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news
Vincenzo Nibali attacks on 2016 Giro d'Italia Stage 20 (PHOTO CREDIT ANSA - PERI - DI MEO - ZENNARO).jpgGiro d'Italia Stage 20: Vincenzo Nibali poised to win race for 2nd time
Vincenzo Nibali of Astana is poised to win the Giro d’Italia for the second time after a battle royale on today’s 20th and penultimate stage, won by Katusha’s Rein Taaramae in Sant’Anna di Vinadio. Barrring mishap, tomorrow’s sprinter friendly finale in Turin will see Nibali triumph in a Grand Tour for a fourth time.
24 hours earlier, he had stormed to a convincing solo win at Risoul to put himself right back in contention, moving second overall 44 seconds behind Orica-GreenEdge’s Esteban Chaves, with the previous leader, Steven Kruijswijk of LottoNL-Jumbo dropping to third.
Giro d'Italia 2016 - Stage 20 highlights by giroditalia
On today’s 134km stage from the French town of Guillestre, Nibali made his move at the 15 kilometre to go mark on the Category 1 climb of the Colle della Lombarda, just after team mate Michele Scarponi had put another strong ride in to test the Sicilian’s rivals.
Only Chaves and Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde were able to respond among the other six men in the group, but neither was able to get back on his wheel when he attacked for a second time.
They were later joined in their pursuit of Nibali by Cannondale’s Rigoberto Uran, who had promised to help his friend and fellow Colombian, but it already seemed a lost cause.
But with Astana’s Tanil Kangert dropping back from the break, Nibali too had assistance, his advantage growing until, by the top of the climb 10km out, he was virtual leader on the road though Chaves desperately battled in vain to hang onto the maglia rosa.
His parents were waiting at the finish, disappointment etched on their faces, Nibali, who has a 52 second lead over Chaves with Valverde another 25 seconds back in third place, seeking them out to offer his commiseration after crossing the line.
Stage winner Taaramae had attacked fellow breakaway riders Giovanni Visconti of Movistar, Cannondale’s Joe Dombrowski and BMC Racing’s Darwin Atapuma on the Colle della Lombarda, building time on the subsequent descent and shorter, final climb to the summit to take the second Grand Tour stage of his career.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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16 comments
Why's it sad? In the context of all we know about the history of the Astana team it's a reasonable response.
No it's not reasonable at all. Until proven wrong, the comments above are just speculation.
We all know the past of the Astana team with Contador and Vinokourov, but that is the past. I.e. the same Vinokourov (whom I am not a fan of) won the 2012 olympics and the same guesswork was done, funny enough that implies bribing the UCI on Brtish soil. Duh.
Whether is Nibali, Chaves, Valverde, or anyone else; it is disrespectful to assume -and to write it down- they win beacuse of cheating.
How sad to see comments as above.
People should discuss more about sport, about what really happened during the race.
Go and watch the video of Chaves mum&dad givin a hug to their son's "rival", that is called Fair Play and is something I know Britons for.
Kruiswick had 3 minutes on Chaves, and 4 + on Nibali, he cracks on a climb then crashes with both Nibali and Chaves plus a whole host of other riders taking time from him.
You are then left with an ageing Valverde, Majka plus one or two others who are not in the same class as Nibali and probably Chaves (a future GT winner). So when they attack everyone gets dropped and ultimately Chaves loses the jersey on the final big climb.
Yes he rides for a tainted team but until it comes out he cheated these assumptions are purely pie in the sky.
They guy was almost 5 minutes down and couldn't make a single attack stick. Facing the race's two toughest days, he goes off for some health checks and returns a cycling God. It's not credible. If this was Froome in the Tour, the media would be baying for blood (tests).
Yeah but he's Italian so it's inspiring and iconic.
I'd like him to be clean and have just found something but it's sad that I wouldn't bet my house on it.
Every great Astana performance has to be taken with a pinch of salt IMHO.
That's the problem isn't it? Last year they were on the very brink of losing their UCI licence. Then Nibs turns in a performance without precedent this year or in the first two thirds or the same race. I'd love it to be a fairytail but you have to acknowlwdge the facts behind the story.
He was on another planet. A superhuman effort. Well done Nibali.
Mmm, so looking at the race as a whole, Nibali was generally below par and failed to make any attack last more than about 10 yards...his TT this week was pretty woeful and certainly the worst of the GC contenders...his own team admit that he is underperforming and call in a medical team who apparently only test him rather than treat him...then he goes out the next 2 really tough days and performs brilliantly.
I suspect we will be reading books about this in years to come...
Usual crap spouted by nasty small minded people who having nothing better to do. You do not know so pack it in.
I can only assume that you have some financially benefit to this. Journalists by any chance?
What ever, thoroughly unpleasant people in this respect.
Usual crap spouted by nasty small minded people who having nothing better to do. You do not know so pack it in.
I can only assume that you have some financially benefit to this. Journalists by any chance?
What ever, thoroughly unpleasant people in this respect.
Great Giro but gutted for Chaves. Still rankles seeing Vino looking so happy and Scarponi playing such a key role in Nibali's victory. (Obviously I know Matt White was no angel either)
Him finding form at the right time is miraculous and improbable. The result is disappointing.
Always find him to be suspicious, find it hard to believe he wants to ride clean when the rest of the team is tainted
...and his indignant attitude when he got kicked off last year's vuelta doesn't help...
Why are you picking on me? Everyone takes a blatant mile when offered the chance to 'cheat' an inch...