Tirreno-Adriatico: Contador on top again

2013_Oct_VelotasticBanner

Alberto Contador bosses the climbers on freakish stage finish in Tirreno-Adriatico and leads overall from Quintana

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

Tirreno-Adriatico: Contador on top again

AlbertoContador

Today’s 5th stage of Tirreno-Adriatico was another grueling test of 192 kilometers starting in Amatrice to finish in the Toscan highlands in the small city of Guardiagrele where a steep uphill finish formed the perfect scene for an intense and yet another exciting finale.

Eight riders, Benjamin King (Garmin Sharp), Adam Hansen (Lotto Belisol), David De La Cruz (NetAPP Endura), Matthias Brandle (IAM), Andriy Grivko (Astana), Yaroslav Popovych (Trek Racing Factori), Luca Paolini (Katusha), and Simon Geschke (Giant Shimano) were eager to put some space between them and the peloton and they formed the initial breakaway. The group however slimmed down to just Ben King, David de la Cruz and Simon Geschke on the first big climb.

More importantly, Tinkoff-Saxo’s Alberto Contador eyed a weakness in Kwiatkowski’s shield and on the penultimate climb with 32 kilometers to go, he launched an attack in a big gear that simply exploded the group of favorites while teammate, Roman Kreuziger stayed on the wheel of the leading rider, Kwiatkowski.

Third overall, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) put in a tenacious effort to bridge the gap to Contador who now worked together with the dropped riders from the initial break.

Diving down the descent, Contador was still chasing three leaders with Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol) while being chased by a small group including Nairo Quintana but without Kwiatkowski.

With nine kilometers to go, Alberto and Hansen bridged the gap to the front group and working alone, Alberto continued the fast pace going straight to the front of group without asking for favors and none was given. Soon the front group reached the steep uphill finish with an average gradient of 25% but with sections of more than 30%.

Ben King put in a sudden and quite surprising attack with two kilometers to go while Alberto kept focusing on his own rhythm soon sweeping him back up and in the final kilometre, Alberto Contador powered away to take the stage win and with it, the overall lead with Kwiatkowski many minutes in arrears.

Alberto Contador said afterwards “Well, the dream was to go alone and that motivated me to go the way I went and needless to say that I’m extremely happy about this result and the way the whole team performed today. The race is not over before the final stage is done so the overall win is not secure just yet. Right now, I will just enjoy the moment,” said the Tinkoff-Saxo Spaniard after the stage.

STAGE 5
1 CONTADOR Alberto Tinkoff-Saxo 04:54:42
2 GESCHKE Simon Team Giant-Shimano 00:06
3 KING Benjamin Garmin Sharp 00:45
4 HANSEN Adam Lotto Belisol 01:01
5 PERAUD Jean-Christophe AG2R La Mondiale 01:26
6 CARUSO Giampaolo Team Katusha 01:39
7 KREUZIGER Roman Tinkoff-Saxo 01:42
8 POZZOVIVO Domenico AG2R La Mondiale
9 ARREDONDO MORENO Julián David Trek Factory Racing
10 NOCENTINI Rinaldo AG2R La Mondiale
11 MORENO Daniel Team Katusha 01:48
12 QUINTANA Nairo Movistar Team 01:51
13 NIEVE Mikel Team Sky 01:54
14 SCARPONI Michele Astana Pro Team 02:01
15 GENIEZ Alexandre FDJ.fr 02:06
16 HORNER Chris Lampre – Merida
17 ULISSI Diego Lampre – Merida 02:17
18 HUZARSKI Bartosz Team NetApp – Endura 02:19
19 KISERLOVSKI Robert Trek Factory Racing 02:23
20 SAGAN Peter Cannondale 02:38

32 BASSO Ivan Cannondale 04:45
38 KWIATKOWSKI Michal Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 06:03
39 CANCELLARA Fabian Trek Factory Racing 06:35
43 GILBERT Philippe BMC Racing Team 10:11
44 VANSUMMEREN Johan Garmin Sharp
61 URAN Rigoberto Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 11:09
67 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team 16.41
68 MILLAR David Garmin Sharp 16:49
69 BAUER Jack Garmin Sharp 16:51
72 MARTIN Daniel Garmin Sharp
78 WIGGINS Bradley Team Sky 17.04
79 STANNARD Ian Team Sky
82 MARTIN Tony Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
83 DEVOLDER Stijn Trek Factory Racing 17:22
86 ROCHE Nicolas Tinkoff-Saxo
89 KENNAUGH Peter Team Sky 17:56
107 CIOLEK Gerald MTN – Qhubeka 25.35
108 CLARKE Simon Orica GreenEDGE
112 GREIPEL André Lotto Belisol
122 DEMPSTER Zakkari Team NetApp – Endura 25:48
137 KITTEL Marcel Team Giant-Shimano 26.12
166 DOWSETT Alex Movistar Team 28:56
168 CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma – Quick-Step

OVERALL
1 CONTADOR Alberto Tinkoff-Saxo 21:01:30
2 QUINTANA Nairo Movistar Team 02:08
3 KREUZIGER Roman Tinkoff-Saxo 02:15
4 ARREDONDO MORENO Julián David Trek Factory Racing 02:39
5 PERAUD Jean-Christophe AG2R La Mondiale 02:40
6 NIEVE Mikel Team Sky 02:50
7 MORENO Daniel Team Katusha 02:51
8 POZZOVIVO Domenico AG2R La Mondiale 02:56
9 CARUSO Giampaolo Team Katusha 02:58
10 KISERLOVSKI Robert Trek Factory Racing 03:06
11 HORNER Chris Lampre – Merida
12 SCARPONI Michele Astana Pro Team 03:07
13 NOCENTINI Rinaldo AG2R La Mondiale 03:09
14 ULISSI Diego Lampre – Merida 03:39
15 GENIEZ Alexandre FDJ.fr 04:01
16 HUZARSKI Bartosz Team NetApp – Endura 04:16
17 HERMANS Ben BMC Racing Team 05:08
18 TALANSKY Andrew Garmin Sharp 05:25
19 KWIATKOWSKI Michal Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 05:57
20 SANTAROMITA Ivan Orica GreenEDGE 06:09

31 SAGAN Peter Cannondale 11:23
33 URAN Rigoberto Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 11:41
38 GILBERT Philippe BMC Racing Team 19:27
43 ROCHE Nicolas Tinkoff-Saxo 20:32
53 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team 26:03
54 CANCELLARA Fabian Trek Factory Racing 26:39
55 MARTIN Daniel Garmin Sharp 26:48
56 WIGGINS Bradley Team Sky 26:49
57 CLARKE Simon Orica GreenEDGE 26:56
59 BAUER Jack Garmin Sharp 27:35
81 STANNARD Ian Team Sky 36:15
86 MILLAR David Garmin Sharp 39:30
106 KENNAUGH Peter Team Sky 49:12
115 GREIPEL André Lotto Belisol 55:59
122 DEMPSTER Zakkari Team NetApp – Endura 57:17
147 CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 01:01:45
153 VOSS Paul Team NetApp – Endura 01:03:43
159 KITTEL Marcel Team Giant-Shimano 01:06:17
163 DOWSETT Alex Movistar Team 01:08:18

 

 

Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)

Other News on VeloUK

Tags: ,