviewed prior to the stage 7 start in Urbino | Bad-ass or bad start? The Italians haven't won in the first six stages of this year's race nor was there an Italian on the winning team time-trial team. | The race leader, Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Barracuda), releasing the pink balloons prior to his final day in the Pink Jersey | Photographers at the start gathered around Frank Schleck and Ivan Basso | The attention has moved to the climbers in this year's race, as we start the first of three consecutive medium mountain stages; Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) at the start line in Urbino | The rollout from Urbano, a walled city on the World Heritage list | The first of many short climbs on today's route | undefined | The peloton was content to give the break a gap of around five minutes | The peloton on the cat 2 Passo della Cappella climb at the midpoint of today's stage | There was 4 km of strade bianche on the Passo della Cappella climb |
| Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli) was first over Passo della Cappella | An Italian family waiting for the race to arrive | Up and down was the theme today | Speaking of down, Pablo Lastras (Movistar), who was part of the break, crashed out the race on the Passo della Cappella descent | Colombian Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli) attacked the four man break with over 40 km still to go on the Montegranaro climb |
| The remains of the break now in chase mode | Liquigas at the front of the peloton bringing down the gap | The Maglia Rosa all by his lonesome; Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Barracuda) spending his second and final day in Pink today. | Porto Sant’Elpidio greets the solo winner... | Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli) wins a leg-zapping up and down stage with a flat finish in Porto Sant’Elpidio | Solo win by 1:10 on the chase group and 1:51 over the remnants of the peloton | Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD won the bunch sprint for second | With a sprint finish pile up and now a stage win, the little Androni Giocattoli team has made themselves known at this year's race | Your stage 6 winner, Miguel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli), standing tall on the podium celebrating the biggest win of his career | ... well, maybe he wasn't standing tall... still a big win | After six stages, the Italians finally have something to cheer about... | ... Part of the break, Lampre-ISD’s Adriano Malori now has the Pink Jersey | The Italians are passionate; Lampre-ISD’s Adriano Malori passing his podium kiss onto the Maglia Rosa |
Stage 7: Recanati → Rocca di Cambio, 205 km Full Results and Report
| The start party in Recanati on another beautiful day in Italy | Lampre-ISD with the race leader Adriano Malori in Pink acknowledging the crowd | As it turned out, Adriano Malori needed more than a song and dance to hold onto the Pink Jersey today | The start in Recanati looked chaotic | The rollout from Recanati |
| The peloton working its way of the first of two categorized climbs, Colle Galluccio | The break reaching the top of Colle Galluccio near the midpoint of the stage | The view from the finishing climb, 19 km @ 3.9 % climb to Rocca di Cambio | Luciano Rabottini (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) was the sole surviving break rider at the start of the final climb | The peloton wasn't far back with all of today's key finishing players in this photo | Adriano Malori (Lampre-ISD) spent only one day in Pink; although the finishing climb wasn't steep, he was dropped early on | Inside the final 1.5 km with Przemyslaw Niemec about to launch Lampre-ISD teammate Michele Scarponi on the steepest (10%) part of the climb, but Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) was right there to follow | Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) | Just a few riders back was the highest placed GC contender, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda). | Damiano Caruso, Damiano Cunego and Ivan Basso | Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) attacking but he couldn't drop Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) | 75m to go: Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) coming around Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) | One final dig to the line | Michele Scarponi couldn't match Paolo Tiralongo's sprint | 2nd place Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) looks around at his 3s gap on 3rd place Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) | Paolo Tiralongo's only two wins in his long career as mostly a domestique have come at the Giro (last year and now this year). “To be honest, I consider last year’s win at Macugnaga better than this one. Last year Alberto Contador let me win but I won in front of him. He’s a friend and I want to dedicate this stage to him because of what he’s going through.” | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) crossing on his own for 5th + 5s | Your stage 7 winner, Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) | This is the first stage win celebration by an Italian at this year's race | “For a long time I was working for my team leaders and always gave everything for them. Today I got a chance to ride my own race. I‘d studied this finish and wanted to try and win. I stayed near the front, suffered and then went with Scarponi at 400m to go. I struggled to close the gap but as he looked around and eased up, I jumped past him and won. It hurt though, as everyone could see when I crossed the finish line.” | Consistently good in every stage over the first seven days, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) has bubbled to the top of the General Classification | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) becomes the first Canadian to wear the Maglia Rosa in the long history of the Giro d'Italia | Canada, lets get this party started. Still two tough weeks to go though. |
| Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) settling into the post-race press conference | “It’s unreal to pull on the maglia rosa. We kept confident and said today is the day after missing out yesterday. The team was behind me 100% on the run in to the climb. Pete Stetina and Christian Vande Velde were never far from my side and Vande Velde put me in final position on the final approach. I just had to go for it and it went perfectly. This pink jersey is a product of good strong team work.” “I raced mountain bikes at a high level until 2004 and then a chance to ride on the road with Lance Armstrong’s US Postal team. I have been my best in the last week of Tour de France, so I hope to be one of the strongest in last week at the Giro d’Italia. There is a lot to win and to lose but I hope to be in good shape.” “I’m the first Canadian in the pink jersey and I think quite a few Canadians will be excited about today. Outside of Italy we have one of the biggest Italian population in the world in Toronto. Canadians will know about the Giro d’Italia now.” | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) looking at home as race leader |
Stage 8: Sulmona → Lago Laceno, 229 km Full Results and Report
| Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) releasing pink balloons to start his first day as the race leader | Another gorgeous day for bike racing in Italy. Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) saluting the crowd in Sulmona | We haven't heard much from Ivan Basso on the road, but his Giro d'Italia is going exactly as planned | Garmin - Barracuda was wearing both the race and young rider jerseys this morning (Ryder Hesjedal and Peter Stetina) | Starting under a Roman aquaduct in Sulmona | The rollout from Sulmona | The rollout from Sulmona | The rollout from Sulmona | A scenic shot of the peloton heading south on one of the few flat sections of Stage 8 | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) had a tough time near the end of today's stage with a mechanical and dangled of the back of the GC group on the final climb | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) jumping out of the pack on the final climb | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) launching his winning move with 6.5 km to go / 2 km from the top of Colle Molella (Cat 2 at km 224.6, 9.9 km @ 6.0% gradient to 1087m elevation) | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) nearing the top of Colle Molella | I keep wanting to call him Diminutive Pozzovivo | Diminutive/Domenico Pozzovivo lit up last month's Giro del Trentino, the warm-up race for the Giro, in a similar fashion | Finish panoramic in Lago Laceno. It's fitting the southern most stage of this year's Giro d'Italia was won by a rider from the south | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) then soloed the final (flat) 4 km to beat 2nd Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Movistar) + 23s while Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) won the gc contenders bunch sprint for third + 27s | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) is clearly the danger man now, just 55s back on GC | Benat Intxausti (Movistar) was unable to chase down Pozzovivo. | Benat Intxausti (Movistar) throwing his bike to gain every possible second. He finished 2nd + 23s | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) won the gc contenders bunch sprint for third + 27s | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) being escorted to the podium | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) | Your stage 8 winner, Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) |
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| Despite having a difficult time at the end of the stage, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) held onto the race lead by just 9s over Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) keeps the Pink Jersey. (The larger version of this photo was corrupted in transmission) |
| It's not easy at the top | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) at the post race press conference | Pozzovivo is one of only a handful of professional riders from the south of Italy and got a huge cheer from the local crowd in Lake Laceno, the most southern point in this year’s race: “I’m perhaps too little to think big, I’ll take things day by day and do as well as I can,” the diminutive rider said. “This year’s Giro was wrongly described as being easy compared to the past. I’d say it’s more humane compared to 2011, which was really tough. I finished ninth at the (2008) Giro d’Italia and was strong in the third week, so I’m confident about the final week in the mountains this year’s Giro d’Italia.” “I’m a pure climber and I think about music to motivate me when I’m racing. I also try to get to the top as quickly as possible to get the climb over with. My favourite climbs are the Mortirolo, Passo Giau and Punto Veleno. The ones I least like are the Zoncolan, the Mortirolo and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. I don’t like wet descents or on dirt roads like last year to Orvieto. I also don’t like the Vivione and the Gavia descents.” |
Stage 9: San Giorgio nel Sannio → Frosinone, 166 km Full Results and Report
| The fatigue of eight days of racing including two in the Maglia Rosa is starting to show on the face Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) prior to the stage 9 start in San Giorgio nel Sannio | Photo-op with Sacha Modolo (Colnago - CSF Inox) | Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago - CSF Inox) saying hello to family | Mark Cavendish says he especially likes racing the Giro d'Italia because the tifosa respect the World Champion's jersey | Mark Cavendish putting on the matching World's Champion vest for this cooler stage. His rainbows would later get dirty in the sprint finish crash he was a part of. | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) looking focused | Many riders are looking over Ryder Hesjedal's shoulder including Ivan Basso who is 6th overall + 40s | This is expected to by Ryder Hesjedal's (Garmin - Barracuda) last day in Pink so enjoy it while it lasts | Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge), leader of the points competition, was one of the favorites for this stage | The rollout from San Giorgio nel Sannio |
| Today's panoramic scenery shots | It was a flat to rolling route northwest that dodged any mountains |
| Garmin domestique handling the Maglia Rosa's laundry | The main break but this stage was destined to end in a sprint | It was a shame that all the race photographers camped out at the finish because the action was at the 350m marker on the twisting route into Frosinone. Luckily, we have photos from a spectator's perspective... | Crash in the final corner with 300m to go (photo submitted by George Kingston) | (photo submitted by George Kingston) | (photo submitted by George Kingston) | The depleted sprint finish after the final corner crash |
| It was a dodgy sprint finish as expected in Frosinone, Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) won ahead of 2nd Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli) and 3rd Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan after a crash in the final corner with 300m to go took out the front of the peloton | 322-PIC278680540.jpg |
| Ventoso celebrates the first win by a Spanish rider at this year's Giro. | The final corner pile up was caused by Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) who took the wrong angle and collided with Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge). He later apologized (video). | Back on his bike. Matt Goss was perfectly positioned going into the final corner before he was taken out by Pozzato | Your stage 9 winner, Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) | 7th today, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) kisses the Pink Jersey for the three straight day. |
| Did Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) enjoy his last day in Pink today? “I’m not concerned about the finish in Assisi (on Tuesday). The climb up to the finish is not so long. There’s the time bonus and so if Rodriguez wins the stage or gets second, then he can get the lead but we’ll see what happens.” | Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) at the post-stage press conference:“I came to the Giro to win a stage. I’m very happy and content to have done it. We’ve got a teammate (Benat Intxausti Elorriaga –currently fifth) who is going for overall success. Now we’ll try and protect him and think about the last week of the race.”Asked about the crash on the last corner, Ventoso said: “I think the crashed happened for several reasons: some riders don’t study the map, everyone wants to win and then we’re all under pressure to win. In Herning and Horsens I was further back because I didn’t want to risk too much. Unfortunately that’s how the sprints are these days.” “I don’t think the crashes are caused by young riders taking too many risks. It’s about the ProTour points and there isn’t a team able to line out the peloton. We all take risks. Today I was a little bit lucky and things went my way.” “It’s impossible to do every sprint on a straight five kilometre road. The corner wasn’t dangerous today. It’s up to us riders to think about what we do and use our heads. I think it was one of the riders who made a mistake.” | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) at the post-stage press-conference: “I did the sprint because I wanted to stay out of trouble on the last climb in the final corners. I stayed on the left and got the best line. They crashed right in front of me; a lot of the other guys had problems, and so that’s why I was seventh.”Asked if he can go on to win the Giro d’Italia, Hesjedal said: “I’m here to do my best and will do that day by day. We’ll see what happens at the end of the race. It’s a big ask and there are a lot of proven riders here. It’s not something to focus on now. I’m already pleased with what I’ve accomplished. I’ll carry that on and see where I finish in Milan.” “I’m not concerned about the finish in Assisi (on Tuesday) or for the rest of the stage. The climb up to the finish is not so long. There’s the time bonus and so if Rodriguez wins the stage or gets second, then he can get the lead but we’ll see what happens”. |
Stage 10: Civitavecchia → Assisi, 186 km Full Results and Report
| Today's start was in Civitavecchia, a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea where there is a war monument commemorating the end of the second World War. |
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| While Michele Scarponi was chatting up the women like a sailor on shore leave... | ... Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) was studying the roadback with Valerio Piva | The rollout from Civitavecchia along the Tyrrhenian Sea | Heading inland | Lots of smiles with three stage wins and the Pink Jersey in this shot (Mark Cavendish, Ryder Hesjedal and yesterday's stage winner, Francisco Ventoso in the background) | Passing a Roman acquaduct. Civitavecchia literally means "ancient city". | Umbria vineyards | and fields | The unsuccessful break passing through Amelia(?) | Katusha at the front bringing the gap down | Mark Cavendish in the Gruppetto | The narrow road (golf cart path) leading to the hilltop finish in Assisi | Fans waiting for the race to arrive in Assisi's old town center |
| Katusha's Daniel Moreno driving the pace with 1 km to go followed by Joaquim Rodriguez and Ryder Hesjedal | Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) led momentarily with 500m to go followed Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) about to launch the winning move | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) followed by Sergio Henao (Sky) | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) wins by 2s ahead of Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp) and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) came through in Assisi as expected | Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp) with the runner up "darn" salute. 3rd was Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) | Stage 8 winner Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) leading the GC contenders across for 4th + 6s | Ryder Hesjedal was in this group +6s | Franck Schleck lost 26s today on his way to finishing 31st | Katusha worked as one today | A panoramic of the climb into the Assisi old town center with trailing riders coming through | Matt Goss, Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas | Your stage 10 winner, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) | Joaquim Rodriguez enjoys the limelight | The win and bonus seconds moved Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) into the race lead by 17s over Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda). |
| “What’s changed today? I’ve got the pink jersey. Me and my teammates were relaxed before the start because we hadn’t felt any pressure so far in the Giro. With this win, we’ll be even more confident.” “Today’s stage win is important for me and my team. From now on if things don’t go well, I’ve still worn the pink jersey. It was the only leader’s jersey from the three grand tours that I hadn’t worn. We’ve achieved all our goals so far this season: a stage at Tirreno-Adriatico, Fleche-Wallone, and now this success at the Giro. Now we can be confident for the rest of the Giro.” “I like Italy a lot because they live sport in a very intense and spectacular way. This morning before the start I was speaking to my teammate Vicioso and said that we had to enjoy every second of the Giro and put on a great race for all the people along the roadside who watch us.” | “Spain and Italy have historically been the best in the world at cycling but cycling is becoming more and more international even if Spain and Italy will always fight for the big victories. However even the riders from other countries come to live in Spain and Italy to learn from us.”“In respect of the pink jersey, we’ll work to keep it as long as we can. My goal is to fight for overall victory. The last week will be super hard and so it’ll be important to race intelligently. For now I’m going to take things stage by stage because I’m convinced that’s the only way to win it.” |
Stage 11: Assisi → Montecatini Terme, 255 km Full Results and Report
| Every Italian covets this trophy | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) signing in for his first day in Pink | Mark Cavendish was looking forward to a sprint finish in Montecatini Terme, near his Italian home | Ivan Basso has been smiling a lot this month... enjoying the race or confident at what lies ahead? | Start panoramic in Assisi where we left off yesterday |
| Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) | The focus is now on Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) | The rollout from Assisi | Assisi start panoramic | The early break | The peloton skirted most of the Tuscan hills today | Just past the halfway point of the longest stage (255 km) of this year's Giro. A brief shower on the cat 3 Poggio alla Croce, the highest point of this stage at 502m. | The break dangling off front: Olivier Kaisen (Lotto Belisol), Adrian Saez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Simone Ponzi (Astana), Stefan Denifl (Vacansoleil-DCM), Manuele Boaro (Saxo Bank) and Mickaël Delage (FDJ-BigMat). | This stage was so slow it seemed like they would run out of daylight | The peloton under the Tuscan sun taking their sweet time, an unofficial rest day... at least until the technical finish | The peloton passing through the finish in Montecatini Terme before the 14.4 km finishing circuit | Sky setting pace hoping to set up a sprint finish for Mark Cavendish | Similar to Stage 9, there was a sharp bend 400m from the line which produced a crash and a depleted sprint | Infamous for causing the big pile in Denmark, Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli) negotiated the final corner perfectly setting himself for the win | It isn't surprising that Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli) got a win at this year's Giro d'Italia. A talented young sprinter who is normally good with dodgy Italian style sprint finishes | 2nd was Francesco Chicchi (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), 3rd Tomas Vaitkus (Orica GreenEdge), first around the final corner, and 4th Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling), who was impeded by the final corner crash |
| Ivan Basso doesn't look too tired after 255 km of racing and 6:49 in the saddle | Roberto Ferrari is elated to be known as a stage winner rather than a reckless sprinter... and for collecting Androni Giocattoli's second win | Your stage 11 winner, Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli) | Why is he still racing after the causing the Denmark pile-up? Simple. Why would the Giro d'Italia want to kick out one of the few excellent Italian sprinters in the race for committing an unintentional foul. | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) survived his first day Pink | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) receiving his second Pink Jersey from Alfredo Martini | Mario Cipollini was on the post-race show along with Mark Cavendish. Cipollini won a stage in Montecatini Terme while wearing the World Champion jersey in 2003... something Cavendish was hoping to accomplish today | The post-stage press conference | Roberto Ferrari said: “I wanted to do well at the Giro d’Italia. I want to apologise again for my move that caused the crash on the third stage. I’m sorry for what I said on television straight after the finish. Today I was on the right wheel and so it was a great chance to win that I knew I couldn’t get wrong.”“I’d like to be a sprinter like Alessandro Petacchi but I don’t think I’ve got the talent he has but of course I’ll try to do my best.” “In the last kilometre of the sprint, Cavendish looked at me and I understood what he was trying to tell me. But I’m a sprinter and my job is to sprint and if possible to win.” “After the crash in Denmark, I honestly haven’t noticed any bad feelings in the peloton. I’ve spoken to several other riders and nobody said I’d done the right thing but they also said that people make mistakes in sprints. I’ve got to carry on sprinting because it’s my job.” “It’s always the rider’s fault when there’s a crash. Of course corners makes things more risky but sometimes riders crash even on straight roads.” | Rodriguez said: “I think I’ve shown I can do well in grand tours but I want to prove I’m the strongest and win the Giro d’Italia. I feel really good and so I’d like to win like Fuentes did (on the Stelvio) way back when.”“I’m not thinking about if I’m stronger and fresher than Ivan Basso or not. I know that he’s been unlucky this year with crashes and that he might pay for it in the last week. I know my form is good and don’t think I’ll fade in the last week. I’m confident I’ll be fighting for overall victory at the Giro d’Italia with Basso and the other riders.” |
Stage 12: Seravezza → Sestri Levante, 155 km Full Results and Report
| Euskaltel - Euskadi is waiting for the high mountain stages which finally start this Saturday with stage 14 | Mark Cavendish killing time in a race official's car, he took today off and will be ready to contest the sprint finish tomorrow | The start in Seravezza | Astana being presented to the crowd | Shaved is the only thing these legs have in common | The peloton passing through La Spezia, Alessandro Petacchi's hometown, before today's climbing started | The main break, here led by Andrey Amador (Movistar), climbing along the Italian Riviera | The peloton at Levanto along the Cinque Terre, the same stretch of road used for the 2009 61 km Cinque Terre time-trial but in the opposite direction. The last 100 km of this stage had a sawtooth profile. | Sandy Casar (FDJ) leading the break down the final technical descent, Villa Tassani, with less than 10 km to go | Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol) rejoined the break on the descent | Ivan Basso leading the GC contenders through the same section three minutes later | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Michele Scarponi (Lampre - ISD) | Fumiyuki Beppu (Orica-GreenEdge) was one of several riders who crashed on one of the technical descents you can typically find in the Genoa region | Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol) successfully attacked the break (blurry in the background) on the flat run into Sestri Levante | Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol) celebrates his first individual win since winning a stage of the Enco Tour in 2009 | Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) who had his sights on the Pink jersey crossed 2nd + 11s, but his bonus seconds and gap on the peloton weren't enough to take the race lead | Your stage 12 winner, Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol) | As mentioned, it's been three years since he's done this |
| Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) conceded time to riders in the break, but retains the race lead | 9th overall Damiano Caruso (Liquigas-Cannondale) is still the best young rider | Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol) at the post-race press conference: “I won a team time trial at the Giro d’Italia last year but this is my first solo win for about three years and my first stage victory in a grand tour. l always believed I could win a big race and dreamed of winning a stage in a grand tour. Now I’ve done that. It seems everything is coming slowly to me. I’m 32 and I’ve been a professional for 11 years. Today I had the luck. When you win on the highest level, you can’t be happier.” | “I have ten wins on my palmares and I won a lot of them with an attack in the last kilometre. This time I went to the back of the breakaway and waited for the right moment. Sandy Casar chased attacks three times and so then I went from behind. I got 200m and they couldn’t catch me. I was lucky but it was perfect timing.”“I want to thank my Lotto-Belisol team for the faith they had in me. I broke my hand in the spring but they didn’t put pressure on me and let me ride the Giro d’Italia and try to win stages. I’m happy to be able to give something back to the team.” |
Stage 13: Savona → Cervere , 122 km Full Results and Report
| It truly is the sexiest winner's trophy in any sport | Ivan Basso and Michele Scarponi. I'm running out of caption ideas. Send me a caption if you have a good one | Race leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) under the watchful eye of the race director | The start in Savona before the shortest and easiest stage of this year's Giro | There was a cat 4 climb in the first half of the stage, but after that it was pretty straightforward | FDJ and Sky working to bring back the break to setup a sprint finish | The finish in the small town of Cervere, hosting its first Giro stage | As expected, we had a full on sprint finish in Cervere |
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| Close-up: Mark Cavendish (Sky) wins his third Giro stage this year ahead of 2nd Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and 3rd Mark Renshaw (Rabobank) | As indicated, three wins at this year's Giro d'Italia for Mark Cavendish |
| Mark Cavendish thanks teammate Bernhard Eisel | Your stage 13 winner, Mark Cavendish (Sky) | With only one sprint stage remaining among five mountain stages and a slim lead in the points competition, he'll likely abandon the race now | An easy day for race leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), but that all changes tomorrow with the first high mountain stage of this year's Giro d'Italia |
| Mark Cavendish at the post-race press conference: “The guys (at Sky Procycling) did so, so good today. We can learn a lot from today. Greenedge did a great lead out and I was lucky that Goss closed down Renshaw and so opened the door for me. But I’m happy to have won.”“I’ve always said that if you look to try to beat another team and not focus on winning yourself, you won’t win. That’s what we did today. As long as I’m in this team, we’ll always try to win and not worry about anyone else.” | Asked if he intends to stay at the Giro all the way to end in Milan, Cavendish said: “I came to the Giro d’Italia 100% determined to go all the way to Milan. I wanted to win the red (points) jersey. Because of the crashes, the red jersey went out of the window a little bit. But I’ve recovered now and I’m feeling ok. As long as I don’t miss the time cut, I don’t see myself going home just yet.” | Rodriguez said: “So far we haven’t tackled a really hard climb like the one we face tomorrow so we’ll have to wait and see what happens. The favourites are still the same as always: Basso, Scarponi, Schleck, Kreuziger and Pozzovivo.”“Fortunately we can stay relaxed because we’ve got an advantage on my rivals. The climb in tomorrow’s stage doesn’t really suit me but if I’m able to gain some time, I will. For now I’m focused on tomorrow, even if the Stelvio stage is probably the most decisive of this year’s Giro d’Italia. But tomorrow could still be difficult, especially if the weathers bad.” |
Stage 14: Cherasco → Cervinia, 206 km Full Results and Report
| The morning arrival of the winner's trophy | The procession of riders coming and going from the morning sign-up | Partenza panoramic | The rollout from Cherasco for the first mountain stage of this year's Giro d'Italia |
| Passing through the Torino province, the flat part of the course |
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| Andrey Amador's (Movistar) aggressive descending of the cat 1 Col de Joux blew apart the break | Andrey Amador's (Movistar) now on the finishing climb. He got half way up the 27 km @ 5.5 % climb to Cervinia before some of his breakmates rejoined him. | Damiano Cunego attacked on the Col de Joux, descended well, but found himself in no man's land between the break and the peloton at the bottom of the Cervinia climb. He may give it another go tomorrow on a stage that suits him better. | The peloton coming up the final climb | Liquigas-Cannondale did much of the pacesetting on the peloton today | Sylvester Szmyd was the final domestique at the front of the Liquigas train for Ivan Basso | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) spent most of his time nestled in the peloton before putting in an unsuccessful dig with 5 km to go | Ivan Basso driving the pace after using up his Liquigas teammates | Ivan Basso should have gained time today, but he clearly wasn't able to drop the GC contenders |
| At the front of the race with several km to go. Although their lead was dropping fast, the break would survive: Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli), Jan Barta (NetApp), Andrey Amador (Movistar) | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) was the only GC contender to successfully launch an attack. He finished 4th + 20s and 26s ahead of his arrivals to reclaim the race lead. | Ryder Hesjedal digging deep | The pain of a sprint finish to cap off to two massive climbs | Andrey Amador (Movistar) wins ahead of Jan Barta (NetApp) and Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli) | The only Costa Rican rider in the peloton, Andrey Amador, is delirious with his biggest win to date | If not for some dodgy descending, Jan Barta (NetApp), the most aggressive rider in the break, may have had enough to pull out the win | Andrey Amador (Movistar) being escorted to the podium | Your stage 14 winner, Andrey Amador (Movistar) | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) said post-race he had good legs today... | ... so attacked and reclaimed the Pink Jersey | Andrey Amador (Movistar) post-race press conference: “I’ve had a difficult last 18 months. There was Xavier Tondo’s tragic accident, Soler’s serious accident and my own problems when some thieves tried to kidnap me. This win is for former teammates. They deserve it.”“At Movistar we’re a very united team and our results prove it. In 2011 I fractured my collarbone while I was getting ready for the Giro. I also had an ankle problem while I was preparing for the Tour de France. It was a year to forget. Last winter I changed my training and I’m going well thanks to that.” | “Soccer is the biggest sport in Costa Rica but cycling is becoming popular after my results. Costa Rica is a small country, with just five million residents but this stage victory will help it grow too. My mum is Russian, my dad is Costa Rican and my grand mother is Spanish. I’m 25% Spanish, 25% Costa Rican and 50% Russian but despite that I feel 100% Costa Rican.” | Hesjedal said: “I felt good. There was just three kilometres to go, the pink jersey was there to take and so I went for it. I was a little sad when I lost it and so I feel fortunate to pull it back on now. You never know if it’s going to be your last day in pink.”“There still so much of the race to go that’s it’s difficult to pick a favourite. Kreuziger and his (Astana) team are strong, he took control on the descent today. Then there’s Rodriguez, Scarponi, Basso and Pozzovivo and… Hesjedal.” “I think I can take time back on anyone in the final time trial in Milan but I’m not thinking that far ahead. I’m where I’m at and that’s how I approached the race today. I’m going to continue to do that and we’ll see what happens at the end of the Giro d’Italia.” |
Stage 15: Busto Arsizio → Lecco/Pian dei Resinelli, 172 km Full Results and Report
| The Lombardy tifosi lining up in the start area. The racing in this region is always classic and today didn't disappoint the fans. | The roll out from Busto Arsizio for the second mountain stage as the rain started coming down | Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) and Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R) started the early break before Rabottini decided go solo after the first of four categorized climbs and 80 km still to go | This group which included Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) rolled off the peloton in persuit of Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) through the steep, treacherous Bergamo Alps | There were remarkably few descending crashes on this treacherous stage, but with 10 km to go, race leader Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) spun out on a descent leading up to the final climb | Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) gathered himself and preceded up the 7.8 km @ 7.8 % finishing climb to Pian dei Resinelli with a 2 minute advantage over the chase and 3 minutes over the peloton | After having done no work in the chase Alberto Losada (Katusha) attacked the chase at the base of Pian dei Resinelli | Lonely Matteo Rabottini could take any support he could get at this point. It must have worked because his lead wasn't coming down very fast. | Michele Scarponi attacking from the GC group | Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and a few others caught the remnants of the chase (Damiano Cunego) with 2 km to go | 1.5 km to go and it was just Scarponi, Rodriguez, Henao and Basso left among the GC contenders | Meanwhile, the lights were going out for Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) at the front of the race | With 1 km to go, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) launched an attack on the uphill finish like only he can and he caught Matteo Rabottini with just 200m to go... but it wasn't over... | Matteo Rabottini regained the lead in the final corner with 50m to go | It looked all over for Rabottini when Joaquim Rodriguez caught him, but then he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat | An incredible finish to an epic day of cycling in the Bergamo Alps | After being caught by Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) with 200m to go, Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) regained the lead with an inside move on the final corner just 50m from the line to take a deserving win | Storytale finish; this has to be the sweetest first Grand Tour win you can ever imagine. His only other pro win came last year at Tour of Turkey. | “I didn’t really think I’d win when I went on the attack but on days like this it’s important not to crack mentally. When Rodriguez passed me I thought I’d lost but then in the last 50 metres, when I managed to pass him, I could hardly believe it.”“On the last climb I used a low gear because I couldn’t go any harder. I knew that it was the only way of having a chance of making it to the finish. I only changed gear when Rodriguez caught me.” “I have a great relationship with Luca Scinto my team manager. We’ve focused on the Giro d’Italia since last winter. He told me: ‘Ride the Giro and win a stage.’ I just laughed at the idea but then started to believe him and worked really hard. It has paid off now.” | 25 seconds back crossed Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Sky), Michele Scarponi (Lampre - ISD) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) | It was a better day than most people believed for defensive Ivan Basso as he moved up to 3rd overall + 1:22 | The Pink Jersey (Ryder Hesjedal of Garmin - Barracuda) and Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) crossed 12th and 13th + 39s | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) lost the race lead today and is now 2nd + 30s | As the pain of a solo win was wearing off... | ... the wheels were coming off for Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox who was still on the course | The descents and chasing back on took there toll on Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox as he creaked on the final climb and finished 24th + 2:05 | 34th was Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Barracuda) + 4:52, the top U.S. rider | As the fans descended, trailing riders were still negotiating the 15 switchbacks on the final climb. | Mark Cavendish finished in the grupetto 35 minutes later at the back of the race and retains he's points competition lead. He even added to it with an early intermediate sprint on today's stage. | 24 year old Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) looks a little stunned on the stage 15 podium as his win sinks in | Back in Pink, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) recaptured the race lead heading into the final rest day on Monday. He now leads Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) by 30s. “Yesterday I tried to stay with Hesjedal when he attacked but he was really strong. Today I was perhaps a little stronger than him but the Giro d’Italia is far from over. Basso made a strong move and I suffered when he accelerated, and so I think he’s strong. I’ve won in the cold and I’m not really affected by cold conditions but I’d rather not race in the rain.” |
Stage 16: Limone sul Garda → Falzes, 174 km Full Results and Report
| 2004 Giro d'Italia flashback: Today's stage finished in Falzes where 8 years ago, Damiano Cunego took one of the biggest wins of his career. At the end of a mountainous stage, Cunego rode into Falzes and won by 1:16 putting him in the Pink Jersey for good. In total he won 4 stages in 2004 on his way to winning his first and only Giro d'Italia. Although, he's had some big wins since like Amstel Gold, Vuelta a Espana (2 stages) and Giro di Lombardia (3x), he hasn't won a Giro d'Italia stage since 2004. | Start panoramic of Limone sul Garda along Lago di Garda | Limone sul Garda | The rollout from Limone sul Garda | The peloton during the scenic neutralized start on the road that was built in the 1940s to provide easy access to Limone sul Garda | One more fish eye shot | Although there were lots of hills and mountains in sight on this stage, the course followed Adige and Isarco rivers and valleys | A ten man break got away early on | The break consisted of Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela), Mathias Frank (BMC Racing Team), Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Luca Mazzanti (Farnese Vini-Sella Italia), Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto Belisol), Nicolas Maes (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), José Herrada Lopez (Movistar), Stef Clement (Rabobank), Matthias Brändle (NetApp) and Manuele Boaro (Saxo Bank) | The peloton/GC contenders took the day off for a wine tour through the region | The break worked well together and stretched out a lead of over 10 minutes | It was only on the 2.5 km climb in Falzes with 5 km to go that there was any action on this stage | Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel - Euskadi) and Mathias Frank (BMC Racing) leading the final attack followed José Herrada (Movistar) | Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel - Euskadi) continued to power up the 2.5 km climb slowly gaining time the entire way | Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel - Euskadi) then soloed the 2 km flat run to the line in Falzes to win by 16s | Finish panoramic | 2nd Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli) and 3rd Stef Clement (Rabobank) + 16s | The peloton finally making there way up the climb in Falzes ... | The peloton was saving themselves for tomorrow's big Dolomites stage and finished almost 9 minutes back of the winning time | 23 year-old Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel - Euskadi) on the podium celebrating the biggest (2nd) win of his career | This must be Joaquim Rodriguez' (Katusha) fifth or sixth Pink Jersey this year | Celebrate now because the Dolomites are tomorrow | Mark Cavendish is determined to finish the race and claim the final Red Jersey for the points competition |
Stage 17: Falzes → Cortina d'Ampezzo, 187 km Full Results and Report
| Mark Cavendish took the early lead during the rollout from Falzes before drifting back to finish 123rd + 38:26 | The early five man break which included the KOM leader, Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) | A panoramic of the Dolomities and in particular, the first of four big climbs, Passo Valparola | The peloton climbing the first and "easiest climb" of the day, Passo Valparola (14.1 km @ 5.5 %) | Passo Valparola | Passo Valparola | Nearing the top of Passo Valparola | Descending Passo Valparola | Race leader, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) descending Passo Valparola | And off they go to the next climb, Passo Duran | When yesterday's stage winner, Euskaltel - Euskadi, missed today's main break, they went to the front on Passo Duran (12.2 km @ 8.1 %) to reel it back | The fast pace-setting produced some big losers today. Astana's Paolo Tiralongo and Roman Kreuziger were 4th and 5th on GC before day's Dolomites stage but Tiralongo slid down to 8th overall and Kreuziger plummeted down to 20th after losing over 11 minutes. | Euskaltel - Euskadi on Passo Duran | Amets Txurruka and Mikel Nieve attacking on Passo Duran | Mikel Nieve bridged up to the main break. He ended up 12th + 1:22 today | Liquigas-Cannondale tapping out a rhythm that slowly sent riders out the back | Damiano Cunego and Michele Scarponi weren't enjoying the Liquigas-Cannondale pacesetting | The final climb of the day, Passo Giau (9.9 km @ 9.3 %), was part of the 2012 official race poster | The race was wheedled down to just six riders on Passo Giau thanks to Liquigas and Ivan Basso | Someone from this group will win the 2012 Giro d'Italia, left to right: Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha), Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox), Rigoberto Uran Uran (Sky Procycling), Michele Scarponi (Lampre - ISD), Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda), Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) | Passo Giau panoramic | The GC contenders on Passo Giau | Nearing the top of Passo Giau before descending 17 km to the finish in Cortina d'Ampezzo | Scarponi then Basso led out the "bunch sprint", but they were no match for Joaquim Rodriguez | Race leader, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) was expected to have difficulty with this stage, but he stayed with the lead group the entire way and then won the slight uphill finish in Cortina d'Ampezzo | Lots of smiles at the finish from these three which could end up being the final podium. 1st Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha), 2nd Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) and 3rd Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) | Stage 10 and now Stage 17 wiiner, Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha) has been consistently good all month, but so has Ryder Hesjedal who is a much better team trialist: Hesjedal’s consistency causing panic among Giro ‘big’ | Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha) passed an important test today with flying (Pink) colors, but he needs to put more time into some of his rivals on the two remaining mountain stages with summit finishes and before the dreaded individual time-trial.Post-race Rodriguez said: “I didn’t need to win the stage to show I’m strong. I did well throughout the stage. Today I was on good form even if I wasn’t better than Basso. I think he was especially strong on the climb and I think we’ve got to congratulate him on his performance too.” “I’m happy with how my teammates performed. Danny (Moreno) was dropped on the last climb and (Alberto) Losada was there with me till the last minute. When there are a lot of attacks, its up to us (team leaders) to move. I felt protected with Losada and Daniel with me for most of the stage.” “If Hesjedal stays with us, then the Giro d’Italia is his. I hope he cracks and I’ll do everything I can to make him crack. But Ryder is strong. We’ll see what happens in the final stages. But if someone wins because they’re stronger than you, you can only congratulate them.” Rodriguez raced with a black ribbon on the sleeve of his jersey to remember fellow Spain rider Xavier Tondo, who died exactly a year ago today. “It’ll remember him for the rest of my life, not just today. I don’t like to talk about him in public because I prefer to remember him privately. I knew Xavier as a child, while other people other talk about him but they never really knew him. I don’t like to talk about him. It’s a thing I keep inside my heart.” | Part of the early break, Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) extended his lead in the Mountains classification | On the strength of his 4th place finish today, Rigoberto Uran has taken the Best Young Rider jersey from his Sky teammate, Sergio Luis Henao who now trails by 1:46 |
Stage 18: San Vito Cadore → Vedelago, 139 km Full Results and Report
| The start activity scene from San Vito Cadore | The jersey leaders being called up before the start | The rollout from San Vito Cadore which is just south of yesterday's finish in Cortina d'Ampezzo | Today's stage descended from the Dolomites to the flats, but we'll be back again in the Dolomites tomorrow for Stage 19 (preview) | As indicated from the single-line, it was a fast stage today. No break was going upset one final sprint finish at this year's Giro. | Today's stage only took only 3 hours to cover 139 km before Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) won the sprint finish in Vedelago. | Mark Cavendish had a good leadout, but Andrea Guardini jumped first with about 150m to go | Andrea Guardini celebrates his first Giro win while Mark Cavendish laments a missed opportunity | Close-up of mixed emotions | Andrea Guardini, post race, being escorted to the podium | Mark Cavendish will end his Giro with three wins, half the number he was hoping for. And his win of the points competition is still in doubt. | Andrea Guardini took out 6 of 10 stage wins at the Tour of Langkawi earlier this year. But, a Giro win where he beats Mark Cavendish confirms he's now one of the best. | Italy's next great pure sprinter? 22-year old Andrea Guardini standing tall on the podium.Guardini said: “I’m still very young and I’ve got to develop a lot as a rider. I’ve really suffered on the climbs in this Giro d’Italia but 198 riders started the Giro and now there’s only 168 left. That proves something.” “During the first week of the Giro d’Italia I didn’t believe in myself enough. I’d been struggling in the sprints and things hadn’t been going my way. I knew this sprint was the last chance I had. I knew it suited me because it was so flat. I knew my chance was today or that I’d have to wait until next year. I knew I could beat Cavendish but I knew I had to jump first and by doing that today, I’ve realised what I can do.” “The difference between winning this sprint and winning one after 250km of racing all comes down to experience. A few years ago Cavendish struggled on the climbs and he’s amazing, as he proved by winning Milano-Sanremo at the first attempt and at my age. I think I’m a similar kind of sprinter as Cavendish but my idol was Robbie McEwen who retired a few days ago.” “Milano-Sanremo is the race of my dreams but I know I’ve still got to work a lot to have a chance to win it. Milano-Sanremo is a long term goal.” | Joaquim Rodriguez said: “I think my overall lead on Basso and Scarponi is enough to win the Giro d’Italia but of course if there’s a chance to gain more time, I’ll take it.”“I hope that Hesjedal has a bad day on the hard climbs that we’re going to face. Everyone thinks he’ll crack but I’m not so sure. Of course, if I feel good, I’ll try to do something. We’ll tackle the last climb at 15km/h; Hesjedal weighs 70kg, while I’m only 58kg and so the climb suits me better.” “I’m confident in my team. Losada and Danni (Moreno) are both good climbers and will be with me till the end. It’s not up to us to make the race. If anything, it’s up to Liquigas to do it.” |
Stage 19: Treviso → Alpe_di_Pampeago, 198 km Full Results and Report
| The rollout from Treviso, a frequent Giro host, before another epic day in the Dolomites | Passing through Fonzaso at km 60 where today's climbing started | Getting down to business | The peloton on Passo Manghen, comparable in length and grade to Passo dello Stelvio. Passo Manghen is slightly shorter, but a little steeper. | Passo Manghen fish-eye view |
| Passo Manghen | Fans waiting at the top of Passo Manghen | Passo Manghen has a narrow, scary descent, but closing your eyes doesn't make it any easier; Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) descending | It's also not a good descent to try and grab a snack; Peter Stetina (Garmin - Barracuda) descending with Roman Kreuziger (Astana) right behind | Luca Mazzanti (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) buried himself in the mud while descending Passo Manghen | Sandy Casar (FDJ) and Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago) were first over the top of Alpe di Pampeago the first time around | Liquigas-Cannondale at the front of the chase on Passo di Lavazè | The chase group going over the top of Passo di Lavazè | The big loser from Stage 17, Roman Kreuziger, attacked the peloton on Passo di Lavazè | Kevin Seeldrayers dropped back from the break to help Roman Kreuziger on Passo di Lavazè | Liquigas-Cannondale on Alpe di Pampeago | Roman Kreuziger (Astana) caught and then dropped the break survivors on Alpe di Pampeago | Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago - Csf Inox) 9th + 1:22 being dropped by Roman Kreuziger after animating the break | Michele Scarponi giving Ivan Basso the look among the GC contenders several minutes back before launching an attack | Scraponi, Basso, Uran and Hesjedal | After Scraponi attacked, Hesjedal joined him and the two worked well together | Getting dropped... this isn't how the final climb was suppose to play out for Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox), Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) and the Maglia Rosa | Scraponi and Hesjedal catching Casar who finished 14th + 1:41 | That's not much of a hole even for two of the smaller riders (Pozzovivo and Rodriguez) in the field | Roman Kreuziger (Astana) turning himself inside out over the final 4km of Alpe di Pampeago, the steepest part of the climb averaging 12%, much to the delight of the crowd | After losing 11 minutes on the last mountain stage, Roman Kreuziger (Astana) bounced back in the Dolomites with an impressive win on Alpe di Pampeago | I won! | Maybe a victory salute wasn't such a good idea; the duration of victory salutes at Alpe di Pampeago are never long | Riders were carted off Alpe di Pampeago | Another brilliant ride by Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) today 2nd + 19s. He actually gained time on his GC rivals and moves to within 17s of the race lead... | ... helluva ryde | Coming back near the end. Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) digging for the line. He finished 3rd +32s to retain his Pink Jersey. | Michele Scarponi (Lampre - ISD) grabbing the boards after finishing 4th + 35s | Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago - CSF Inox) crossed 5th + 43s | Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank) getting mopped up after finishing 28th + 4:31 | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) has looked and acted so composed given he's never been in this position before | His Giro has been saved; your stage 19 winner, Roman Kreuziger (Astana) | “Things went a lot better today. We started the stage with the idea of helping Paolo Tiralongo secure a top ten finish. When he was dropped the team told to not worry about him and ride my own race.”“I was going to wait before attacking but then Cataldo attacked and so I went with him. While I was with him I managed to share the work but then when I was on my own and then in the last two kilometres, it was really hard. I only started to think I had a chance of victory in the last two hundred metres and that’s when I gave it absolutely everything.” | A day of mixed emotions for the man in Pink, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha). He gained time on everyone but the guy he worries about most in the upcoming time-trial. He has spent many days in Pink, but is it all slipping away now? | Rigoberto Uran (Sky) solidified his lead in the young rider competition by placing 7th today + 51s |
Stage 20: Caldes → Passo dello Stelvio, 219 km Full Results and Report
| The morning sign-in in Treviso (as in three visuals for it's scenic lookouts) | Race leader, Joaquim Rodriguez enjoying his ninth morning in Pink | There was lots of climbing early on before getting to Passo del Mortirolo and Passo dello Stelvio | Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack-Nissan) was off the front on Passo del Mortirolo | Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack-Nissan) had a six minute lead at one point, but he finished the day 40th + 25:25 | The top U.S. rider in the race, Christian Vande Velde, led most of the chasing today for his Garmin - Barracuda teammate Ryder Hesjedal | Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) attacking off the front of the chase on Passo del Mortirolo | The GC contenders watched as Thomas De Gendt (8th on GC) rolls away, not to be seen again | Race leader Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha) put a dig in on the steepest (22%) part of Passo del Mortirolo, but Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) was able to follow | Passo del Mortirolo panoramic | Michele Scarponi (Lampre - ISD) and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) working their way up the narrow climb as the fans look on | Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) and the last break survivor, Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel - Euskadi) staring Passo dello Stelvio | Christian Vande Velde still leading the chase | Meanwhile, it was one man, Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM), against the mountain he knows so well (he trains here)... | ... fans waiting at the top of Passo dello Stelvio some 22 km later at the finish (elevation 2758m), the Cima Coppi (highest point) of this year's race | The peloton on the endless switchbacks... | Switchback panoramic | More switchbacks | The road on both sides of the Stelvio is a real work of engineering; Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) led the GC contenders most of the way up the final climb | Part of the break, Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD), was the 2nd man up the road about one minute back of Thomas De Gendt. | Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) passing through the snow layer near the top | Damiano Cunego holding his own for second | Thomas De Gendt | Michele Scarponi (Lampre - ISD) attacked off the peloton. He would finish 5th + 3:34 | A great shot of Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda). Rodriguez would jump past Hesjedal and Scarponi to finish 4th + 3:22 putting Rodriguez 1 pt ahead of Mark Cavendish in the points competition. Hesjedal went on to finish 6th + 3:36 (14s behind Rodriguez) | Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) suffered today on his way to 10th + 4:55 while the young rider leader behind him on the road, Rigoberto Uran (Sky) would pass Basso for 8th | The five minute gap to the peloton was coming down over the final kms but Thomas De Gendt was on his way to victory | As the sign says, 1.3 km to go for Thomas De Gendt | Thomas De Gendt wins on Passo dello Stelvio | and he was pretty thrilled about it | If not for the great ride by De Gendt, we'd be talking about Damiano Cunego's fine performance which turned out to be for 2nd + 56s | Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel - Euskadi) hung on for 3rd + 2:55 | Your stage 20 winner, the champion of the Stelvio, Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) |
| Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) says he's climbed the Stelvio around 30x in the past which helped to pace himself today | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) received his 10th Pink Jersey today... | He's enjoyed his time in Pink, but it's who receives the last one that counts most. He'll take a slim 31s advantage on Ryder Hesjedal into the final day 32 km time-trial. | So long from Passo dello Stelvio and the final road stage of this year's Giro d'Italia |
Stage 21: Milano 28.2 km (ITT) Full Results and Report
| Marco Pinotti (BMC Racing) came through the best time late in the stage... | Marco Pinotti (BMC Racing) won by an impressive 39s. 28.2 km in 33:06. | Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) came through with an excellent time + 1:01 to claim 5th and the 3rd podium position | 2nd overall, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) was favored to claim the final Maglia Rosa today | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) laid it on the line today as he's done every day this month | A great final ryde. 6th Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) + 1:09 to win the 2012 Giro d'Italia by 16s | Ryder Hesjedal crossing the line at Piazza Duomo | Pure climber Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) put up a good fight finishing 22nd + 1:54, but it wasn't enough to keep the final podium position. First time since 1995 that an Italian hasn't made the podium. | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) has improved his time-trialing this year. He finished 26th + 1:56, but lost the overall race today as expected | The emotions finally come out after winning one of the closest Giros | BMC bookends the Giro d'Italia this year with Prologue and Stage 21 TT wins. Your stage 21 ITT winner, Marco Pinotti (BMC Racing) | Although the Italians lost the final overall podium position today, they did win the final stage | Thomas de Gendt went from 8th to 4th on GC after yesterday's Stelvio win and today he moved up one more spot to claim the final GC podium position. This was only the 2nd Grand Tour for the 25 year-old Belgian... we'll be seeing a lot more of him in the future. | Colorful Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), who spent the last 10 of 11 days in Pink, is most importantly a family man | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) slipping into something more comfortable | Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) may have worn this jersey for 10 of the last 11 days, but it still smells pretty good to Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) | After another incredible Giro d'Italia, The Fight for Pink is Over for one more year | Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda), the first Canadian Grand Tour winner... ever | The most beautiful trophy in sports has found a new home | Your 2012 Giro d'Italia final podium: 2nd Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) + 17s, 1st Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda) 84:06:13, 3rd Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) + 1:39. This is the first time since 1995 (and 4th time in history) that an Italian hasn't made it to the final podium. | Like Steve Bauer's Yellow Jerseys, Stage win and 4th place overall at the 1988 Tour de France, Ryder Hesjedal's Giro d'Italia win is expected to have a big impact on cycling in Canada |
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