Giro: Dowsett wins Stage 8 Time Trial

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1-2 for Britain as British Time Trial Champion Alex Dowsett came of age in the time trial today winning a Grand Tour Time Trial Stage in the Giro and Wiggins second despite a puncture.

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Starting earlier in the line-up, Dowsett set the fastest time and then had to endure hours in the ‘hot seat’ as he waited to see if any of the favourites would beat his time. No was the answer!  On twitter afterwards, he said “Hardest tt of my life.” Not long (to waite) now. This wait is agonising!” After the visit to the podium though he tweeted “I cannot thank you all enough. This is the stuff dreams are made of.”

In a message to VeloUK, Alex, appropriately enough says “it kind of feels like going under 50 mins in a 25 for the first time, you join an exclusive club, this time it’s grand tour stage winners. “Its going to take a while for that one to sink in for sure!”

Alex says on his team’s website. “I still can not believe it. It was harder than I expected, no doubt, the most challenging of my life. I used a big chainring of 55 and a 29 at the back which reflects the difference between the hard and faster sections.”

“The last climb seemed to go on forever, my vision was blurred and I believed the finish would never come. Before the start, I was hoping for a top 10 so this win is incredible to me. My team gave me the confidence to take the first week easy looking ahead to this day.”

“It was my goal and the day I wanted to be leading. This victory sees me achieve a personal ambition and from now on, my race will be to work for my teammates. Beñat lost some time today, but I will try to help them back to the top of the overall ”

“I feel like I got everything out,” he told BBC Sport. “It was super difficult and there was no opportunity to get into a rhythm and I was just riding as hard as my legs would let me. It’s different doing a time trial in a tour because you are fatigued before you start but I’ve proved I can turn my hand to any type of time trial.

In an interview recently with Gordon Wiseman, Alex said of his goals for the Giro, “I’ll be there as one of our time trial specialists so I’ve got to think about that in every stage as well. I won’t mind always finishing in last place on every stage if I can then get a top ten placing in one of the time trials.”

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The day before this historic moment for the Essex rider, he was in the gruppetto after a very tough mountain stage where he crashed but 24 hours later he beats the likes of Wiggins, Evans, Nibali and so on …

It is a massive massive win for the rider who saw he wasn’t going to get the opportunities at Team Sky and signed for Movistar. Not only has he got his wish in getting a Grand Tour ride, but also paid his team back for their faith in him with a stage win.

The win was more a surprise because at the first time check, Nibali, a renowned climber, was up on Dowsett, perhaps due to the twisty nature of the roads early on. But even with a climb to finish, the little Italian was unable to hold on to his lead and he dropped away to finish fourth at 21 seconds. He did enough though to take over the race leadership and the Pink jersey.

Second in the race was the Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins who had to contend with a rear wheel puncture early on and despite a speedy bike change, lost time during the change and getting back up to speed. That alone cost him the win but it was more about making up time on the riders who gained time on him the day before in the mountains.

This he did but it was seconds not minutes as some had hoped he would. After the stage, Wiggins had gained a little but it was the little Italian Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) who was the new race leader over a minute clear of Cadel Evans with Wiggins in 4th at 1.16. The race just got very interesting ahead of the bigger mountains!

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Better days for Wiggins in a time trial during last year’s Tour de France. That said, had he not punctured, he would have won and taken another 30 or so seconds out of his rivals.

Wiggins - It’s not easy to defend a Grand Tour lead so it’s not a bad position to be in.

Talking on his team’s website, Bradley Wiggins explained “I think there was some initial disappointment because I wanted to win the stage,” he admitted. “It’s been a challenging few days with the crash yesterday and then to come back up. It wasn’t an easy course. I’ve said all along that it wasn’t one of those ones where you could take three or four minutes out of people because it was so technical at the start.”

“Then obviously to have a puncture and have to change bikes and disrupt the rhythm is never going to help. But then the second part of the course was really suited to me and I took back a lot of time on people there. It is what it is and it’s put us right back up there now. It’s going to be a hell of a race for the next two weeks.”

“I think I rode it pretty well,” he continued. “I was a bit ruffled after the bike change and didn’t get the best out of myself on that technical part of the course. It was a bit damp still as well so I was a bit cautious – especially after crashing yesterday. But from Pesaro onwards, I really got into my stride and I think physically I was as good as I’ve ever been. But it is the way it is. We’ll deal with it now, but I’m pleased at the same for Alex Dowsett. It’s a brilliant start to his Grand Tour career.”

“There are two weeks to go. The last week’s going to be very difficult and the time gaps are relatively small still. A minute and 16 to Nibali still with all the problems yesterday isn’t that bad it’s all to play for. It’s not easy to defend a Grand Tour lead so it’s not a bad position to be in. We’re still here and we’ve got three guys in the top 10 now. We’ve got a few cards to play.”

Cadel Evans Moves Up into second overall

It was a good day for Cadel Evans who has since his win in the Tour de France, struggled to get back to his very best. After  a seventh-place finish in the 54.8-kilometer individual time trial, he sits in second place overall.

Evans powered up the final climb to finish 39 seconds behind stage winner Alex Dowsett (Movistar Team). That was enough to slot him 29 seconds behind new race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), who finished fourth on the day.

Evans said he knew the race against the clock would be the first crucial test of the overall contenders. “We have been looking at it for a long while and preparing for it because it was really a time trial that tested every aspect of time trialing,” he said.

“It was flat, fast, and technical, on fast open roads with technical descents, steep climbs and rolling climbs. So really every variation of terrain possible. It required something special in terms of an approach and equipment.”

“The weather wasn’t favorable for us with the winds,” Evans said. “I think the earlier riders might have had a slight advantage with the wind conditions. But we did everything we could. The important thing was the classification and it was a very good day for us.”

Stage 8 – 54 kilometre time trial
1 DOWSETT Alex Movistar Team 01:16:27
2 WIGGINS Bradley Sky Procycling 00:10
3 KANGERT Tanel Astana Pro Team 00:14
4 NIBALI Vincenzo Astana Pro Team 00:21
5 CLEMENT Stef Blanco Pro Cycling Team 00:32
6 DURBRIDGE Luke Orica GreenEDGE 00:35
7 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team 00:39
8 BOARO Manuele Team Saxo-Tinkoff 00:45
9 HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis Sky Procycling 00:53
10 SCARPONI Michele Lampre – Merida @ st
11 GESINK Robert Blanco Pro Cycling Team 01:22
12 URAN Rigoberto Sky Procycling 01:48
13 GRETSCH Patrick Team Argos – Shimano @ st
14 KELDERMAN Wilco Blanco Pro Cycling Team 01:57
15 SERGENT Jesse RadioShack – Leopard 02:00
16 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw Lampre – Merida 02:13
17 OLIVEIRA Nelson RadioShack – Leopard 02:17
18 HESJEDAL Ryder Garmin – Sharp 02:23
19 GARATE Juan Manuel Blanco Pro Cycling Team 02:28
20 POZZOVIVO Domenico AG2R La Mondiale 02:34
21 KESSIAKOFF Fredrik Astana Pro Team 02:38
22 COBO ACEBO Juan Jose Movistar Team 02:40
23 ARU Fabio Astana Pro Team 02:44
24 WEENING Pieter Orica GreenEDGE 02:47
25 SANTAMBROGIO Mauro Vini Fantini 02:56
26 VERMOTE Julien Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 02:59
27 MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi Euskaltel – Euskadi 03:03
28 TJALLINGII Maarten Blanco Pro Cycling Team 03:09
29 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel Euskaltel – Euskadi 03:17
30 CATALDO Dario Sky Procycling 03:24
31 MAJKA Rafal Team Saxo-Tinkoff 03:27
32 ROULSTON Hayden RadioShack – Leopard 03:29
33 LUDVIGSSON Tobias Team Argos – Shimano 03:34
34 TUFT Svein Orica GreenEDGE 03:40
35 GUSEV Vladimir Katusha Team 03:44
36 BELLEMAKERS Dirk Lotto Belisol Team 03:46
37 RABOTTINI Matteo Vini Fantini 03:56
38 LANCASTER Brett Orica GreenEDGE @ st
39 SUTHERLAND Rory Team Saxo-Tinkoff 03:57
40 SERPA PEREZ Jose Rodolfo Lampre – Merida 04:01
41 INTXAUSTI Benat Movistar Team 04:02
42 DE GREEF Francis Lotto Belisol Team 04:05
43 DANIELSON Thomas Garmin – Sharp @ st
44 PETROV Evgeni Team Saxo-Tinkoff 04:06
45 ROUX Anthony Equipe Cycliste FDJ 04:14
46 PELLIZOTTI Franco Androni – Venezuela 04:18
47 MACHADO Tiago RadioShack – Leopard 04:22
48 VALLS FERRI Rafael Vacansoleil – DCM 04:24
49 MARANGONI Alan Cannondale Pro Cycling Team @ st
50 GARZELLI Stefano Vini Fantini 04:27
51 KEUKELEIRE Jens Orica GreenEDGE 04:37
52 TROFIMOV Yuri Katusha Team 04:41
53 KRUIJSWIJK Steven Blanco Pro Cycling Team 04:42
54 HONDO Danilo RadioShack – Leopard 04:44
55 SANTAROMITA Ivan BMC Racing Team 04:48
56 KARPETS Vladimir Movistar Team 04:50
57 IGNATENKO Petr Katusha Team 04:51
58 GOLAS Michal Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 04:53
59 KEIZER Martijn Vacansoleil – DCM 04:54
60 ZANDIO ECHAIDE Xabier Sky Procycling 04:56
61 FISCHER Murilo Antonio Equipe Cycliste FDJ 05:02
62 CANOLA Marco Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 05:03
63 CARUSO Damiano Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 05:05
64 BELKOV Maxim Katusha Team @ st
65 DUARTE AREVALO Fabio Andres Team Colombia 05:16
66 ROSA Diego Androni – Venezuela @ st
67 BETANCUR GOMEZ Carlos Alberto AG2R La Mondiale 05:19
68 PUCCIO Salvatore Sky Procycling 05:20
69 KISERLOVSKI Robert RadioShack – Leopard 05:21
70 PAUWELS Serge Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 05:23
71 HERRADA LOPEZ Jose Movistar Team 05:26
72 PHINNEY Taylor BMC Racing Team 05:28
73 BRUTT Pavel Katusha Team 05:29
74 PANTANO GOMEZ Jarlinson Team Colombia 05:34
75 PIRAZZI Stefano Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 05:35
76 AGNOLI Valerio Astana Pro Team 05:39
77 CUMMINGS Stephen BMC Racing Team 05:41
78 STORTONI Simone Lampre – Merida 05:42
79 MARTENS Paul Blanco Pro Cycling Team @ st
80 BONGIORNO Francesco Manuel Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 05:44
81 VISCONTI Giovanni Movistar Team 05:56
82 VRECER Robert Euskaltel – Euskadi 05:58
83 CAPECCHI Eros Movistar Team 05:59
84 AZANZA SOTO Jorge Euskaltel – Euskadi 06:01
85 LONGHO BORGHINI Paolo Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 06:02
86 KEISSE Iljo Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 06:05
87 RUIJGH Rob Vacansoleil – DCM 06:07
88 MORABITO Steve BMC Racing Team 06:10
89 WURF Cameron Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 06:11
90 DI LUCA Danilo Vini Fantini 06:14
91 KNEES Christian Sky Procycling 06:16
92 WYNANTS Maarten Blanco Pro Cycling Team 06:19
93 ATAPUMA HURTADO John Darwin Team Colombia 06:21
94 LOCATELLI Stefano Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 06:23
95 MANUEL SILVA PIRES Bruno Team Saxo-Tinkoff 06:24
96 GASTAUER Ben AG2R La Mondiale 06:31
97 NIZZOLO Giacomo RadioShack – Leopard 06:32
98 ZEITS Andrey Astana Pro Team 06:34
99 MODOLO Sacha Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 06:37
100 STETINA Peter Garmin – Sharp 06:39
101 JEANNESSON Arnold Equipe Cycliste FDJ 06:40
102 NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas Garmin – Sharp 06:49
103 BATTAGLIN Enrico Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 06:50
104 CARUSO Giampaolo Katusha Team 06:52
105 RUBIANO CHAVEZ Miguel Angel Androni – Venezuela 06:55
106 MOURIS Jens Orica GreenEDGE 06:56
107 PINEAU J̩rome Omega Pharma РQuick-Step @ st
108 BONNAFOND Guillaume AG2R La Mondiale 06:57
109 LAMMERTINK Maurits Vacansoleil – DCM 06:58
110 STEEGMANS Gert Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 06:59
111 MEIER Christian Orica GreenEDGE 07:00
112 BULGAC Brian Lotto Belisol Team @ st
113 CHRISTENSEN Mads Team Saxo-Tinkoff 07:04
114 DUPONT Hubert AG2R La Mondiale @ st
115 MOUREY Francis Equipe Cycliste FDJ 07:05
116 SABATINI Fabio Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 07:09
117 VERDUGO MARCOTEGUI Gorka Euskaltel – Euskadi 07:11
118 QUINTERO NORENA Carlos Julian Team Colombia 07:15
119 FELLINE Fabio Androni – Venezuela 07:16
120 VANOTTI Alessandro Astana Pro Team 07:17
121 VEUCHELEN Frederik Vacansoleil – DCM 07:18
122 MESTRE Ricardo Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
123 SELLA Emanuele Androni – Venezuela 07:20
124 GRUZDEV Dmitriy Astana Pro Team @ st
125 POZZATO Filippo Lampre – Merida 07:22
126 HUNTER Robert Garmin – Sharp 07:24
127 GOSS Matthew Orica GreenEDGE 07:26
128 GATTO Oscar Vini Fantini 07:30
129 OSPINA NAVARRO Dalivier Team Colombia 07:36
130 PATE Danny Sky Procycling 07:37
131 MARCATO Marco Vacansoleil – DCM 07:40
132 REYNES MIMO Vicente Lotto Belisol Team 07:45
133 BRAMBILLA Gianluca Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 07:48
134 CHALAPUD GOMEZ Robinson Eduardo Team Colombia @ st
135 TIRALONGO Paolo Astana Pro Team 07:51
136 DEKKER Thomas Garmin – Sharp 07:54
137 SIUTSOU Kanstantsin Sky Procycling 07:55
138 AVILA VANEGAS Edwin Alcibiades Team Colombia 08:00
139 BOEM Nicola Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 08:02
140 TIMMER Albert Team Argos – Shimano 08:08
141 VENTOSO ALBERDI Francisco José Movistar Team 08:10
142 DE KORT Koen Team Argos – Shimano 08:15
143 DALL’ANTONIA Tiziano Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 08:22
144 VICIOSO ARCOS Ángel Katusha Team @ st
145 KOZONTCHUK Dmitry Katusha Team 08:27
146 COLBRELLI Sonny Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 08:28
147 PAOLINI Luca Katusha Team 08:31
148 BRESCHEL Matti Team Saxo-Tinkoff 08:32
149 POPOVYCH Yaroslav RadioShack – Leopard @ st
150 WYSS Danilo BMC Racing Team 08:33
151 BAK Lars Ytting Lotto Belisol Team 08:34
152 TRENTIN Matteo Omega Pharma – Quick-Step @ st
153 ROLLIN Dominique Equipe Cycliste FDJ 08:35
154 DURASEK Kristijan Lampre – Merida 08:36
155 PRONI Alessandro Vini Fantini 08:39
156 DUQUE Leonardo Fabio Team Colombia 08:44
157 BENNATI Daniele Team Saxo-Tinkoff 08:46
158 OSS Daniel BMC Racing Team 08:47
159 HANSEN Adam Lotto Belisol Team 08:48
160 HAAS Nathan Garmin – Sharp 08:50
161 SALERNO Cristiano Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 08:52
162 FERRARI Roberto Lampre – Merida 08:54
163 MEZGEC Luka Team Argos – Shimano 08:56
164 WILLEMS Frederik Lotto Belisol Team 09:06
165 DAMUSEAU Thomas Team Argos – Shimano @ st
166 TAMOURIDIS Ioannis Euskaltel – Euskadi 09:12
167 VIVIANI Elia Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 09:13
168 PIETROPOLLI Daniele Lampre – Merida 09:18
169 DE BACKER Bert Team Argos – Shimano 09:31
170 CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 09:38
171 LASTRAS GARCIA Pablo Movistar Team 09:40
172 RODRIGUEZ Jackson Androni – Venezuela 09:43
173 DEGENKOLB John Team Argos – Shimano 09:44
174 ERMETI Giairo Androni – Venezuela 09:48
175 GEORGES Sylvain AG2R La Mondiale 09:55
176 SARMIENTO TUNARROSA Jose Cayetano Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 10:01
177 KROON Karsten Team Saxo-Tinkoff 10:13
178 PICHON Laurent Equipe Cycliste FDJ 10:19
179 DOCKX Gert Lotto Belisol Team 10:30
180 MARENTES TORRES Wilson Alexander Team Colombia 10:39
181 MINGUEZ Miguel Euskaltel – Euskadi 10:42
182 VANDE VELDE Christian Garmin – Sharp 10:45
183 ZARDINI Edoardo Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox 10:47
184 LE BON Johan Equipe Cycliste FDJ 10:54
185 BELLETTI Manuel AG2R La Mondiale @ st
186 WAUTERS Willem Vacansoleil – DCM 10:57
187 BENNETT George RadioShack – Leopard 11:10
188 BOLE Grega Vacansoleil – DCM 11:23
189 BOBRIDGE Jack Blanco Pro Cycling Team 11:30
190 TABORRE Fabio Vini Fantini 12:57
191 BOUHANNI Nacer Equipe Cycliste FDJ 13:01
192 LIGTHART Pim Vacansoleil – DCM 13:10
193 GIL MARTINEZ Tomas Aurelio Androni – Venezuela 13:42
194 DEHAES Kenny Lotto Belisol Team 14:09
195 MILLAR David Garmin – Sharp 14:10
196 APPOLLONIO Davide AG2R La Mondiale 14:25
197 ANDRIATO DE MATTAS Rafael Vini Fantini 14:28
198 CHICCHI Francesco Vini Fantini 14:44
199 BLYTHE Adam BMC Racing Team 15:17
200 GAVAZZI Mattia Androni – Venezuela 16:42

Overall after stage 8
1 NIBALI Vincenzo Astana Pro Team 29:46:57
2 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team 00:29
3 GESINK Robert Blanco Pro Cycling Team 01:15
4 WIGGINS Bradley Sky Procycling 01:16
5 SCARPONI Michele Lampre – Merida 01:24
6 HESJEDAL Ryder Garmin – Sharp 02:05
7 HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis Sky Procycling 02:11
8 SANTAMBROGIO Mauro Vini Fantini 02:43
9 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw Lampre – Merida 02:44
10 URAN Rigoberto Sky Procycling 02:49
11 WEENING Pieter Orica GreenEDGE 02:50
12 KANGERT Tanel Astana Pro Team 03:02
13 KELDERMAN Wilco Blanco Pro Cycling Team 03:26
14 INTXAUSTI Benat Movistar Team 03:36
15 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel Euskaltel – Euskadi 03:43
16 POZZOVIVO Domenico AG2R La Mondiale 04:05
17 MAJKA Rafal Team Saxo-Tinkoff 04:09
18 ARU Fabio Astana Pro Team 04:31
19 DANIELSON Thomas Garmin – Sharp 04:37
20 SANTAROMITA Ivan BMC Racing Team 04:50

 

 

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