Gatto Takes Surprise Win in Stage Eight of the Giro d'Italia

Oscar Gatto made a last-kilometer attack to steal Stage Eight of the Giro d'Italia from the sprinters.
Gatto Takes Surprise Win in Stage Eight of the Giro d'Italia
Oscar Gatto of Farnese-Neri crosses the finish line to win Stage Eight of the 2011 Giro d'Italia. (Luk Benies/AFP/Getty Images)
5/14/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Gatto114175352.jpg" alt="Oscar Gatto of Farnese-Neri crosses the finish line to win Stage Eight of the 2011 Giro d'Italia. (Luk Benies/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Oscar Gatto of Farnese-Neri crosses the finish line to win Stage Eight of the 2011 Giro d'Italia. (Luk Benies/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1804056"/></a>
Oscar Gatto of Farnese-Neri crosses the finish line to win Stage Eight of the 2011 Giro d'Italia. (Luk Benies/AFP/Getty Images)
Stage Eight of the 2011 Giro d’Italia looked to be one of the last possible days for the big sprinters to show their stuff. It seemed impossible that a break could survive on a stage this long (217 km) and this flat; there were no obstacles which riders could use to launch attacks, and the final uphill two kilometers would sap the legs of any lone riders which had survived away through the length of the race.

The final uphill would also make the finish tricky for the pure sprinters. The steep climb two kilometers out would drain their batteries before the line, possibly giving some of the less specialized but still powerful sprinters a chance.

The expected early attack materialized in the first two kilometers, as Leonardo Giordani (Farnese Vini) and Mirko Selvaggi (Vacansoleil,) and the peloton was glad to see them go. Neither was well-placed on the GC, And neither were known as strong riders. Selvaggi won his single victory in 2007, and Giordani had no wins in his 12-year pro career.

Most of the race was predictable. The pair opened a gap of almost 11 minutes, and the peloton began reeling them in as the kilometers wound by. The pair did have a helpful tailwind for much of the middle distance,

As a rule of thumb, the peloton can close a gap at a rate of one minute every ten kilometers. With Selvaggi and Giordani 3:37 ahead with 30 kilometers to go, it was conceivable the pair could make it, but it seemed unlikely; surely they would tire, and the final climb would kill them.

Fifteen kilometers out the gap was 1:30, and the peloton was going full chat. At 12 km, one minute—it seemed obviously over now for the attackers. At ten km, the gap was only 30 seconds. The breakaway seemed irrelevant; all that mattered was watching the sprinters’ teams maneuver for position to lead out their stars.

A group sprint now seemed a foregone conclusion. The only question was whether Mark Cavendish, Alessandro Pettachi, or Francesco Chicchi would win the day, or perhaps Sky’s Russell Downing?

Someone forgot to read the program to Farnese Vini’s Oscar Gatto. One kilometer out, this 26-year-old Italian rider made a fierce attack, and for several seconds, no one responded. Maybe the peloton was stunned by the attack; maybe all the teams thought another team would lead the charge and wear themselves out.

The only rider who responded—eventually—was Saxo Bank’s Alberto Contador. The Spanish star lost 200 meters to Gatto before he decided to launch. Had he responded immediately, Contador would have won the stage; as it was he lost by only a dozen meters at the line. Oscar Gatto spoiled the day for all the sprinters, taking his first Grand Tour stage victory and earning himself the adoration of the Italian fans.

Alberto Contador finished second, and Lampre’s veteran sprinter Alessandro Petacchi took third.

Stage Nine: The First Big Challenge


Sunday’s Stage Nine will almost certainly see attacks by the big GC contenders. With a pair of Cat One climbs and a mountaintop finish, the day before the first rest day, this stage offers a great opportunity gain some time.

Stage Nine will test the form of the GC hopefuls, and could see a new rider in the maglia rosa.