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2009 Giro D'Italia
May 9 - May 31, 2009

Back to 2009 Giro page

May 27, Wednesday: Photos from Stage 17, Chieti - Blockhaus, 83 km.

On the upper slopes of the Blockhaus climb, with Pellizotti 30 seconds up the road, real GC fight was happening here. From left, Basso, Garzelli, Menchov and Di Luca.
Pellizotti was riding in a state of grace. The entire time he was away he increased his lead.
Well behind the Di Luca/Menchov group Sastre was losing his last chance to win the Giro. Here he has Armstrong on his wheel. He kept losing ground to Menchov and Di Luca the entire ascent.
Franco Pellizotti takes a well-earned solo stage win and moves into third on GC.
Garzelli is next in. Di Luca looks back to see how far he gapped Menchov at the line.
An utterly spent Menchov crosses the line 5 seconds after Di Luca. Menchov might not have won the Giro today, but he did not lose it.