Vasili Kiryienka of Movistar attacked on the slopes of the long, steep, Colle delle Finestre (18.6 km at 9.1%) and rode away not just from the breakaway riders, but all the General Classification contenders to win the final mountain stage of the 2011 Giro d’Italia by more than six minutes.
Kiryienka was part of the first attack, a group of 13 riders who escaped 37 kilometers into the 242-kilometer long-stage. The break gained almost eleven minutes fairly easily on the fairly flat roads of the first 1230 km of the stage. On the gradual rise towards the first mountain, the Cat One Colle delle Finestre, the gap shrank to six minutes.
At the base of the climb, Kiryienka made his move, and no one could respond. The Belorussian rider didn’t even look tired until the last four kilometers of the final climb, and he never slowed. It was an amazing performance, one dedicated to his teammate Xavier Tondo, who was killed in a freak accident in his home earlier in the week.
Back in the peloton, Liquigas pushed the pace early, probably intending to isolate race leader Alberto Contador so Liquigas leader Vincenzo Nibali could attack. Nibali, an excellent descender, would have gained time on the road down from Finestre and pushed hard on the final climb up Sestriere.
AG2R took up the pacemaking duties next, hoping to gain time for 4th-place John Gadret, who was hoping to take time out of Nibali.
The Liquigas plan didn’t pan out. Nibali fell back near the top of Finestre, and spent his energy trying to catch the other GC contenders.
The pace hurt more riders than just Nibali—by this time there were only a handful surrounding race leader Alberto Contador in the group chasing the break. This group shrank as the climb progressed—some riders fell of f the back, and some attacked.
No one bothered with Alberto Contador—his lead is insurmountable—but the battles for the rest of the top ten were fierce.
José Rujano made a number of attacks. He escaped the chase group but never got close to Kiryienka. Joaquin Rodriguez and Denis Menchov attacked—Rodriguez stayed away, but couldn’t catch Rujano, while Menchov slipped back. John Gadret, also fighting to advance in GC, joined this pair, fell back and attacked again in the final few hundred meters.
Roman Kreuziger, fighting to move up in GC and also for the white Best Young Rider jersey, struggled to stay with the chase group, then attacked it when he got there. Steven Kruijswijk, fighting for the same jersey, answered these attacks and made his own.
In the final 500 meters, Michele Scarponi launched an attack, trying to add some time to his cushion over Vincenzo Nibali. Contador marked him easily; Kruijswijk less easily. Nibali couldn’t muster the energy, and dropped back.
When it was all over, the top four in the GC were unchanged, though Scarponi had increased his lead over Nibali by another 24 seconds. Joaquim Rodriguez rode his way into fifth from eighth.
Kanstantsin Sivtsov and Mikel Nieve dropped from fifth and sixth to ninth and tenth, José Rujano climbed form tenth to sixth. Dennis Menchov advanced one place to eighth.
Sunday’s Stage 21 Time Trial will likely not affect the overall standings. No one can tough Alberto Contador. He could get three flat tires and still hold his lead. Vincenzo Nibali is too far back to take second. John Gadret is not a great time trailer; he will never make up 90 seconds on Nibali.
The next four are close enough together that there should be some movement. Rujano, Kreuziger, and Menchov are all within 28 seconds; depending on how much each has left after today’s exertions, any of them could advance or fall.
José Rujano turned in an excellent uphill time trial in Stage 16, but he is a great climber. How will he do on the flat? Denis Menchov can ride a fast time trial; how much does he have left in his legs after his attacks today?
The top step of the podium was decided in Stage 13, when Alberto Contador made his first serious move. But there is still plenty to race for in the final stage of the 94th Giro.
Kiryienka was part of the first attack, a group of 13 riders who escaped 37 kilometers into the 242-kilometer long-stage. The break gained almost eleven minutes fairly easily on the fairly flat roads of the first 1230 km of the stage. On the gradual rise towards the first mountain, the Cat One Colle delle Finestre, the gap shrank to six minutes.
At the base of the climb, Kiryienka made his move, and no one could respond. The Belorussian rider didn’t even look tired until the last four kilometers of the final climb, and he never slowed. It was an amazing performance, one dedicated to his teammate Xavier Tondo, who was killed in a freak accident in his home earlier in the week.
Back in the peloton, Liquigas pushed the pace early, probably intending to isolate race leader Alberto Contador so Liquigas leader Vincenzo Nibali could attack. Nibali, an excellent descender, would have gained time on the road down from Finestre and pushed hard on the final climb up Sestriere.
AG2R took up the pacemaking duties next, hoping to gain time for 4th-place John Gadret, who was hoping to take time out of Nibali.
The Liquigas plan didn’t pan out. Nibali fell back near the top of Finestre, and spent his energy trying to catch the other GC contenders.
The pace hurt more riders than just Nibali—by this time there were only a handful surrounding race leader Alberto Contador in the group chasing the break. This group shrank as the climb progressed—some riders fell of f the back, and some attacked.
No one bothered with Alberto Contador—his lead is insurmountable—but the battles for the rest of the top ten were fierce.
José Rujano made a number of attacks. He escaped the chase group but never got close to Kiryienka. Joaquin Rodriguez and Denis Menchov attacked—Rodriguez stayed away, but couldn’t catch Rujano, while Menchov slipped back. John Gadret, also fighting to advance in GC, joined this pair, fell back and attacked again in the final few hundred meters.
Roman Kreuziger, fighting to move up in GC and also for the white Best Young Rider jersey, struggled to stay with the chase group, then attacked it when he got there. Steven Kruijswijk, fighting for the same jersey, answered these attacks and made his own.
In the final 500 meters, Michele Scarponi launched an attack, trying to add some time to his cushion over Vincenzo Nibali. Contador marked him easily; Kruijswijk less easily. Nibali couldn’t muster the energy, and dropped back.
When it was all over, the top four in the GC were unchanged, though Scarponi had increased his lead over Nibali by another 24 seconds. Joaquim Rodriguez rode his way into fifth from eighth.
Kanstantsin Sivtsov and Mikel Nieve dropped from fifth and sixth to ninth and tenth, José Rujano climbed form tenth to sixth. Dennis Menchov advanced one place to eighth.
Sunday’s Stage 21 Time Trial will likely not affect the overall standings. No one can tough Alberto Contador. He could get three flat tires and still hold his lead. Vincenzo Nibali is too far back to take second. John Gadret is not a great time trailer; he will never make up 90 seconds on Nibali.
The next four are close enough together that there should be some movement. Rujano, Kreuziger, and Menchov are all within 28 seconds; depending on how much each has left after today’s exertions, any of them could advance or fall.
José Rujano turned in an excellent uphill time trial in Stage 16, but he is a great climber. How will he do on the flat? Denis Menchov can ride a fast time trial; how much does he have left in his legs after his attacks today?
The top step of the podium was decided in Stage 13, when Alberto Contador made his first serious move. But there is still plenty to race for in the final stage of the 94th Giro.
| 2011 Giro d’Italia Stage 20 Results | ||
| 1 | Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar | 6:17:02 |
| 2 | José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni | 0:04:43 |
| 3 | Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha | 0:04:50 |
| 4 | Carlos Alberto Betancourt Gomez (Col) Acqua & Sapone | 0:05:31 |
| 5 | John Gadret (Fra) AG2R | 0:05:54 |
| 6 | Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre | 0:05:58 |
| 7 | Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank | 0:05:58 |
| 8 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank | 0:05:58 |
| 9 | Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox | 0:05:58 |
| 10 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze)Astana | 0:06:16 |
| 11 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas | 0:06:20 |
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| General Classification after Stage 20 | ||
| 1 | Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) | 83:34:35 |
| 2 | Michele Scarponi (Lampre) | + 5:18 |
| 3 | Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) | + 6:14 |
| 4 | John Gadret (AG2R) | + 7:49 |
| 5 | Joaquim Rodríguez (Katuha) | + 9:27 |
| 6 | José Rujano (Androni) | + 10:23 |
| 7 | Roman Kreuziger (Astana) | + 10:38 |
| 8 | Denis Menchov (Geox) | + 10:51 |
| 9 | Kanstantin Siutsou (HTC-Highroad) | + 11:53 |
| 10 | Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi) | + 12:03 |
