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Cunego tightens his grip on the Giro
The dream is over for Damiano Cunego.
The Saeco revelation won his fourth stage of the 2004 Giro d’Italia on Friday and nudged two days closer to turning his phenomenal run very much into a reality.
“It no longer feels like a dream,” Cunego admitted after winning the three-climb, 118km stage. “It’s a reality now that I can win this Giro. I can’t get nervous now. There are only two stages left, so we have to stay calm.”
Cunego is now less than 48 hours away from becoming the youngest Giro winner since Giuseppe Saronni won at 21 in 1979. Mother Nature and the Giro’s peloton threw a lot at the 22-year-old from Verona, but he was the calm at the middle of the tempest on a day when some expected to see him blown away.
Cunego withstood attacks from two former Giro d’Italia champions, one of them his teammate, and remained unruffled on the legendary steeps of the Passo di Gavia to take complete control of the 87th Giro.
Only the feared Mortirolo, two stages and 271km of Italian asphalt stand between the 1999 junior world champion and a dream-like victory in the 87th Giro.
“Tomorrow’s stage is very hard,” said Cunego, who leads Ukraine rider Serhiy Honchar (De Nardi) by 1:26. “The Mortirolo is the kind of climb where you can lose everything. I was surprised at how strong some of the other riders are. I’m sure it will be the hardest stage.”
Today was no stroll in the park, either. The 2000 Giro winner, Stefano Garzelli (Vini Caldirola), unleashed an angry attack on the Gavia, only to have the Saeco train crush his comeback hopes.
Once on the final Category 1 climb to the ski station at Bormio 2000, Cunego found himself in the company of two-time Giro champion and teammate Gilberto Simoni, the tenacious Honchar, surprising ex-mountain biker Dario Cioni (Fassa Bortolo) and 2002 King of the Mountains winner Julio Perez Cuapio (Panaria).
Counter-attacks by Cioni had reeled in an early assault for victory by Simoni and the quintet powered toward the climbing finish, but no one seemed to want to make an early run for victory.
Cunego shot away with 250 meters to go to win his second stage in three days and his ninth victory of the 2004 season. Cioni came through second at 5 seconds back with Honchar third, forfeiting another 12 seconds to Cunego’s lead on time bonuses.
Cunego’s victory also marked the final transfer of power within Saeco, with the vanquished Simoni now forced to accept Cunego’s superior position.
“I don’t really feel like talking,” Simoni later told a team spokesman. “I’m just sorry today didn’t go as I had hoped. I was intent on winning the stage and improving my position in the GC. The only consolation is that I’ve moved up one place in the GC and, at least for the team, it was a good day.”
Blood controls OK; Figueras DNF; Wegmann loses green
Twenty-five riders from eight teams, including the top nine in the overall standings, were awakened early as UCI’s “vampire” squad conducted blood controls Friday morning. The teams tested included Vini Caldirola, Saeco, FDJeux.com, Alessio-Bianchi, Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, Lampre, De Nardi and Fassa Bortolo. No riders were deemed “unfit” to race, though an ailing Giuliani Figueras (Panaria) chose to call an end to his Giro.
Light snow had fallen overnight on the Gavia, but it wasn’t enough to force a rerouting of the classic climb, and 141 riders rolled out of cloudy Cles.
Figueras started Thursday’s stage sitting fifth overall, but lost contact with the main bunch over the day’s Category 2 Passo della Mendola climb and faded to 21st at 14:45 back. Despite the day’s difficult, only one rider – Jacky Durand (Landbouwkrediet) – would abandon the stage.
Race leader Cunego was sounding confident in the start village: “This is the day we’ve all been waiting for. The next two days will decide who wins this Giro. I am feeling strong, and the team has been absolutely incredible supporting me. I hope I can keep the jersey today.”
The peloton rolled up the so-called Valley of the Sun, where clouds and rain welcomed the riders in what was sure to be a short, but decisive stage.
At 16km, 20 riders tried their luck on an early break. Among them were eight-stage winner Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo), looking for a head start on a hard day in the mountains, and Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner), anxious to defend his hold on the green King of the Mountain jersey. Saeco was leaving nothing to chance and put Gorazd Stangelj in the move.
Rain doused the group as it climbed up the 15.2km Cat. 2 Passo del Tonale. The break split apart and the 22-year-old Wegmann led over the top to chase more KOM points, an effort that would go for naught; he would later lose the jersey to Cunego.
On the descent, Vladimir Miholyevic (Alessio-Bianchi), Francisco Vila and Daniele Righi (both Lampre) opened up a gap heading toward the day’s main obstacle.
Up the Gavia (Cima Coppi, 2613m)
The maglia rosa group arrived at the base of the Gavia with the sun breaking out and a swarm of red Saeco jerseys surrounding their young charge.
With Saeco looking untouchable, it was up to 2000 Giro champion Garzelli to put some fire into the race. About 9km to go up the grinding climb, Garzelli shot free of the maglia rosa group.
The proud Varese rider – haunted by his poor performances so far in the mountains – wanted to show his true character. A day after teammate Pavel Tonkov won a stage, Garzelli made no secret of his plan for the stage.
“I have nothing to lose,” Garzelli said before the start. “A top 10 doesn’t matter to me. I want to try to win the Giro. It’s either win or bust.”
With Garzelli starting the day seventh at 4:26, Saeco was content to let him chase the honor of being first over the Cima Coppi, the climb named in honor of the great Fausto Coppi that marks the highest point of the Giro.
Riding with fierce determination, Garzelli steadily reeled in riders who had gotten away over the Tonale. One by one they were brought back by Garzelli’s churning pedals.
Garzelli was also pulling clear of the maglia rosa group, gaining a one-minute gap with 5km to go on the climb. Saeco wasn’t overly concerned about Garzelli’s progress, but others had to be nervous that he was closing in on their positions in the GC.
Only Wladimir Belli (Lampre) – starting the day sixth at 4:20 -- dared to launch a chase as Saeco set a steady pace. All the other contenders marked Cunego and Simoni as the lead group was reduced to about 20.
“Garzelli made an impressive attack,” Cunego said. “He’s a rider I admire a lot, but it was still a long way to the finish. I was never too worried about the time he was taking because my team was doing great work.”
With about 3km to go, the racers climbed alongside six-foot snow-banks built up by plows to clear the road. With about 1km to go, on a section with 12 percent grades, Garzelli caught Gomis Lopez (Saunier Duval) and the pair rode together toward the summit.
Garzelli’s quest for the Cima Coppi prize fell short as Miholyevic (Alessio-Bianchi) stayed away from the early move to come through first and claim the 2200-euro prize. Garzelli and Gomis Lopez came through at 1:06 back while the maglia rosa group crossed the summit at 2:55 back.
Up to Bormio 2000
The sun broke out again as the riders plunged down the pass toward Bormio, site of the 2005 World Alpine Ski Championships. The Italian ski station is surrounded by some of the Giro’s epic climbs, with the Gavia to the east, the 2758-meter Passo di Stelvio to the north and the menacing Mortirolo to the south.
Miholyevic plunged alone on the 28km descent as Garzelli and Gomis Lopez gave chase with speeds topping 75 kph. Cristian Moreni (Alessio-Bianchi), who was away in the early move, caught on to Garzelli and Gomis Lopez.
The maglia rosa group, which lost time on the higher, more technical sections, regained about 20 seconds to Garzelli on the long descent.
Brisk headwinds on the long run into Bormio foiled Garzelli’s chances, however. Saeco drove hard to slowly reduce the gap, and Garzelli, Gomes Lopez and Moreni were eventually reeled in with 17km to go.
Popovych (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) was forced to do a wheel change with 12km to go as the peloton neared Bormio, where flowers bloomed and tourists were catching rays.
The final approach climbed 742 meters in 9.9km with an average grade of 7.5 percent. Fans rode a cable car to the finish line and jammed the final switchbacks up the climb. If the painted names on the road were any indication, the fans wanted to see a Simoni comeback.
A clearly fatigued Miholyevic hit the base of the Bormio climb with a 2:05 gap on 26 riders in the maglia rosa group, which still included four Saeco riders driving the group. He would hold out until 6km to go. The hapless Garzelli and Franco Pellizoti (Alessio-Bianchi), meanwhile, were spit out the back on the first ramps.
Simoni took the initiative and attacked with 8.5km to go, shooting off the front and dropping his young protégé. Was he attacking Cunego or just going for the stage victory?
“The strategy was always for Simoni to attack on the final climb,” said Saeco team manager Claudio Corti. “We wanted Simoni to try to win the stage or to make up some time in the GC. But when I saw him attack, I could see his legs looked heavy.”
Following Simoni was Emanuele Sella (Panaria), winner of stage 12. Sensing an opening, former mountain biker Cioni (Fassa Bortolo) attacked hard to drop the remnants of the fast-dwindling lead group but Cunego quickly shot across, with Popovych (Landbouwwkrediet) and Brad McGee (FDJeux.com) unable to follow.
“I did a good ride,” said McGee, who finished 11th at a minute back. “I am pleased with how I was not able to lose contact on the Gavia, I thought I would be suffering there more. When the final attacks came, I just wasn’t fast enough to be able to follow.”
With 7km to go, Simoni and Sella nursed an 18-second gap on chasers Cunego, Eddy Mazzoleni (Saeco), Honchar, Cioni, Belli and Juan Garate (both Lampre), and Tadej Valjavec (Phonak), the Slovenian national champion who helped Tyler Hamilton win the Tour de Romandie in May.
With just over 5km to go, on the steepest part of the climb, Simoni made another acceleration to drop Sella and open up a 24-second gap on the Cunego group. Simoni kept driving his pedals while Cioni made another acceleration out of the maglia rosa group. Hot on his wheel was the surprisingly resilient Honchar and Cunego, who refused to be left behind.
“When we got to the final climb, Simoni went and I saw that a few of the others were really hurting, I made an attack and I was surprised Cunego followed me. I thought they might let me go because I’m not a threat to anyone,” said Cioni, who finished second and bounced to fifth overall. “I think today I won the Giro for the gregarios.”
Cioni’s work erased the gap to Simoni with just under 4km to go while Popovych was 20 seconds back with Belli and Garate. In the end, Popovych would cede third place to Simoni and fall to fourth at 3:23 back.
“My legs were just so cold on the Gavia. I had trouble keeping pace on the final climb,” said Popovych, who finished eighth at 41 seconds back. “I was trying, trying, trying to catch the lead group, but I just couldn’t quite catch them.”
With 3km to go, Honchar, Cunego, Cioni and Simoni were working together when 2002 King of the Mountains winner Perez Cuapio (Panaria) bridged up to make it a fivesome. Honchar, the 2000 world time trial champion, responded once again in the high, difficult mountains.
“I was too closely marked to try to attack. My legs were hurting as well because it was very cold on the Gavia. Cunego is too strong in this Giro to attack anyway,” said Honchar, who remains second overall after finishing third at five seconds back. “People don’t really give me due credit as a climber, but I’ve shown in the past I can do well in the mountains. I held on and I’m comfortable about keeping second.”
Cunego took over at the front with 2km to go, putting the hurt on Honchar and Co. No one wanted to make the first run in the final kilometer against the faster Cunego and the leading five hit the final stretch for a sprint. Cunego shot ahead with 250 meters to go take the win ahead of Cioni, Honchar, Simoni and Perez Cuapio.
With the win Cunego’s star is confirmed while a frustrated Simoni quickly turned around and began descending to the team hotel without speaking to reporters or stopping for his team soigneurs.
Up next: Stage 19, 122km, Bormio to Presolana
The penultimate stage of the 2004 Giro is the final chance to shake Cunego. The 122km stage starts in Bormio and rolls down 30km to the base of the legendary Mortirolo climb (1885m at 42km). Named the “Cima Pantani” in honor of the recently fallen Italian hero, the Motirolo climbs 1322m in 12.8km with a spirit-breaking average grade of 10.3 percent.
A 28km descent over new pavement down the Mortirolo takes the peloton to the Cat. 1 Passo del Vivione (1828m at 90km), which climbs 1378m in 19.8km with an average grade of 7 percent.
A 21km descent delivers the peloton to the Cat. 1 Passo della Presalona (1297m at 119km). The final climb of the 87th Giro pushes up 547m in 7.9km with an average grade of 6.9 percent. It’s a fast 2km downhill before the short final punch to the finish line at Presalona.
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