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Schumacher grabs Giro stage; Basso holds lead
Operación Puerto the talk of the peloton
Lately, it seems, when there’s been a doping scandal involving cycling, Italy and the Giro d’Italia figured at the center of the storm. Think of Marco Pantani’s expulsion in 1999, the San Remo raids in 2001 and the ejection of Stefano Garzelli while in the leader’s jersey in 2002.
This time around, a brewing tempest in Spain involving Liberty Seguros team manager Manolo Saiz, Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and three others reached all the way to the Giro's 18th stage, which began in the mountains of Austria Thursday morning.
Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) won his second stage of this year’s corsa rosa to confirm to the world that he’s a name to watch in international cycling, but the threat of “Operación Puerto” could have widespread implications for the Giro after Spanish authorities say up to 200 athletes could be involved in an extensive blood-doping scheme and it was clear that the subject was a topic of discussion among many at the start in Austria Thursday morning.
When insurance giant Liberty Seguros announced Thursday it would immediatelyend its annual $8.5 million sponsorship of the ProTour team in the wake of Saiz’ role in the growing investigation, the Giro simply couldn’t ignore the news.
“I am calm,” said race leader Ivan Basso (CSC), who has not been linked with the Spanish investigation. “I am focusing on the Giro d’Italia and I am not thinking about what is happening in Spain.”
With the news that Liberty Seguros pulled the plug on the team, it was unclear on whether the team would continue to race the Giro, and if they did, would they be racing in Liberty Seguros jerseys.
Liberty Seguros sport director Neil Stephens insisted the team would continue in the Giro with only three days left. Of course, Stephens is quite familiar with the disruption scandals can create on a team. He was a member of the infamous 1998 Festina squad that was ultimately thrown out of that year’s Tour de France. Stephens retired from the peloton after the scandal.
“We will continue here and we will go to the Tour and (Alexandre) Vinokourov will ride it for us,” Stephens said after the stage. “The team structure will continue.”
While many in the press corps churned the story, there was still racing to be done on the 207km course from Sillian in Austria, over three rated climbs and into the finish in Germona del Friuli.
With the overall favorites thinking about the pair of monstrous climbing stages on tap this weekend, the rolling stage presented a chance for the stage-hunters to go on the prowl.
Italian rider Marzio Bruseghin (Lamre) was the first to animate the bunch at 51km just as the peloton was nearing the day’s main hurdle, the Cat.2 Passo di Monte Croce Carnico that splits the border between Italy and Austria.
Others tried to follow, but weren’t able to escape the clutches of the main bunch until David Lopez García (Euskaltel), Palacios Gutierrez (Cassa dÉpargne) and Schumacher dragged themselves out. Charlie Wegelius (Liquigas) also bridged up from a counter-attacking group that included Tom Danielson (Discovery Channel).
With five riders up the road, the peloton settled in for the rest of a long, hot day in the saddle. Dropping back into Italy, the gap opened up to more than six minutes. The quintet solidified their position after topping out on the Cat. 1 Cuel di Forchia at 148km to expand their lead to 7:25.
The leaders started to attack each other in the final 20km, with Schumacher and Lopez Garcia giving it a run over the Cat. 2 Sanmardenchia climb at 185km. Wegelius and Lopez Garcia both got dropped on the technical, twisting finish and Schumacher showed his class to out-kick Bruseghin to win for the second time this Giro.
“I thought my stage win in Namur was the biggest win of my career, but I knew I still had good legs and I wanted to try again. I was in a break on Sunday with 10 others, but I didn’t have the luck,” Schumacher said. “Today I knew I felt good when I came over the first climb.”
The main bunch rolled through at 2:43 back, with Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) winning the sprint to win 18 points on the day (a sprint in Lienz and sixth at the line) to move ahead in the points classification.
Basso punched through 43rd and didn’t see his hold on the maglia rosa come under fire in Thursday’s transition stage.
What was more on his mind was Friday’s demanding four-climb monster stage across the heart of the Dolomites ending up the long San Pellegrino climb.
“It was a really tough stage,” said Basso, who retained his 5:43 lead to José Enrique Gutiérrez (Phonak). “Now we have the two hardest stages of the race taking place. To win a stage? It all depends on my feelings. I have over a five-minute lead on the second-placed rider and ten over the third. I have a strong team but it’s clear that the big climbs are always a little scary.”
Despite two hard climbing stages on deck, Basso looks to have the Giro locked up. Only a major crash or illness could stop the 28-year-old from taking his first grand tour victory of his career.
“The others have been racing for second place for a long time,” said Italian legend Francesco Moser. “Ivan is 100 times better than all the others. There is no one who would dare to attack him. He rides uphill as easy as the others ride downhill.”
With Friday’s theatrics across the Dolomites, everyone is hoping that racing will once again dominate the headlines.
Race NoteFrench national cyclo-cross champion John Gadret (Ag2r) had been showing flashes of brilliance in recent mountain stages at this Giro, and said he was looking forward to the final two days in the Dolomites in an effort to move up on GC. Unfortunately, Gadret's dreams and Giro ended at the 90th kilometer Thursday, when he crashed and was forced to pull out of the race with a broken collarbone.
Results
1. Stefan Schumacher (G), Gerolsteiner, 5:31:33 (37.460kph)
2. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre
3. José Gutierrez Palacios (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, s.t.
4. David Lopez Garcia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:02
5. Charles Wegelius (GB), Liquigas-Bianchi, at 0:07
6. Paolo Bettini (I), Quick Step-Innergetic, at 2:43
7. Alberto Ongarato (I), Milram, at 2:43
8. Matthew White (Aus), Discovery Channel, at 2:43
9. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, at 2:43
10. Paolo Tiralongo (I), Lampre, at 2:43
Overall, after 18 stages
1. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 73:30:47
2. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, at 5:43
3. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saunier Duval, at 10:34
4. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, at 10:58
5. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, at 12:30
6. Wladimir Belli (I), Colombia - Selle Italia, at 13:00
7. Sandy Casar (F), Francaise des Jeux, at 14:06
8. Damiano Cunego (I), Lampre, at 14:48
9. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales(Col), Phonak, at 16:40
10. Rubiera Vigil José Luis (Sp), Discovery Channel, at 17:48
North Americans in the Overall Standings
18. Tom Danielson (USA), Discovery Channel, at 21:23
56. Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (MEX), Panaria, at 1:00:20
108. Jonathan Patrick McCarty(USA), Phonak, at 1:59:18
111. Bobby Julich (USA), CSC, at 2:00:43
152. Aaron Olsen (USA), Saunier Duval, at 2:49:36
153. Jason McCartney (USA), Discovery Channel, at 2:51:24
Overall Points
1. Paolo Bettini (I), Quick Step-Innergetic, 139 Pts.
2. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 123 Pts.
3. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, 113 Pts.
4. Olaf Pollack (G), T-Mobile, 88 Pts.
5. Stefan Schumacher (G), Gerolsteiner, 86 Pts.
Overall KOM
1. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 46 Pts.
2. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunier Duval, 31 Pts.
3. Fortunato Baliani (I), Ceramica Panaria - Navigare, 26 Pts.
4. Sandy Casar (F), Francaise des Jeux, 23 Pts.
5. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, 23 Pts.
To see how today's stage developed, simply CLICKHERE to bring up our Live Update Window.
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