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Please join us for live blogging of Stage 14 of the Giro d’Italia this evening. Live coverage will begin at 7.35 AEST with comments being added to this post as the race progresses.
Stage 13 of the 2012 Giro d’Italia, the shortest road stage of this year’s race, saw riders travel 121km inland from Savona to Cervere in Italy’s northwest.
Following an early category four climb at Montezemolo after 32km, the course remained flat for much of the 90 remaining kilometres.
The day was destined to end in a bunch sprint finish, despite the best efforts of breakaway duo Francesco Failli (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) and Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleis-DCM).
The pair built up a five and a half minute gap with 84km to go, but it was always going to be hard to hang on once the peloton turned up the heat.
Failli led Keizer over the climb at Montezemolo but, in true breakaway spirit, swapped positions to roll over the intermediate sprint at Carru.
The main pack made the catch 21km from the finish, more than enough time for the sprinter’s teams to organise their trains.
A small secondary breakaway tried its hand 5km out from the line, but it was to no avail on the long, straight roads of Cervere. It was anyone’s game.
In recent years that has often meant a stage win to Mark Cavendish (Sky Pro Cycling). Stage 13 was no different.
Norwegian road champion Alexander Kristoff (Garmin-Barracuda) finished second, ahead of Australian Mark Renshaw (Rabobank).
Tonight’s 206km stage 14 from Cherasco to Cervinia could be one for the ages, and is likely to play a deciding role in the race for the pink jersey.
After 130km of flat terrain, the roads start to angle skyward for two category one climbs – the first at Col de Joux, the second a mountaintop finish in Cervinia.
The riders only have the descent off the Col de Joux to recover before the start of the climb up to the finish, a stage conclusion that will sort the contenders from the pretenders.
It is the first true test for the pure climbers, and a form gauge for overall favourites Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale).
Scarponi will be aided by the strong climbing of Le Petit Prince (Damiano Cunego), and Basso by the likes of Polish climber Sylvester Szmyd.
Other men to watch are current pink jersey holder Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha), John Gadret (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Italian opportunist Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF Inox).
No matter the result, stage 14 is set to be an absolute classic. We’ll have updates throughout the evening, beginning at 7.35pm AEST.
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