Igor Anton Wins Shortened Giro d'Italia Stage 14

Igor Anton of Euskatel Euskadi outclimbed Alberto Contador to a win in Stage 14 of the 2011 Giro d'Italia.
Igor Anton Wins Shortened Giro d'Italia Stage 14
Spain's Igor Anton of Euskatel-Euskadi leads Alberto Contador (L) of Saxo Bank-Sungard up Monte Zoncolan during the Stage 14 of the 94th Giro d'Italia. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)
5/21/2011
Updated:
8/26/2011

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/1IgorAnton114482445Web_medium.jpg"><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/1IgorAnton114482445Web_medium.jpg" alt="Spain's Igor Anton of Euskatel-Euskadi leads Alberto Contador (L) of Saxo Bank-Sungard up Monte Zoncolan during the Stage 14 of the 94th Giro d'Italia. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Spain's Igor Anton of Euskatel-Euskadi leads Alberto Contador (L) of Saxo Bank-Sungard up Monte Zoncolan during the Stage 14 of the 94th Giro d'Italia. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-125976"/></a>
Spain's Igor Anton of Euskatel-Euskadi leads Alberto Contador (L) of Saxo Bank-Sungard up Monte Zoncolan during the Stage 14 of the 94th Giro d'Italia. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)
After a brutal climb up the incredibly steep Monte Zoncolan, it was Euskatel Euskadi’s Igor Anton across the finish line first. The 28-year-old Spaniard attacked in the final seven kilometers and again 1.5 km later, riding away from race leader Alberto Contador.

Anton not only won this stage—a feat which will increase his profile among riders and fans—he beat riders as notable as the ascent.

Anton outclimbed race leader Alberto Contador of Saxo Bank, Liquigas rider Vincenzo Nibali, and Movistar’s David Arroyo. Between them Arroyo and Nibali held the leader’s jersey through eight stages of the 2010 Giro. These were serious climbers which Anton left behind.

The Euskatel rider advanced to third overall, and with so many mountain stages left on the schedule, he is a definite podium contender.

Climbs Added and Subtracted

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/1BikeBurn114482456Wegb_medium.jpg"><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/1BikeBurn114482456Wegb_medium.jpg" alt="Vincenzo Nibali passes an overheating motorcycle on the way up Monte Zoncolan during Stage 14 of the 94th Giro d'Italia. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Vincenzo Nibali passes an overheating motorcycle on the way up Monte Zoncolan during Stage 14 of the 94th Giro d'Italia. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-125977"/></a>
Vincenzo Nibali passes an overheating motorcycle on the way up Monte Zoncolan during Stage 14 of the 94th Giro d'Italia. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)
The route was adjusted several times during the course of the race, but the constant was the final climb up Zoncalon. Monte Zoncolan is a legendary climb. With an average grade of twelve percent and ramps up to an astounding 22 percent, this ascent is so steep, one of the support motorcycles overheated.

Stage 14 brought some of the anticipated shake-up in the General Classification, but, possibly because of the shortened route, didn’t cause the serious gaps that were anticipated.

The original route of 210 km, was shortened to 190 km when race organizers rerouted around Monte Crostis, deeming the descent too dangerous. The road was too narrow for support vehicles, the drops off the sides too far—organizers feared that in case of an accident, there would be no chance of providing aid.

Directeurs Sportif—essentially team mangers—protested the portion of the stage, but fans protested the change. Organizers added another section, the Cat 2 climb up Tualis. Organizers then cut this section and added a very short, steep section, making the race even shorter.

Most of these changes were made while the race was underway, making a hash of strategies. A breakaway of three riders— Bram Tankink (Rabobank,) Gianluca Brambilla (Colnago,) Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini)—formed 25 km in, and because of the constant changes in length, the peloton had to continually adjust its plans for catching the break.

The shortened route, lacking the difficult Monte Crostis climb, didn’t challenge the riders as much as the original, much shorter route would have. At the same time, this could improve the competition in Sunday’s brutal Stage 15.

The shorter route might have been a blessing for some riders who might have been tired from their struggles up the climbs of Stage 13—including race leader Alberto Contador, who didn’t show his usual easy attacking pace in Stage 14.

Changing route nonwithstanding, the break didn’t stay away. Seven kilometers from the top, the attacks from the peloton started.

Next: Attacks on Zoncaolan   

Atacks on Zoncolan  

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Nibalidor114482404_medium.jpg"><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Nibalidor114482404_medium.jpg" alt="Vincenzo Nibali briefly leads Alberto Contador up Monte Zoncolan during Stage 14. Contador finished second, Nibali, third. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Vincenzo Nibali briefly leads Alberto Contador up Monte Zoncolan during Stage 14. Contador finished second, Nibali, third. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-125978"/></a>
Vincenzo Nibali briefly leads Alberto Contador up Monte Zoncolan during Stage 14. Contador finished second, Nibali, third. (Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images)
First to go was Katusha’s Joaquin Rodriguez, but the first attack that mattered was Euskatel’s Igor Anton, who made his move two minutes later. Anton started 7th in GC, four minutes down, too highly placed for Alberto Contador to ignore.

Vincenzo Nibali and Michele Scarponi, both of whom have GC aspirations, tried to follow Contador. Scarponi caught Contador, and the pair of them caught Igor Anton, but with 5.4 km to go Anton attacked again. Neither Contador nor Scarponi responded.

Nibali caught Contador and Scarponi with 4.1 to go, and immediately attacked. Contador followed, but Scarponi could not. The chasing pair came within eight seconds of the leading Euskatel rider, but 2 km from the peak, the grade abated slightly and Anton accelerated, ensuring his stage victory.

Mechanical trouble struck Michele Scarponi 1200 meters from the finish; apparently he lost his chain, and lost several seconds repairing it. He could not have caught the leaders anyway, but he needed every second in GC.

Up ahead, Alberto Contador decided it was time to go; he stood up and easily rode away from Vincenzo Nibali. The Saxo Bank rider left it too late to catch Igor Anton, but he stretched his lead over his GC rivals.

Vincenzo Nibali showed great determination, pulling himself back up to Contador’s wheel a few hundred meters from the line. The Spaniard casually put on another burst of speed and left the Liquigas rider once again.

GC Changes


Euskatel Euskadi’s Igor Anton took the win and advanced in GC from 7th to 3rd, dropping Michele Scarponi to fourth. This is a very prestigious win for the rider from the Basque team which considers itself a mountain specialist.

Alberto Contador finished second, followed by Vincenzo Nibali who lost 11 seconds to the race leader. Michele Scarponi held on for fourth, losing 41 seconds.

Geox rider Denis Menchov showed great form to finish fifth, advancing to seventh in GC. This Russian rider had been quiet throughout the Giro until this stage. He is usually strong late in the race; he could be a podium contender.

AG2R’s John Gadret finished sixth, advancing from eighth to sixth in GC.

Astana’s Roman Kreuziger had a disappointing day, finishing 16th and dropping from fifth to ninth overall. Movistar’s David Arroyo dropped from fourth to tenth in GC.

The movements in General Classification was wholly expected. The expected opening of gaps did not occur; the top four riders are within four minutes. Alberto Contador still has a comfortable lead, but the rest of the podium is entirely up for grabs.

Next: Stage 15: More Mountain Punishment

Stage 15: More Mountain Punishment


Sunday’s Stage 15 will wring out whatever energy is left in the legs of the peloton.

Stage 15, 229 km from Conegliano to Gardeccia Val di Fassa, is a killer, with a Cat One, a Cat Two, and an HC climb, followed by another Cat One, and then a Cat One mountaintop finish.

The stage is long, the climbs are long, and the final climbs are steep.

This stage precedes a rest day, so riders will give their all. This is a great chance for the top GC contenders to challenge Alberto Contador, and to take time out of one another.

Riders like Denis Menchov could put in another strong ride and move into podium contention. José Rujano, who had looked so strong in previous stages but suffered in Stage 14, could find his legs again and continue to climb in GC.

Giro d'Italia Stage 14 Results

 

Rider

Team

Time

1

Igor Antón  (ESP)

Euskaltel 

5:04:26

2

Alberto Contador  (ESP)

Saxo Bank 

+33.000

3

Vincenzo Nibali  (ITA)

Liquigas 

+40.000

4

Michele Scarponi  (ITA)

Lampre 

+01:11.000

5

Denis Menchov  (RUS)

Geox 

+01:21.000

6

John Gadret  (FRA)

AG2R 

+01:38.000

7

Mikel Nieve  (ESP)

Euskaltel 

+01:52.000

8

Hubert Dupont  (FRA)

AG2R 

+01:55.000

9

Kanstantsin Sivtsov  (BLR)

HTC-Highroad 

+02:05.000

10

José Rujano  (VEN)

Androni Giocattoli

+02:11.000

11

Joaquim Rodríguez  (ESP)

Katusha 

+02:24.000

12

Steven Kruijswijk  (NED)

Rabobank 

+02:40.000

13

Przemyslaw Niemiec  (POL)

Lampre 

+02:57.000

14

Paolo Tiralongo  (ITA)

Astana 

+03:29.000

15

Peter Stetina  (USA)

Garmin 

+03:29.000

16

Roman Kreuziger  (CZE)

Astana 

+03:32.000

General Classification after Stage 14

 

Rider

Team

Time

1

Alberto Contador (ESP)

Saxo Bank

54:45:45

2

Vincenzo Nibali (ITA)

Liquigas

+3:20

3

Igor Antón (ESP)

Euskaltel

+3:21

4

Michele Scarponi (ITA)

Lampre

+4:06

5

John Gadret (FRA)

AG2R

+5:23

6

Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR)

HTC-Highroad

+5:37

7

Denis Menchov (RUS)

Geox

+6:06

8

Hubert Dupont (FRA)

AG2R

+6:12

9

Roman Kreuziger (CZE)

Astana

+6:40

10

David Arroyo (ESP)

Movistar

+6:43

11

Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)

Katusha

+7:29

12

José Rujano (VEN)

Androni Giocattoli

+7:47

13

Matteo Carrara (ITA)

Vacansoleil

+8:09

14

Steven Kruijswijk (NED)

Rabobank

+8:44

15

Dario Cataldo (ITA)

Quick Step

+8:57

16

Christophe Le Mével (FRA)

Garmin

+9:08