Giro d'Italia (st. 13)

Nairo Quintana goes well protected by Movistar Team en route to Rivarolo, tackles big mountains in last eight days of Giro willing to recover from cold and start moving up the ranks

Italian Marco Canola (BAR) profited from the lack of cooperation between the sprinters’s teams to claim the first victory for a wild-card team in this year’s Giro d’Italia. The 157km stage thirteen from Fossano to Rivarolo Canavese had its only story in the six-man breakaway that led the race convoy from the very start, later reduced to three -the previously quoted Canola, Rodríguez (AND, 2nd) and Tulik (EUC, 3rd)-, came into the finishing straight with an 11-second advantage over the field, Nairo Quintana across the line safely in 32nd place.

Still struggling with a cold he has suffered from in the last few days, and which compromised notably his performance during yesterday’s TT, the leader of the Movistar Team -well protected into the most difficult sections, especially due to hailstorm in the afternoon, by Antón, Amador or an ever-consistent Ventoso- reaches the first of six mountain-top finishes to decide the overall winner in sixth place, 3’29” down to pink jersey holder Rigoberto Urán (OPQ). The summit of Oropa (Cat-1), after 162km from Agliè including the passes of Alpe Noveis (Cat-1) and Bielmonte (Cat-2), will start sorting out the GC again.

ALL BIG MOUNTAINS LEFT IN THIS YEAR’S GIRO

Saturday, May 24 – 14th stage: Agliè – Oropa (164km)
La Serra (Cat-3) – km 23.7 – 6.3km – 5.2% – max 7%
Alpe Noveis (Cat-1) – km 85.4 – 9km – 7.9% – max 16%
Bielmonte (Cat-2) – km 104.1 – 18.4km – 5.6% – max 13%
Oropa (Cat-1, final) – km 152.3 – 11.8km – 6.2% – max 13%

Sunday, May 25 – 15th stage: Valdengo – Plan di Montecampione (225km)
Plan di Montecampione (Cat-1, final) – km 205.7 – 19.4km – 7.6% – max 12%

Tuesday, May 27 – 16th stage: Ponte di Legno – Val Martello (139km)
Gavia (Cat-1) – km 5.7 – 16.5km – 8% – max 16%
Stelvio (Cima Coppi) – km 49 – 21.7km – 7.1% – max 12%
Val Martello (Cat-1, final) – km 116.6 – 22.4km – 6.4% – max 14%

Wednesday, May 28 – 17th stage: Sarnonico – Vittorio Veneto (208km)

Thursday, May 29 – 18th stage: Belluno – Rifugio Panarotta (171km)
Passo San Pellegrino (Cat-1) – km 36.3 – 18.5km – 6.2% – max 15%
Passo del Redebus (Cat-2) – km 118 – 4.6km – 8.7% – max 15%
Rifugio Panarotta (Cat-1, final) – km 154.7 – 15.9km – 7.9% – max 14%

Friday, May 30 – 19th stage: Bassano del Grappa – Monte Grappa (ITT) (27km)
Monte Grappa (Cat-1, final) – km 7.7 – 19.3km – 8% – max 14%

Saturday, May 31 – 20th stage: Maniago – Monte Zoncolan (167km)
Passo del Pura (Cat-1) – km 92.8 – 11.3km – 7.7% – max 13%
Sella Razzo (Cat-2) – km 115.4 – 15.9km – 6.2% – max 15%
Monte Zoncolan (Cat-1, final) – km 156.9 – 10.1km – 11.9% – max 22%

Sunday, June 1 – 21st stage: Gemona del Friuli – Trieste (172km)