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2021 Tour de France | 2022 Giro d'Italia
If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score? - Vince Lombardi
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We posted the report from stage winner Simon Yates' Team BikeExchange-Jayco with the results.
Here's the report from new GC leader Richard Carapaz's Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Richard Carapaz sprinted to third to take the overall lead of the Giro d'Italia after an attacking performance on stage 14.
Richard Carapaz will start stage fifteen in Pink. Sirotti photo
Carapaz attempted a daring solo attack with 28 kilometres to go, distancing a small group of favourites, but was caught on the final climb by a group of three riders.
The quartet rode a strong pace to maintain the gap to the others, until Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange - Jayco), who was not an immediate threat overall, attacked the trio to win the stage.
Carapaz then finished third after a three-up sprint, to take the maglia rosa and now leads Jai Hindley (Bora - Hansgrohe) by seven seconds.
Earlier, Bora - Hansgrohe had set a very high pace to split the race into many groups as the sun beat down on a gruelling finish circuit in Torino.
Despite the pace, Carapaz was able to sit in the wheels of the Bora riders, before he further enlivened a high-paced stage with a daring solo attack on the second ascent of the Superga climb, leaving a small group of GC contenders in his wake.
This attack split the group further, though Carapaz was eventually caught by a trio of his rivals on the Colle della Maddalena., before Yates escaped the leaders to win the stage, but Carapaz earned the maglia rosa.
Richard Carapaz:
“It was a tough stage but a very short one. I’m happy with how it went. It’s a positive step for the team and now we will try to defend the Maglia Rosa.
"I didn’t remember that three years ago I took it on stage 14 but I’m happy to have done it again.”
Here’s the report from stage & GC second-place Jai Hindley’s Team Bora-hansgrohe:
At 147 km, today’s stage was short, yet the riders would have little time to catch their breath, with five categorised climbs from Santena to Turin. The first breakaway attempts, in which Lennard Kämna was also involved, were initially unsuccessful, but a few kilometres later a leading group of twelve with Ben Zwiehoff managed to go clear. Under the high tempo set by BORA - hansgrohe in the reduced peloton, many riders fell back and with 70 km remaining, the escapees were reeled back.
On the two final laps, Ben Zwiehoff took over from teammate Giovanni Aleotti, who had been setting the pace until then, at the front of the reduced field. On the following climbs, several attacks ensued from the group, yet Wilco Kelderman, Emanuel Buchmann and Jai Hindley were able to cover the moves, before Wilco completely split the group of favourites. With 6 km to go, only the Australian was left out front with Carapaz, Nibali and Yates.
In the last short climb, Yates was able to break away and go on to take the win. The group of three including Jai reached the finish line together and the BORA-hansgrohe rider was able to sprint to second place on the stage. After an incredible ride from him and his teammates, Jai also moved up to second place in the GC and is now only seven seconds in arrears of the new GC leader Richard Carapaz. Emanuel, who finished ninth on the stage, is now in seventh place overall.
Jai Hindley descending to to the finish city of Torino. Sirotti photo
"It was a pretty crazy day. We had a bold plan, and tried to isolate the other GC riders early. The team was just phenomenal today. I'm admittedly a little disappointed that I couldn't get the win in the end, but I have to say a huge thanks to the whole team for their amazing support. Carapaz didn't look overly strong at the beginning, so I was surprised when he launched his attack. I thought he went a bit too early, so I waited patiently and then I was able to catch up, along with the group.
"We worked well together and saved a lot of energy as a result. When we reached the first climb, I knew we were all going to go full throttle, and Nibali looked strong so I thought he might try something there. But I waited for the right moment and when he took off I was able to follow him. It was a crazy descent down to the finish and after that, I ended up taking second on the day and now in GC. I'm proud to be part of this team and thanks again to the guys for the excellent support." - Jai Hindley
"Today was a pretty tough stage but we had a clear goal. Our plan was to ride aggressively and try to isolate some of the GC riders and take some time from them. All the guys, but especially Wilco, achieved something incredible today and everyone contributed to the success. Wilco set the pace for 40km and on a day like today that was no easy task. Jai was confident throughout the day and that had a calming effect on his teammates. His teammates were convinced that we could achieve something here, and that’s what they ended up doing. Now Jai is second overall, 7 seconds behind the new GC leader, and some of the GC favourites are already out of the running. So I think overall the day was almost perfect." - Enrico Gasparotto, Sports Director
Vincenzo-Nibali's Team Astana Qazaqstan posted this report:
A super tough Stage 14 around Turin with Superga and Colle della Maddalena climbs passed twice has been held today at the Giro d’Italia. The Astana Qazaqstan Team leader Vincenzo Nibali showed great legs today, finishing fourth in a small group of GC contenders just behind the solo winner Simon Yates.
Vincenzo Nibali before the start of stage 12. Sirotti photo
“The day has turned out to be a tough one, because the pace proposed by Bora was a very high one. Also, it was a very hot day, and it was quite challenging to eat and drink on a nervous and tricky circuit in Turin. The pace of the race was very high both on the climbs and on the descents, so it was really tough”, – said Vincenzo Nibali.
The day started with numerous attacks from the peloton with Harold Tejada, Joe Dombrowski, Fabio Felline and Vadim Pronskiy trying to break away. Finally, it was Dombrowski, who attacked solo on Il Pilonetto climb, later creating a group, who opened a three-minute gap to the peloton.
However, on the first climb Superga a reduced group of GC contenders, including Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali caught the break back.
Nibali was the rider who launched an attack on the second climb Superga, creating a group of four leaders. Later, after several attacks these four riders broke away clear to get an advantage to the rivals and to play the stage: Simon Yates won it after an attack with a few kilometers to go, while Jai Hindley, Richard Carapaz and Vincenzo Nibali finished 15 seconds later.
“Yes, I am quite satisfied with the stage. I’d like to fight for a stage win, but I knew it would be difficult. I lost some time on Etna, but I was still there, and I knew, that the rivals consider me as a dangerous rider for the GC, while to win from a small group of favorites is always hard”, – added Vincenzo Nibali.
Carapaz moved into the race lead, taking the pink jersey, while Nibali became 8th in the General Classification, 2 minutes, 58 seconds behind Carapaz.
Here’s the explanation of Tom Dumoulin’s Giro abandonment from his Team Jumbo-Visma
Tom Dumoulin has given up in the 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia. In the stage to Turin, the former winner of the Giro d'Italia stepped off his bike with 100 kilometers to go. Dumoulin said he was physically running on empty.
Tom Doumoulin riding the Stage Two time trial where he was third. Sirotti photo
"The tank is empty. I don't really know what I can say about it now", Dumoulin said, stricken. "This is extremely disappointing. I can't pedal away any power without it hurting. The form is simply not there. At this moment, I have no answer to the question why."
Dumoulin gradually experienced that he could not get the best out of himself during the past two weeks. "I noticed that I wasn't in my best shape this Giro. Nevertheless, I was determined to finish, and finish together with the rest of the team in Verona. I wanted to at least get the necessary race mileage. I tried to get myself in the zone every morning to make the best of it, but I simply didn't manage. My body is worn out."
Dumoulin rode to a podium finish in the time trial on the opening weekend. Moreover, he helped teammate Koen Bouwman to a satisfactory stage win in stage seven. "Those are the beautiful things I've been able to experience this Giro. I enjoyed them. But the last few days were tough. I'm going home now and need to recharge. Then we'll see again."
The Team Jumbo-Visma riders played a supporting role in the stage to Turin. Pascal Eenkhoorn, the red number wearer, and Sam Oomen, among others, tried to jump along with various breakaways at the beginning of the stage. Those efforts did not work out.
“We initially tried to get along”, said sports director Marc Reef. “Unfortunately, we didn’t manage. The focus is on the upcoming stages because we keep aiming for stage wins. We still have a few chances for that.”
Oomen indicated that the circumstances were not in his favour today. “After some hefty efforts to keep up, I noticed that recovering was difficult in this heat. A long struggle followed in which I refused to give up. I am pleased with how the guys support me and with the opportunity I get. Unfortunately, it’s not good enough to ride with the best, but the upcoming week will offer some opportunities. We will all continue to fight for some beautiful results.”
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