Stage 9 sees the Giro head into Tuscany and one of cycling’s heartlands. Fittingly it will be an Italian who is in pink. Join us from 10:45pm AEST as we bring you all the action from stage 9 of the 2013 Giro d’Italia.
After the ITT last night which saw Vincenzo Nibali pull on the Maglia Rosa for the second time in his career and first time in 2013.
The ‘Shark of the strait’ is the second Sicilian to wear the leaders jersey after Salvatore Puccio had the jersey for just one day. The Astana captain won’t be losing his pink jersey that quickly.
Wiggins was tipped to be in pink today and although he was the best finisher of the GC men, the knight of the realm may just bide his time before mountains when things will heat up.
The stage begins in the town once known as Borgo Santo Sepolcro but now referred to as Sansepolcro and after a relatively short 170km ride the race will finish in Florence.
The world championships are to be held in this beautiful city and the final climb of the day to Fiesole will make up part of the worlds course in September.
The stage looks suited for breakaway success with tomorrow a rest day and then the first big mountain stage. However with cat 2 climb over the Passo Della Consuma after 64kms of racing and roughly 17kms in length to be quickly followed by the Cat 1 climb over the Vallombrosa which around 11kms, Ryder Hesjedal or Michele Scarponi may just test their legs and let their rivals suffer a little.
After the descent into Pontassieve the riders will still have 40kms to race but it is the last small climb of the Fiesole where the GC could heat up.
This should be an intriguing stage with the GC now looking a little more selective and a late attack or two may be made with the rest day tomorrow on the riders mind. This is a stage where the Giro won’t necessarily be won, but it certainly could be lost.
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining us for another Giro stage. The riders will enjoy a well earned rest before the second week heads into the mountains. Back on Tuesday night with the Stage 10 live blog. Cheers, good night all
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Niabli in pink and Evans in the maglia rosa
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Top ten overall heading into the first rest day is 1 Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 34:19:31 2 Cadel Evans (BMC) +0:29 3 Robert Gesink (Blanco) + 1:15 4 Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) +1:16 5 Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) +1:24 6 Sergio Henao (Team Sky) +2:11 7 Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini) + 2:43 8 Przemysław Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) +2:44 9 Rigoberto Uran (Team Sky) +3:02 10 Tanel Kangert (Astana)
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Top ten on the stage was 1 Maxim Belkov (Katusha) 4:31:31 2 Carlos Betancur (Ar2r) +44’ 3 Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia) +46’ 4 Tobais Ludvigsson (Argos-Shimano) +54’ 5 Cadel Evans (BMC) + 1:03’ 6 Beñat Intxausti (Movistar) + 1:03’ 7 Danilo Di Luca (Vini Fantini) + 1:03’ 8 Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini) + 1:03’ 9 Daminao Caruso (Cannondale) + 1:03’ 10 Vincenzo Nibali (Astana)+ 1:03’
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
The peloton is coming in and Evans led a group over the line. Hesjedal will be a long way back now as he crosses the line with the sprinter Ventoso as company!
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Betancur celebrates thinking he won! but he does does get the bonus seconds. He caught the duo and won the sprint to the line.
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
he punches the air and the stage win is his
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
400m to go for Belkov
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Belkov, rode with panache and now he celebrates and savors the victory
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Now its one km left
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Belkov has less then 2km now and has over a minute, the stage is his and Katusha have two stage wins after not being originally invited due to the UCI fiasco
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
3km now for Belkov as he crosses the Arno
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
The two chasers are there but Betancur is coming quickly
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
4km for Belkov
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Belkov has less then 5km to race, the win is his
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Hesjedal is now 50 seconds off the back of the peloton!
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Wiggo is of the back of the peloton, not lookign very confident on the final descent
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
The peloton is about 2 minutes off Belkov
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Betancur is flexing his legs now
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Belkov looks safe with the two chasers over a minute back now