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Tirreno-Adriatico (2013) Photos March 6 - 12

« Tirreno-Adriatico 2013 Dashboard



Stage 0:  Pre-Race Press Conference  Full Results and Report

Fabian Cancellara and Joaquin Rodriguez already have their game faces on while walking the grounds of San Vincenzo outside the press conference

Mark Cavendish arriving on a blustery day

Mark Cavendish likes racing in Italy and has a home in Tuscany. He's even starting to look Italian. “As usual I’m not really thinking about the others. This guy to my right” – Peter Sagan (who arrived at the press conference a few minutes late) – “will probably spend more time waiting for us this week than we’ve just spent waiting for him. If it’s a sprint, it’s a sprint, but [Sagan] might disrupt that.”

Winner of Tour of Oman, Chris Froome (Sky) is a race favorite. “Every race I do now is important. I’ll try to get the most out of it. It’s a really good field and a demanding route, and it’s going to be a really hard week of racing.”

Alberto Contador and Joaquin Rodriguez animate any race they're in

Alberto Contador: "I’m very happy with the quality of the field. I think it will be the most competitive stage race of the year, outside the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España"

Vincenzo Nibali won last year when Chris Horner was his main contender. This year the competition is much stiffer. “I had better form last year because my season was more based around the first part. But I have a good team and we’ll try to ride a good race. As you can see there are riders here like Froome, Alberto and Cadel. We’ll ride with lots of enthusiasm and there’ll be war out there!”

Cadel Evans won this race in 2011 before going on to win his first and only Tour de France. “I’m back after an year of underachievement in 2012. I hope to get back to my real level in 2013. I don’t know how many Grand Tour champions are here. It may be the best field ever.”

Joaquin Rodriguez checking out the hill top finishes in the race bible. “Victory? Why not. I’ve been training hard. I want to do well because all the rivals I’ll be riding against in the three-week races are here. I have good form and I hope to be there at the decisive moments.”

Fabian Cancellara is looking at the opening team time trial and final day individual time-trial stages. “It’s an important race for me. I’ve won it once, and it gives me what I need for the classics. When you see how strong the field is, you know it’s going to be hard. The weather will make it even harder. It’s the race I need.”

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) should be thinking about winning every stage. “Can I win the race overall? I think not. I think it’s too hard for me now to win. But we’ll see day by day.”

Serious Photo-Op

Playful Photo-Op

Mobile Scan Clinic: For the safety of the riders and race staff, RCS Sport/La Gazzetta dello Sport is introducing, for the first time in cycling, a mobile X-ray and ultrasound clinic, alongside a field hospital for the treatment of minor injuries. This service will be positioned close to the team buses at the stage starts and close to the Permanance at the stage finishes, for the fastest and most effective possible medical treatment. The service is offered with the cooperation of the Italian Society of Medical Radiology, whose consultants will be on hand to receive digital scans and medical examination files sent by email, and provide a second opinion. An expanded version of the service will be employed at the Giro d’Italia.

Stage 1:  San Vincenzo → Donoratico, 16.9 km  Full Results and Report


Historic moment in cycling: Mtn Qhubeka, the first African (South African) pro cycling team to compete in Europe heads down the start ramp

This was the highlight of Fabian Cancellara's ride; RadioShack-Leopard was only able to post the 10th fastest time + 36s

Team Sky head out on the slick course. They finished 7th + 25s

Tony Martin leading Omega Pharma - QuickStep in the pouring rain during the 16.9 km Stage 1 TTT


Omega Pharma-Quick Step on their way to a best time of 19:24

Tight formation, all riders accounted for and giving it everything in wet conditions

The new best time would stick

Movistar was 2nd + 11s

BMC amidst a vineyard

BMC were targeting a win but had to settle for 3rd + 16s

Cadel Evans followed by Taylor Phinney

Mark Cavendish claims the first leader's jersey

Same shot, different angle

Omega Pharma-Quick Step's winning time was 19:24 which was 11s faster than Movistar and 16s faster than BMC


Despite the cool, wet conditions, it was time to celebrate

Stage 2:  San Vincenzo → Indicatore, 232 km  Full Results and Report


The rollout from San Vincenzo

Alberto Contador


The three men break

Fabian Cancellara wasn't taking the break very seriously

Alberto Contador

The break down to two riders

Mass sprint as expected in Indicatore

Close up of the sprint finish

Matt Goss is the surprise winner. Mark Cavendish on the left was 5th and André Greipel (2nd row) was 7th

Manuel BELLETTI (AG2R LA MONDIALE) was 2nd and Gerald CIOLEK (MTN - QHUBEKA), left, was 3rd


J Rod

So sad. Andy Schleck.

Manuel BELLETTI (AG2R LA MONDIALE) was the top Italian by finishing second

Your stage 2 winner, Matt Goss (Orica GreenEdge)

Patience everyone... Matt Goss hasn't done this for awhile

Race leader Mark Cavendish with Francisco Moser


Stage 3:  Indicatore → Narni Scalo, 198 km  Full Results and Report


Despite lots of attacking late in the rainy stage, we had a sprint finish

Peter SAGAN, (CANNONDALE) wins a flat sprint ahead of Mark CAVENDISH (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP), André GREIPEL (LOTTO BELISOL) and Gerald CIOLEK (MTN - QHUBEKA)


Sprint finish perspective

Those are two pretty good pure sprinters on each side of Peter Sagan

Sagan beats Cavendish for the first time in a sprint finish

“There was a climb we rode hard and I think the sprinters felt it. In the final 500m Mark had no more lead-out men. I was on Greipel’s wheel, Mark went shoulder to shoulder with me but he was sporting and dropped in behind. It was good for me, anyway, not for him.”


Your Stage 3 winner, Peter Sagan



Mark Cavendish is still in the leader's jersey, but that will change on Saturday with the first mountain/hilltop finish stage

The sprint: “Gert [Steegmans] brought me to the last 500m. I tried to get on Greipel’s wheel, but Sagan was already there. I started my sprint early, but someone always comes from behind so I tried to hold something back. Peter [Sagan] did really well.”

The hills: “Cannondale went hard on the climb and I lost of lot of positions but I was happy to hang on. We can take a lot of good stuff from today. The climb will decide Milan-Sanremo. But I can’t win Milan Sanremo - I can’t win Milan Sanremo (sic.).’


Celebrating Women's Day with a strong message

Stage 4:  Narni → Prati di Tivo, 173 km  Full Results and Report


Omega Pharma - Quick Step had a plan this morning in Narni, give Mark Cavendish blue leader's jersey (Maglia Azzurra) to the best young rider, Michal Kwiatkowski

Dramatic scenery along the way

Race leader, Mark Cavendish, was responsible for chasing down the break

Omega Pharma - Quick Step driving the chase

There was several categorized climbs before the mountaintop finish

The unsuccessful break passing by cascate delle Marmore

The Sky train on the final climb led by Sergio Henao and Rigoberto Uran

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) launched several attacks near the top of Prati di Tivo (14.6 km, avg 7.1 %, max 12 %)


Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) and Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini - Selle Italia) formed a late break and it looked like they were going to stay away

Vincenzo Nibali was attempting to repeat his win from last year

But, the Sky train was about to reel them in

Chris Froome (Sky), Chris Horner (RadioShack Leopard) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

Chris Froome (Sky) caught and passed the trio up front

Chris Froome (Sky) on his way to victory, but digging for more time

Chris Froome (Sky) wins the mountaintop finish on Stage 4 and moves to second overall

Finish perspective on Prati di Tivo with 2nd and 3rd coming up the barriers

“We have our style of racing and it’s probably very different from other teams. The guys did a fantastic job for me today to get me to the last kilometer with the freshest legs possible. If you look at the guys ahead or around me, as well as Contador and Nibali, I had Dario Cataldo, who was pulling for a long way, Rigoberto [Urán] & Sergio [Henao].”

Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini - Selle Italia) was second + 6s

Last year's winner, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) was 3rd + 11s with Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) coming up next to take 4th + 13s

People... there's a race still going on

Your stage 4 winner, Chris Froome (Sky)


4th today + 13s and now 1st overall thanks to the opening TTT, Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

“Tirreno – Adriatico was one of my main goals for the beginning of the season, although I didn’t expect to take the leader’s jersey today against champions like Contador, Froome and Nibali. ”

Regarding overall victory: “I don’t know what to expect from the others, but I will try to keep [the jersey]. I’ll try not to lose time tomorrow or the day after, and in the time trial, which is my speciality, I’ll do my best to gain some seconds.”


Stage 5:  Ortona → Chieti, 224 km  Full Results and Report


The rollout past the Aragonese castle in Ortona, Abruzzo

Michal Kwiatkowski's first and only stage as the race leader

The peloton climbing Passo Lanciano with 45 km to go

Damiano Cunego on Passo Lanciano getting lots of TV time. He survived until 6 km to go

Team Cannondale driving the pace, bringing the race back together; however, neither Peter Sagan nor Moreno Moser faired well today

Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha) attacks near the base of the final climb with 1.3 km to go where he was dropped last year

Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha) stretching out his lead on the steep section of the final climb into Chieti with 1 km to go

Chris Froome following at this point. He finished 6th + 8s to move into the race lead

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff) was 3rd today + 8s followed here by Chris Horner (RadioShack Leopard) who finished 5th + 8s

Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha), as expected, wins Stage 5

Finish perspective of Joaquim Rodriquez's impressive win

Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha) makes his living on finishes like this

“I attacked this year at the point they dropped me last year! Winning today is very important to me. I’ve won here before, and I feel the Tirreno-Adriatico very deeply. This year, the strongest riders in the world are here, so winning is good for the team and for my head.”

Bauke Mollema (Blanco) came up to take second, just ahead of Alberto Contador

Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini - Selle Italia) was 4th

Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha) on his way to the podium...

Your stage 5 winner, Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha)

Chris Froome (Sky) takes over as the race leader by 20s over Alberto Contador with two stages to go

“Leading a race in Italy is a novelty for me. I haven’t been in this position before. But at Tirreno-Adriatico, the history and passion give me extra motivation. I’m expecting tomorrow they’ll throw everything at us and then in the time trial I’ll have to give it absolutely everything.”

“One thing I’ve learnt from racing the likes of Contador is that it’s not over until it’s over. Some days he’ll probably take time from me and other days I’ll probably take time from him. His style of racing is also to pick up the bonuses and he’s doing a good job.”


Stage 6:  Porto Sant'Elpidio → Porto Sant'Elpidio, 209 km  Full Results and Report


DJ Cunego out of control at the controls getting in the mood for another solo break

Winning stage races is music to David Brailsford's ears and he wants to win every one of them

The jersey leaders to start Stage 6

A beautiful, calm morning in Porto Sant'Elpidio... but that would all change

2nd and 1st on GC to start the day, but both Alberto Contador and Chris Froome slid down the GC standings today

Shortly after the rollout

Team Sky leading the chase over the hilly parcours in the Fermo territory

Damiano Cunego taking the 1st of the 3 KOMs awarded at Sant’Elpidio a Mare where the slope kicked up to 30% near the top, the steepest road in all the RCS races this year

Peter Sagan in beast mode holding his own against the climbers: “It was a very hard stage. When the rain started to fall, the gradients of 30% were hard to get up. I heard Contador say that, when he climbed out of the saddle, his back wheel slipped. I rode in the saddle all the time.”

Cyclocross: Thomas Dekker and others running up the hill just as fast others were cycling it

The last time up the Muro di Sant'Elpidio with 18 km to go is when the stage was decided with Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) leading the attack

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) fighting to stay on Vincenzo Nibali's wheel on the steep (max 27% or 30%) section in the rain.

Vincenzo Nibali: “The tactic in my head was that, if I was good in the final, I wanted to do something on the last climb. I’d looked on the previous passes. I was encouraged when the bad weather came. Other riders suffered in the cold, but I was always ok.”


Peter Sagan knew if he stayed with the lead group, he'd win the sprint...

The successful trio with Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) on the final flat run to the line

... and that's what he did. Peter Sagan turns around in Porto Sant'Elpidio after 209 km of difficult racing to check his margin of victory

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) wins Stage 6 by 2s ahead of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha)

Second place with a big gap to the other GC riders, moves Vincenzo Nibali into the race lead with the final day 9.2 km ITT remaining

Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel Euskadi) crossing 5th + 44s ahead of Chris Horner and Alberto Contador

Alberto Contador looks back to see he only finished 6s ahead of Chris Froome. He said he couldn't get out of his saddle on the steep climbs because his wheel would slip

Chris Froome crossing with Cadel Evans + 50s just outside the top 10

Your 2013 Milan Sanremo, I mean, Stage 6 winner, Peter Sagan (Cannondale)

Second time to the podium this race for Sagan

Fourth new leader of this year's Tirreno-Adriatico to don the Maglia Azzurra...

“On Prati di Tivo I was on the defensive for most of the day and I only attacked in the final 2 km. Yesterday I wasn’t great and I didn’t think I’d be able to recoup the seconds I lost. But today it all came good for me. But we new at the start of the race there was a 27% climb coming, so our bikes were set up for it and we were well prepared.”

Last year's overall winner, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), will take a healthy 34s lead into the final day 9.2 km ITT

Friendship on display at the Post-Race Press-Conference, Peter Sagan: “[Nibali] asked me how I was. I said I didn’t know if I’d be able to stay at the front. In the end we were both still there. Even I wasn’t interested in the overall lead, as Vincenzo’s friend, I still took turns at the front. And I was very happy to see him in the move today.”

Stage 7:  San Benedetto del Tronto, 9.2 km  Full Results and Report


Vincenzo Nibali warming up on the flat 9.2 km San Benedetto del Tronto TT course... with a 34s lead it was his race to lose today

Alberto Contador could realistically only think about moving up one spot from 4th to 3rd

The world champ, Tony Martin, was the man to beat today.

Tony Martin's beautiful TT profile

Tony Martin setting a best time of 10:25 for the 9.2 km course which would not be beat. “It was like a prologue. I prefer the longer time trials, but I really liked this route. It was not too technical, and we were lucky with the weather, so everything was really fine. I expected a really big fight with Cancellara [NOTE: 4th overall, at 12 seconds], although in the end Malori was my closest rival. But I’ve won and I’m really happy.”

Frustrating for Adiran Malori (Lampre - Merida). Fabian Cancellara wasn't able to beat his time, but Tony Martin did. The former Italian TT champ finished 2nd + 6s.

The surprise of the day was Andrey Amador's (Movistar Team) 3rd place finish + 10s

Chris Froome is an excellent time-trialist but with a short course and 34s to make up, it was unrealistic to overthrow Nibali like Nibali did to Chris Horner last year

Chris Froome's TT profile

6th best time for Chris Froome + 15s. He pulled back 11 of the 34 seconds he needed on Vincenzo Nibali.

8th, the best young rider, Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) + 21. He finished one second of the podium in 4th overall.

Last man on the course, Vincenzo Nibali cruising by the San Benedetto del Tronto shoreline

Vincenzo Nibali's TT profile

12th place + 26s was plenty good enough to wrap up the overall win for Vincenzo Nibali

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) 17th place finish + 30s was enough to move him up to 3rd place by 1s because...

Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) once again slid off the podium due to his weak time-trialing, 36th + 43s moved him from 3rd down to 5th

Vincenzo Nibali post-race

As he indicates, this is the second year in a row he's won this event

The stage 7 ITT winner, Tony Martin (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) by 6s over Adriano Malori (Lampre-Merida)

Another TT win for the world's best against the clock

Your 2013 overall winner, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana)

Hmmm.... make your own comment

It is a great winner's prize

We know he only comes to win, but moving up from 4th to 3rd was a good end to Alberto Contador's race

Chris Froome (Sky) was less than thrilled about losing the race lead yesterday and settling for 2nd

Your 2013 Tirreno-Adriatico podium, 2nd Chris Froome (Sky) + 23s, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 28:08:17, 3rd Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff) + 52s

Vincenzo Nibali: “It was a great Tirreno - Adiratico, and it gives me great personal satisfaction to win against riders of the quality of Contador and Froome, like in the great three-week races.”

Let's get this party started

Just missing the podium by 1 second was the best young rider Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

With several solo breaks on the mountain stages. Damiano Cunego claims the mountains classification