Ulissi Wins Giro dItalia Stage 17 Sprint, Visconti Penalized
Diego Ulissi of Lampre was awarded the win in Stage 17 of the 2011 Giro dItalia after Farnese-Vinis Giovanni Visconti was relegated to third for pushing the Lampre rider during the final sprint.
In a stage which didnt see any attacks by the leaders, all the drama was generated in the 16-rider breakaway. With four kilometers left, four riders Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vin,) Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma-Lotto,) Pablo Lastras (Movistar,) and Diego Ulissi (Lampre) opened a slight lead on the rest.
Coming into the final kilometer, these four were watching one another waiting to see who would go first. Diego Ulissi made the first feint 750 meters out, then slowed as Giovanni Visconti marked him.
The four rode slowly until about 150 meter out, when Ulissi started his sprint. Visconti, a stronger sprint for some reason wandered from the right side of Ulissi to the extreme left, and tried to squeeze between the Lampre rider and the barrier.
Ulissi was drifting left all through his sprint, leaving barely a bicycle-width to his left. When Visconti felt Ulissi was too close, the Farnese rider patted, then vigorously shoved his opponent.
Visconti was far faster, and probably could have ridden through the gap to take the win. Even though he sat up to shout at Ulissi, Visconti still crossed the finish line first.
Race officials refused to tolerate Viscontis behavior; Ulissi was awarded the win, and Visconti was relegated to third, behind Movistars Pablo Lastras, who came within inches of passing the squabbling pair at the finish.
After the race, and before the ruling was issued, reporters asked both riders about the incident.
Lastras insisted that he never deliberately moved to block Visconti. I was in front, doing my sprint, he said, his remarks broadcast by Eurosport.
Visconti seemed totally certain that he had been the injured party.
I was coming at twice the speed of him, he told reporters. If I didnt take my hand off the bars I would n! ever hav e made it to the finish.
He is a young rider; he was showing terribly bad behavior all day long, Visconti continued. I am happy to beat him.
With no sense of irony, Visconti concluded with, I am sorry, but those things shouldnt happen on the Giro dItalia.
Unfortunately, Eurosport did not broadcast interviews with either rider after the race win was awarded to Diego Ulissi.
After Vincenzo Nibalis incredibly quick and courageous descending in Stage 15, many expected that the Liquigas-Cannondale rider would try to put pressure on racer leader Alberto Contador during the twisting, technical descent down Aprica, the final climb of the day.
Aprica, a Cat Three climb, would pose no problems for any of the riders but the final portion of the descent into the town of Tirano was narrow and twisting. Since descending seems to be the only facet of cycling in which Vincenzo Nibali outperforms Alberto Contador, it seemed likely the Liquigas rider would try to take back some time from the race leader.
Indeed, Liquigas did push the peloton towards the end of the race, but oddly, seemed to ease off once they realized they would not catch the breakaway. Nibali did lead Contador down the mountain, but he made no effort to open a gap.
One rider to gain from this stage was HTC-Highroads Kanstantsin Sivtsov, who advanced from 12th to fifth on the General Classification.
Stage 18 is listed as a medium mountain stage, but it offers only a single Cat Two climb near the end.
Stretching 147 km from Morbegno to Sondrio, this will be another stage for a breakaway of riders from smaller teams. The final descent is again twisting and technical, so a very brave (and slightly crazy) rider trying to make a name with a stage win could attack a breakaway here.
If a break reaches the end en masse, the final six km are very slightly uphill, the final kilometer almost flat, and the final 500 meters very slightly downh! ill; per fect for an exciting sprint finishthough none of the true sprinters will be around for it.
This stage offers Vincenzo Nibali another opportunity to take back a few seconds on Contador and second-placed Michele Scarponi, but judging from today, the Liquigas rider will be content to make his attacks in the mountains of Staged 19 and 20.
Nibali could use his descending skill here and take back a few seconds, but more likely Saxo Bank would drive the peloton to catch him before the line
In a stage which didnt see any attacks by the leaders, all the drama was generated in the 16-rider breakaway. With four kilometers left, four riders Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vin,) Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma-Lotto,) Pablo Lastras (Movistar,) and Diego Ulissi (Lampre) opened a slight lead on the rest.
Coming into the final kilometer, these four were watching one another waiting to see who would go first. Diego Ulissi made the first feint 750 meters out, then slowed as Giovanni Visconti marked him.
The four rode slowly until about 150 meter out, when Ulissi started his sprint. Visconti, a stronger sprint for some reason wandered from the right side of Ulissi to the extreme left, and tried to squeeze between the Lampre rider and the barrier.
Ulissi was drifting left all through his sprint, leaving barely a bicycle-width to his left. When Visconti felt Ulissi was too close, the Farnese rider patted, then vigorously shoved his opponent.
Visconti was far faster, and probably could have ridden through the gap to take the win. Even though he sat up to shout at Ulissi, Visconti still crossed the finish line first.
Race officials refused to tolerate Viscontis behavior; Ulissi was awarded the win, and Visconti was relegated to third, behind Movistars Pablo Lastras, who came within inches of passing the squabbling pair at the finish.
After the race, and before the ruling was issued, reporters asked both riders about the incident.
Lastras insisted that he never deliberately moved to block Visconti. I was in front, doing my sprint, he said, his remarks broadcast by Eurosport.
Visconti seemed totally certain that he had been the injured party.
I was coming at twice the speed of him, he told reporters. If I didnt take my hand off the bars I would n! ever hav e made it to the finish.
He is a young rider; he was showing terribly bad behavior all day long, Visconti continued. I am happy to beat him.
With no sense of irony, Visconti concluded with, I am sorry, but those things shouldnt happen on the Giro dItalia.
Unfortunately, Eurosport did not broadcast interviews with either rider after the race win was awarded to Diego Ulissi.
No Action Among the Leaders
After Vincenzo Nibalis incredibly quick and courageous descending in Stage 15, many expected that the Liquigas-Cannondale rider would try to put pressure on racer leader Alberto Contador during the twisting, technical descent down Aprica, the final climb of the day.
Aprica, a Cat Three climb, would pose no problems for any of the riders but the final portion of the descent into the town of Tirano was narrow and twisting. Since descending seems to be the only facet of cycling in which Vincenzo Nibali outperforms Alberto Contador, it seemed likely the Liquigas rider would try to take back some time from the race leader.
Indeed, Liquigas did push the peloton towards the end of the race, but oddly, seemed to ease off once they realized they would not catch the breakaway. Nibali did lead Contador down the mountain, but he made no effort to open a gap.
One rider to gain from this stage was HTC-Highroads Kanstantsin Sivtsov, who advanced from 12th to fifth on the General Classification.
Stage 18
Stage 18 is listed as a medium mountain stage, but it offers only a single Cat Two climb near the end.
Stretching 147 km from Morbegno to Sondrio, this will be another stage for a breakaway of riders from smaller teams. The final descent is again twisting and technical, so a very brave (and slightly crazy) rider trying to make a name with a stage win could attack a breakaway here.
If a break reaches the end en masse, the final six km are very slightly uphill, the final kilometer almost flat, and the final 500 meters very slightly downh! ill; per fect for an exciting sprint finishthough none of the true sprinters will be around for it.
This stage offers Vincenzo Nibali another opportunity to take back a few seconds on Contador and second-placed Michele Scarponi, but judging from today, the Liquigas rider will be content to make his attacks in the mountains of Staged 19 and 20.
Nibali could use his descending skill here and take back a few seconds, but more likely Saxo Bank would drive the peloton to catch him before the line
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