to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 10th stage of the 91st edition of the Giro d'Italia.
After a day off, the peloton returns to action with an individual time trial from Pesaro to Urbino. The course will prove challenging. The opening 18.5km are mostly flat on wide-open roads ideal for the time trial specialists, but the final half of the course, with a 300-meter climb to Monte di Colbordolo at 23.4km and a technical final 7km, serves up a challenge where carrying speed will be critical.
The 4.7km climb at Colbordolo features ramps as steep as 10 percent. After a fast decent and some rolling contours, there’s another short but steep climb at Cà Angelone at 32km with ramps at 12 percent. That’s followed by some false flats and a very technical final 3km with a sharp descending hairpin turn followed by a series of sweeping turns and a very steep final 500 meters with ramps as steep as 14 percent.
One rider we'll be keeping a close watch on is Astana's Alberto Contador. He learned yesterday that he had suffered a "minor" elbow fractre in that unfortunate crash last Saturday.
"Contador's visit to the radiologist today (Monday) revealed a fissure in the radius head of his left elbow," his Astana team said in a statement on Monday.
Despite the discomfort, Contador will have to rest that elbow on his aero bars today and that might affect his performance.
Tinkoff's Mikhail Ignatiev has the best time, so far, having covered the course in 1:00:09. It's going to be a while before we see the biggies riding the course, so these early marks will be largely without impact. We doubt we'll even see a stage winner emerge from the early starters today, unless we see a substantial change in the weather.
At this point, our top three finishers are
1. Mihkhail Ignatiev (Rus), Tinkoff, 1:00:09
2. Danny Pate (USA), Slipstream, at 0:59
3. Rik Vebrugghe (B), Quick Step, at 2:59
Of course, it's still early. We'll be checking split times out there, too. High Road's Tony Martin is setting a super fast pace and looks to be knocking Ignatiev out of the top spot.
It's cloudy, with a near-100% chance for rain today. The winds are around 13kph. The weather is going to be a factor today... especially for those feeling a little nervous if they're already suffering from past injuries; someone like Alberto Contador, for example.
1. Tony Martin (G), High Road, 58:54
2. Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Tinkoff, at 1:15
3. Damien Monier (F), Cofidis, at 1:19
4. Laurent Mangel (F), Ag2r, at 1:44
5. Danny Pate (USA), Slipstream, at 2:14
6. Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road, at 2:19
7. Geraint Thomas (GB), Barloworld, at 2:29
8. Steven Cummings (GB), Barloworld, at 3:02
9. Hubert Schwab (Swi), Quick Step, at 3:04
10. Jeremy Roy (F), FdJ, at 3:39
We apologize for the gap, folks. We had a few network issues here. We're back and fortunately not much has changed. We can expect a bit of a shake-up in the top-ten here soon when David Millar finishes, but we don't expect he'll be knocking Martin out of the top spot... but then again, he might.
by CSC's Jason McCartney. He's now second, trailing High Road's Martin by just 19 seconds.
It's still going to be some time before we see the really serious assaults on the top marks today. Currently Martin holds the lead with a 58:54, but that may be under threat by Vasili Kirienka from Tinkoff who has blasted through the time checks with the best times so far. Of course, none of this will really have any impact until we see how folks like Di Luca, Savoldelli, Contador, Leipheimer and Kloden perform today.
The rain today has been sporadic. If it picks up, though, it may make things dicey for the top riders in the field and we could see an early time, like Martin's, hold up.
The winner of the Vuelta a Espana is on the road. He's a solid time trialist, but the wind and rain are both picking up.
1. Tony Martin (G), High Road, 58:54 (40.135 km/h)
2. Jason McCartney (USA), CSC, at 0:19
3. Michael Blaudzun (Dk), CSC, at 0:33
Jonathan D. writes
Frankly, I found the first name only list to be refreshingly challenging at 9 in the morning. I say give us more brain teasers in the future.
has stopped again. The roads are nice and dry. We're watching Leipheimer, who is out on the road. He's in his usual tight position.
is actually still falling at the start, but the road under Leipheimer's wheels are relatively dry... although he found himself having to pass by a badly located motorcycle on the course... not too good.
and we'll be tracking his time, as well.
at the finish has stopped, too. It's an interesting finish, with very narrow, twisty roads on an uphill grade.
the man who held the maglia rosa last year, is setting top times at the time checks.
Contador is now on the road... he got a bit of a scare as he left the start house as it appeared that his chain slipped a little... that has to be unnerving with a broken elbow.
Pinotti blows through the time check with a time of 33:17; that is now 35 seconds faster than Vladimir Gusev... and nearly a minute up on current leader Tony Martin. Zooooom.
Let's see how he does at 32km.
Ricardo Ricco is on route on wet roads.
Meanwhile, Leipheimer is coming up on the 23.4km time check.
is on the road
hits the time check at 23.4km, two seconds behind Pinotti.
Pinotti hits the time check at 32km with a time of 46:29... the best by a long shot.
Astana's Gusev is the new top rider at the finish, with a 58:46, meaning he lost a bit of his mo' in the final stretch. Pinotti will probably top that, if he keeps up his current pace.
1. Vladimir Gusev (Rus), Astana, 58:46
2. Tony Martin (G), High Road, at 0:08
3. Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Tinkoff, at 0:18
Race leader Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) is now on the road. We may see something of a shake-up on GC today, but the biggies are still quite a ways back on time, so we'll have to wait and see what impact today's TT will have.
Wow 57:17... nice, nice ride. We have a new leader folks.
1. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
2. Vladimir Gusev (Rus), Astana, at 1:29
2. Tony Martin (G), High Road, at 1:37
out on the course right now is Lampre's Marzio Bruseghin is setting new top times at the time checks.
is now 22 seconds slower than Pinotti. He may be picking it up as he nears the finish.
has just passed by Davide Rebellin, meaning the Italian has his usual dejected look... you know the one he's been showing in sprints lately.
is now in second, finishing with a time of 57:59
finishes in 57:27, so he's now in second. That is a serious effort by a man who has to be considered a GC contender.
finishes with a time of 57:42, now he's got the third best time of the day.
1. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
2. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, at 0:10
3. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, at 0:25
4. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC, at 0:26
Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre) has set a new best time of 56:41.
Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre 56:41
2. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, at 0:36
3. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, at 0:46
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, at 1:01
5. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC, at 1:02
how Kloden does. He's 3km from the finish.
is heading through the final 1.5km
but Klöden still has a bit to go.
finishes with a time of 57:01... not good enough to beat Bruseghin, but let's see what it does to GC. His is the second best of the day, so far.
has hit the 32km mark, 10 seconds better than Marzio Bruseghin's time. Impressive.
Nearing the finish, Savoldelli has lost his chain in the final few hundred meters.
finishes with a time of 57:25... better than Menchov's time and that includes a bike switch.
1 Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 56:41
2. Andreas Kloden (G), Astana, 57:01
3. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
4. Paolo Salvodelli (I), 57:25
5. Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank, 57:27
has just passed Matthias Russ, meaning that he has upped his relative position on the man who was second on GC by more than two minutes.
has crossed through the 32km mark a full 1:41 off of Contador's time.
Contador is heading to the finish...
finishes with a time of 56:49, just eight seconds off of Bruseghin's time. That last little climb had to hurt his elbow.
1 Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 56:41
2. Alberto Contador (Sp), Astana, 56:49
3. Andreas Kloden (G), Astana, 57:01
is heading to the finish. He's had a bad day.... having crashed at one point and now heading to a time well off of the top 10.
He gets a 58:45.
is working hard to keep his hold on the jersey. He's turning in the time trial of his life, giving it a 110-percent...
finishes with a time of 58:52, the 15th best of the day and not a performance that will put him in good position to repeat his overall victory from last year.
is heading to the finish. He won't win today, but it looks like he may hold on to his jersey. Really the big winner of the day (at least in terms of GC) is the injured Alberto Contador. Visconti will probably keep his jersey, but Contador may move up into the top-four, putting him in prime position as the race heads into the mountains.
finishes with a time of 57:46, which is good enough to keep the jersey. Bruseghin wins the stage.
finishes with a time of 1:00:43, losing nearly 3:00 to Visconti, but he has managed to hold on to second place.
1. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 56:41
2. Alberto Contador (Sp), Astana, 56:49
3. Andreas Kloden (G), Astana, 57:01
4. Marco Pinotti (I), High Road, 57:17
5. Paolo Savoldelli (I), LPR, 57:25
6. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 57:27
7. Vincenzo Nibali (I), Liquigas, 57:35
8. Gustav Erik Larsson (S), CSC, 57:40
9. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, 57:42
10. Gilberto Simoni (I), Serramenti PVC, 57:43
The GC picture has changed, too:
Overall
1. Giovanni Visconti (I) Quick Step, 43:12:02
2. Matthias Russ (G), Gerolsteiner at 3:31
3. Gabriele Bosisio (I), LPR, at 5:50
4. Alberto Contador (Sp), Astana, at 6:59
7. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, at 7:52
6. Andreas Klöden (G), Astana, at 7:54
7. Vincenzo Nibali (I), Liquigas, at 8:04
8. Paolo Savoldelli (I), LPR, at 8:09
9. Riccardo Ricco (I), Saunier Duval, at 8:32
10. Danilo Di Luca (I), LPR, at 8:33
Okay folks, that's a wrap. Join us tomorrow when things may change even more. The Giro is going to the mountains and Contador's position on GC is likely to change a bit again. See you then.