Omega Pharma – Quick-Step’s Giro race leader Rigoberto Uran under pressure on mountain top finish
![]() |
Giro d’Italia – Rigoberto Uran Under Pressure
“I was always in good shape with my teammates around me” – Uran
Omega Pharma – Quick-Step’s Wout Poels moved to the front of a group with teammate Maglia Rosa wearer Rigoberto Uran, which was under pressure in the final kilometers after Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R – La Mondiale) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) went on the attack on the steeper sections of the Cat. 1 Oropa summit finish at 164km Giro d’Italia Stage 14 on Saturday.
The final climb, which was 11.8km with an average gradient of 6.2% (max ramp 13%), was where the GC riders began the true mountain battle for the classification. The remainders of an original 21-rider breakaway, which included Julien Vermote earlier in the race, was well up the road determining the winner of the stage. That winner was Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani – CSF), who caught Dario Cataldo (Team Sky) and Jarlinson Pantano (Team Colombia) in the final meters to pass them before the line. Cataldo was 2nd, Pantano 3rd.
Poels, meanwhile, stayed close to his leader Uran. He helped to minimize the gap to Quintana and Pozzovivo ahead, as well as Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) who was close behind them, and Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) who was with them until the final few hundred meters.
Uran remains in the pink jersey, with a 32″ gap in the GC over Evans, as well as a 1’35” gap to Majka, 2’11” to Pozzovivo, and 3’04” to Quintana. The threats to Uran’s leadership are far from over as there are plenty of mountain stages left. The 225km Stage 15 has perhaps one of the toughest finishes of them all: 19.35km GPM 1 Montecampione, with a max ramp of 12% and an average gradient of about 7.5 percent.
“We were happy with the breakaway that got away,” Uran said. “I was always in good shape with my teammates around me. I had the whole team with me all day. When the accelerations came at 5 kilometers to go, I had them around me still to help me. So, I was happy today. I am absolutely cheerful because my team was phenomenal and Poels was great in the final.”
“I have done some Grand Tours and I know it’s important to be consistent over the three weeks. OK, we lost 20, maybe 25 seconds today, but it’s not a real problem. You have to arrive with the Maglia Rosa at the end of the race, not showing yourself on every stage. You need to save energy as much as possible because the hard climbs and days are still to come. I know all these climbs coming up. There’s that difficult final week and I want to wear this Maglia Rosa in Trieste.”
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- RR Result: Beaumont Trophy/Curlew Cup
- Features, Reports, Results
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League Rd 2
- CX Result: CXNE Series Round 2
- CX Result: Western Cyclocross League Rd 1
- CX Result: 3 Peaks 2023
- CX Result: Lincolnshire CX League Rd 1
- CX Result: Wessex CX League Rd3 (Foxhill)
- HC Result: Allen Valley Velo Hill Climb
- RR Result: Severn Valley GP
- Saint Piran’s Remarkable Journey
- Look back at the top 10s of all the National Bs (Women)
- Look back at the top 10s of all the National Bs (Men)
- CX Result: NWCCA Round 2 (Barnoldswick)
- RR Result: Beeston CC Six Hills
- Report: Wightlink-Island Renewables Military Road 35km Open TT
- CX Result: London and South East CX League 2
- RR Result: Surrey League Ditchling Common RRs
- HC Result: Bute Wheelers Serpentine Hill Climb
- TT Result: Bute Wheelers 2 Up TTT
- TT Result: Poole Wheelers 10m Time Trial
- TT Result: VTTA Surrey/Sussex 25m Championship
- TT Result: Midlands VTTA 10m TT
- HC Result: GS Metro Hedley On The Hill
- TT Result: Darlington CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Bute Wheelers 10m TT
- HC Result: Yorkshire Road Club Hill Climb
- Youth Result: Inter Regional Road Championships
- CX Result: Central Cyclocross League Round 1
- CX Result: South West Cyclocross League 2
- CX Result: Notts & Derby Round 1
- CX Result: Hope Supercross Rnd 3
- TT Result: AWCC Classified 10 Mile TT
- RR Result: Circuit of Charfield RR
- CX Result: SCX Series Round 1
- Youth Result: White Rose Youth league Finale
- BMCR National Circuit Racing Championships E/F/G/H/W
- BMCR Result: Kenilworth Wheelers Road Race
- CX Result: Shimano Lazer WMCCL Rd 3
- Crit Result: West Thames Autumn Crits
- HC Result: Cheshire Maverick CC Hill Climb
- HC Result: Protech Velo Hill Climb
Other News on VeloUK
- Saint Piran’s Remarkable Journey
- GB Riders for European Road Championships
- News: Ribble Launches Stone into Gravel
- Report: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT 2023
- News: East Cleveland Classic Rescheduled
- ENTRIES NEEDED: Severn Valley GP
- EVENTS: Criterium des Vainqueurs
- RR Result: Scottish National Road Race Championship
- Startlist: BMCR National Road Race Championships(C/D)
- PREVIEW – AA Brown Road Race
- Startlist: Beaumont Trophy/Curlew Cup
- Team News: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT
- News: Ribble adds 105 12 speed to Bikes
- Startlist: RTTC National 10 Mile Championships
- News: Jenny Holl races Rás na mBan with Alba DRT
- WORLD TRACK MASTERS – LESS THAN A WEEK TO ENTER!
- Tour of Britain: Provisional Start List
- News: Shimano Lazer West Midlands Cyclocross League (WMCCL)
- JUNIOR TOUR OF WALES (Podiums)
- This Sunday: Time Trial’s Blue Ribbon Event – 25 mile Championship
- News: new Womens Cycling Team
- News: Reviving Elite Cycle Racing Taskforce
- News: Charlie Tanfield Extends with Saint Piran
- News: West Midlands Road Race League
- Report: World Championships (August 13, Sunday)
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (August ‘23)
- Report: World Championships (Aug 12, Saturday)
- Report: World Championships (August 11)
- Report: World Championships (August 10)
- Events: Ryedale Grasscrete GP (Men/Women)
- Feature: Handsling Bikes
- News: Tao Geoghegan Hart Signs for Lidl-Trek
- World Championships (Wed, Aug 9)
- Report: World Championships (Aug 8, 2023)
- 2023 World Championships: (Monday)
- Report: World Championships (Sunday)
- Report: Golden Day for GB in Glasgow
- World Championships Report: Scottish Cycling (Aug 4)
- Cycling Worlds: Medals for Great Britain (Friday, Aug 4)
- News: The Pedal Club Lunch (July 2023)