Giro Stage 20: Epic Win for Kiryienka
by Chris Fontecchio on May 28, 2011 11:24 AM EDT
in Giro d'Italia
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Movistar's Vasil Kiryienka broke away from the favorites and held on over the massive Colle delle Finestre and the final climb to Sestriere to win the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia alone, well ahead of any pursuers. The victory was bittersweet for Movistar, which wasn't a big factor in the Giro and suffered the tragic death of teammate Xavier Tondo in a domestic accident earlier this week. In an emotional scene, Kiryienka dedicated his victory today to his lost teammate. Back in among the top GC riders, Joaquim Rodriguez and John Gadret made up a bit of time, while Roman Kreuziger and Vincenzo Niabli lost a bit, but the battle for the pink jersey was long over and the battle for the remaining positions will be settled in tomorrow's time trial, with no big changes today. Steven Kruijswijk of Rabobank made a play for the white jersey today when Kreuziger was dropped on the Finestre, but Kreuziger descended impressively and cemented his position as the best young rider in this year's Giro.
- Vasil Kiryienka, Movistar
- Jose Rujano, Androni, at 4.43
- Joaquim Rodriguez, Katusha, at 4.48
- Carlos Betancourt, Acqua e Sapone, at 5.31
- John Gadret, AG2R, at 5.54
- Michele Scarponi, Lampre, at 5.58
- Steven Kruiswijk, Rabobank, s.t.
- Alberto Contador, Saxo Bank, s.t.
- Denis Menchov, Geox, s.t.
- Roman Kreuziger, Astana, at 6.18
- Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas, at 6.20
Current GC:
- Contador
- Scarponi, at 5.18
- Nibali, at 6.14
- Gadret, at 7.49
- Rodriguez, at 9.27
- Rujano, at 10.23
- Kreuziger, at 10.38
- Menchov, at 10.51
- Kruijswijk, at 12.56
- Mikel Nieve, Euskaltel, at 12.57
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So pleased for Kiri
And his Tondó tributes made me misty-eyed…
by Sarah Connolly on May 28, 2011 11:26 AM EDT reply actions
pic added
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on May 28, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
I think that was it, we knew he was going to win from more or less about the top of Finestre. But it was still lump in the throat time as he came in. I was furiously telling RAI to stop showing the few actual GC-relevant moments late on cos Kiryienka was in the final km and I didn’t want to miss his win.
by UrlaubinPolen on May 28, 2011 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Even though Menchov is the best TTer out of the top-ten
I don’t think it’s humanly possible (unless you’re Fabian Cancellara) to make up 3:02 in 25km
Sminer: I blame KARMA for everything.
Jens: I've heard it's a bitch
Water Girl: I heard it ran over your dogma
+1
He could catch J-rod, but I think Gadret (barring a complete meltdown) is reasonably safe in 4th.
Tim gaps for 26km between 53kmph and 49kmph are only 2’24". Another kmph and it’s 2’56ish.
So Menchov would need to outpace Gadret by over 5kmph over the 26km.
Which, since I have Gadret on VDS and I’ve said this…. it’ll happen. Put Gadret down for 47.2kmph.
Really?
Has he ever beaten Contador?
by GreylockGrinder on May 28, 2011 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Don't you mean Gadget?
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
So is that what he's being called now anyway?
Funny how noone’s suggesting he’s at all pirate-like. Bald climber at the Giro w/earings and a bandana.
He's French, so I'd think we'd be forced to call him The Buccaneer.
Given that bandanna, it might be a good idea…
by JustJoshinYa on May 28, 2011 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions
The whole gadget thing is from autocorrect
I was posting a comment in the live stage thread on my iPad and autocorrect changed Gadret to Gadget so that’s how the Gadget thing came about. So with that came Inspector. Kinda like the whole septic tank yank thing.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Man, again solid riding from Rujano and Gadret
Rujano was closing on Kiryienka VERY quickly but ran out of room. Kiryienka has been pretty impressive all Giro.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Oof. Another third for Nibs
Next year he can get the top step so long as the course isn’t so crazy climby.
[Pigilito has a] lifetime stupid statement pass [on PdC] -- Yeehoo
I dont even know about that
His climbing was a big disappointment to me this Giro. Even if you had climbs that weren’t as steep like Etna, he still got dropped pretty easily. You obviously can’t say he doesn’t have what it takes to win a GT, because he won the Vuelta last year, but I don’t know if he has what it takes to win the Giro and definitely not the Tour.
Perhaps not,
but in a diminished field (no AC) with fewer climbs, I believe he takes Scarponi easily.
[Pigilito has a] lifetime stupid statement pass [on PdC] -- Yeehoo
Dunno, I feel the two are very close.
After all, in last year’s Contador-less field, Scarponi was quite close behind Nibali in fourth. (Forget the exact margin.) For some reason Scarponi just doesn’t seem to get the respect that his results would suggest he deserves.
What else can I say? I'm really happy. --Vincenzo Nibali
That GC posted above is wrong.
9 KRUIJSWIJK Steven NED RAB 83:47:21 12:56
10 NIEVE ITURALDE Mikel ESP EUS 83:47:22 12:57
That’s right, Kruijswijk pipped Nieve. By one second. (and Sivtsov too)
by blackswangreen on May 28, 2011 12:54 PM EDT reply actions
Strong performance Kruijswijk.
He had Kreuz under severe pressure today.
J-Rod might be bad in the TT
but is pint-sized Rujano really good enough to catch him? I hope not, for J-Rod’s sake.
It's a definite possibility
J-Rod can stink something awful at times and Rujano is a good TTer. 56 sec is a lot though but I bet it will be close.
If all goes well
VDS-wise I should have 4th, 5th and 6th and Mench should place well tomorrow.
"Just power of the beer,man" - tsgirl
TC Results are up early!
..just 37 seconds separating the top 3!! Should make for an exciting finale tomorrows TT and can’t rule out the 4th or 5th place teams totally either. :)
by Jonny_Red on May 28, 2011 1:53 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
that was my initial mission hehe :D
not counting any chickens yet but its lucky number 7 attempt at beating the Beauty contest phew!!
I darent dream of winning the whole thing though…i’d kinda given up a bit the way Nibbles kept losing bits of time to Berti the first coupla weeks.
by Jonny_Red on May 28, 2011 2:47 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
My Rujano gamble almost paid off (if only Betancourt could have held on another couple of km!).
But I have won two stages of the game outright (Großglockner and now Sestrières), since I had Kiryienka, Rujano, Rodríguez, Betancourt AND Scarponi.
by UrlaubinPolen on May 28, 2011 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Awesome Urbs :)
and yes your bravado in picks has almost paid off on the overall..i always like to see what team you pick because its usually a bit different to most peoples with a couple of unearthed ‘gems’ thrown into the mix. I took the plunge on Ferri Valls after keeping note of your insights into the peleton and picking him out last year.
by Jonny_Red on May 28, 2011 5:31 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
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