2010 Giro d’ Italia: Stage 11 Results

c) Luk Beines/AFP/Getty Images

Stage 11 of the 2010 Giro d’ Italia was more like a one-day classic than a stage of a three week race. The stage stretched 262km over a course that, while not mountainous, kept the riders legs working at most times. Adding insult to injury, it was another rainy day at the race.

The race continues to wear on the pack and 10 riders dropped out overnight. Cadel Evans (BMC Racing), sitting second in the G.C. lost teammates Jeff Louder and Maruo Santambrogio. Race leader Alexandre Vinokourov lost Enrico Gasparotto and Maxim Iglinskiy. Also out were Alberto Loddo, Danish Pedersen, Austrian Rohregger, Hansen of  Australia, Frenchman Mandri and British rider Blyth.

A huge group of 56 riders went off the front at the 20 km mark. Included in that pack were Richie Porte, Chris Anker Sorensen, Laurent Didier (Saxo Bank); Bradley Wiggins, Michael Barry, Steve Cummings, Morris Possoni (Team Sky); Matt Goss (HTC-Columbia); Giampaolo Caruso, Joan Horrach (Katusha); Matteo Bono (Lampre-Farnese Vini); Valerio Agnoli, Tiziano Dall’Antonia, Robert Kiserlovski, Alessandro Vanotti (Liquigas-Doimo); Jan Bakelandts, Francis De Greef, Matthew Lloyd (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Dario Cataldo & Jerome Pineau (Quick Step). Also in that group was Carlos Sastre (Cervelo), who had ambitions at winning the Giro, but was more than 10 minutes back after a series of mishaps.

The lead group was able to build to a huge lead. They were out nearly 16 minutes at one point and had close to 13 minutes over the peloton with just 20 km to go. Richie Porte of Saxo Bank would move into the leader’s jersey if this group was able to stay away, and Carlos Sastre would find himself in a much better position to go for the overall.

Unless the entire lead group was to fall over and die, little mattered what happened back in the peloton. Alexandre Vinokourov flatted, but the overall effect of the day at this point is that he would ultimately lose the leader’s jersey and that Saxo Bank’s Richie Porte would trade his white Young Rider’s jersey for the maglia rosa.

With just 6 km remaining, Linus Gerdemann (Milram) made a move and was marked by Carlos Sastre. Neither will move into the lead, but finishing out front possibly could have gained them precious seconds in the G.C. Also in this lead group are David Millar and Bradley Wiggins. Both had G.C. ambitions, but the first half of the race had not gone well for them. Ultimately, this stage will change the whole nature of the race.

Giampaolo Caruso makes the final push for victory, with Cataldo, Sastre and Wiggins in tow. Richie Porte will move into the lead.

Brief Results:

1. Evgeni Petrov (Katusha), 6:28:29
2. Dario Cataldo (Quick Step) s.t
3. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo Test Team) s.t
4. Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) s.t
5. Alexander Efimkin (ALM) +0:07
6. Linus Gerdemann (Milram)+0:07
7. Jerome Pineau (Quick Step) +0:07
8. Arroyo (Caisse d’ Epargne) +0:07
9. Xavier Tondo (Cervelo Test Team) +0:07
10. Jan Bakelandts (Omega Pharma Lotto) +0:07