Thursday, March 28, 2024

Il Giro d’Italia 2014 – Stage 8; Foligno – Montecopiolo, 174 km. Diego Ulissi Scores a Second!

-

HomeRaceRace ReviewsIl Giro d'Italia 2014 - Stage 8; Foligno - Montecopiolo, 174 km....

Diego Ulissi

Diego Ulissi (Lampre & Italy); if the broader world of cycling didn’t really know who he was before this Giro – they do now.

His first win on Stage Five wasn’t a surprise if you were aware of his terrific end to last season – Milano-Torino, the Coppa Sabatini and the Giro dell’Emilia.

Three Italian semi-classics – all very desirable and hard fought – ‘tough and hilly’ is right up his street.

But Saturday was different, the real deal, first and second cat. montagnes; and just look at who he beat – Evans, Uran, Quintana, Pozzovivo…

As Kris said, it restores your faith in bike racing.

Diego Ulissi
Diego Ulissi takes his second stage. Phoot©Gian Mattia D’Alberti

We were a bit worried at the start, not more of that ‘polemica’ stuff, please!

But once the Bigs had accepted that Matthews wasn’t going to be defending the jersey the race could begin in earnest – however, not before ten men had bolted to nine minutes.

This wasn’t going to be an ‘Oscar Pereiro Job’ where the break goes to 27 minutes, though and the peloton chipped away at the lead all day.

For a long, long time it looked like tiny Trek Colombian Julian David Arredondo was going to survive his long day in the break and take a marvellous solo win.

Diego Ulissi
David Arredondo. Photo©Fabio Ferrari

But when Europcar’s enigmatic Frenchman Pierre Rolland bridged to him it looked like another French Giro stage win to go with Bouhanni’s as the little Colombian collapsed within sight of the line.

He’ll have sore legs tomorrow.

But it’s always easy to underestimate of the venom of a peloton in the finale and it was Spaniard Dani Moreno who catapulted out of the lead group to catch and pass Rolland.

Revenge for all the Katusha’s ill fortune?

No chance, there are few fairy tales in the Pro Tour.

Croatian champion and one of our favourites for the race, Robert Kiserlovski looked like he was going to make up for Arredondo’s pain and keep the stage for Trek.

When we identified the Lampre rider on his wheel as Ulissi we knew there would only be one winner.

We got a couple of things right today; the end for Michael Matthews (GreenEdge & Australia) was indeed sudden and horrible: Cadel Evans (BMC & Australia) takes pink and we’re pretty smug about two of our ‘left field’ tips – Aru and Kiserlovski – being right up there.

Diego Ulissi
Cadel Evans take the lead. Photo©Fabio Ferrari

It was a great day then for Evans and Ulissi but a horrible day for Astana’s former winner, Michele Scarponi who lost a chunk of time.

But it simplifies things for Aru and the Astana management – there’s no doubt now about who the team should ride for.

If Ulissi was a big surprise, so was Belkin’s Dutchman, Wilco Kelderman; third on the stage and he now sits seventh on GC.

Diego Ulissi
Wilco Kelderman. Photo©AFP

AG2R must be disappointed that their sterling work – without them Rolland may well have won – couldn’t be finished off by their Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy).

But like I’ve said before; it’s easy from the sofa and as Evans reminded us, everyone is already tired from the transfer, long stages, wind, rain and stress.

Colombian race favourites Rigoberto Uran (QuickStep) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) didn’t sparkle today but they’ll be remembering that this is only stage eight – and that final week is a horror.

Let’s take a quick look at it…

* * *

The Final Week – what’s in store

Stage 15 is 217 kilometres; the profile could have been drawn by a child, nice and flat along the bottom of the page until the end and then suddenly rearing straight up to finish on 1665 metres altitude at Plan Di Montecampione.

The rest day follows but everyone’s mind will be on Stage 16 with two legendary climbs and a third good hard slap in the face to finish; the Passo Gavia at 2,618 m. Passo Stelvio 2,758 m. and a mountain top finish at the 2,059 m. at Val Martello all within 139 K.

If you crack today, as many will, it’s over.

Stage 18 has the Passo San Pelligrino at 1,918 m. and a mountain top finish at 1.760 m. at Valsugana over 171 K.

Stage 19 is a chrono – but most low pros will stay in the mechanics’ truck.

At the end of 26.8 K of pain the contenders will be at the top of the Cima Grappa and at 1,712 m. altitude.

Not the day to have bad legs.

Stage 20’s delights include the Passo Del Purra at 1,428 m. and the Sella Razio at 1,816 m.

And there’s a sting in the tail with Monte Zoncolan at 1,730 m. – a savage swine of an ascent.

Upon which the organisers will be hoping for a 2013 Angliru Horner/Nibali cliff hanger finale…

And if you’re a rider, it’s sobering to remember that the Zoncolan is still two weeks away.

Last word is the ‘D’ one – Nero Sottoli’s right to be on the race is questioned but the stage is dedicated to Pantani; and we have to listen to Greg Lemond eulogising about a man who rarely raced clean.

Don’t worry, It’ll all work out for the best when you snuff it, Lance.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Giro d’Italia 2012 – Second Rest Day, Time for Interviews

'Mission accomplished' with Ryder: Dave rattled us through dire weather up to the Garmin Hotel, just over 100 miles away. The Liquigas guys were on their turbos when we arrived - lean, cut looking men. Before the start, I wasn't sure Basso could win, but his policy of loss limiting has taken him to third on GC @ 1:22 on Rodriguez and 52 seconds behind Hesjedal.

The Scottish Power Renewables Girvan 3 – Day Stage Race

"The Girvan" stage race, based in beautiful Ayrshire and Galloway and held over the Easter weekend, has the reputation of being one of the toughest races in Britain, and it certainly does deserve it. This year the 39th edition is again being run over 3 days and 4 stages, with the 3 road stages taking the riders into wild and remote terrain, most likely in less than ideal weather, which has been deteriorating ominously during the week and with foul conditions including snow predicted to arrive at the weekend, together with over 100 of the UK's top cyclists, it should be an interesting race...

Sam Robinson Memorial Road Race

Sam Robinson Memorial Road Race; A top class field raced this 78 mile event, attracting the majority of Scotland's road race talent and a number of riders from North East England, including the regional champion.The 78 mile race tackled the climbs of the Dukes Pass and 'Top of the World', based around the Trossachs and two tough finishing circuits through Balfron Town.

World Road Championships – Mads Pederson surprises to win the Elite Mens’ Road Race

Denmark’s Mads Pederson drops to the wet Yorkshire tarmac, a hundred metres past the finish line, he can’t take in what he’s just accomplished. He has out-sprinted one of the foxiest and fastest men around, Matteo Trentin of Italy - the hot pre-race favourites for the title on this horror of a day.

At Random

Roadside at the 2017 Tour; Maciej Bodnar and the Notre Dame des Cyclistes chapel!

Sprinter stages - they almost have you feeling sorry for Carlton. When we settled down in our mini-market/café with it's big screen and fridge full of cool beer we were quite prepared to sit and wait on Kittel obliterating everyone again after the usual boring run-in. But Big Bora Pole, Maciej Bodnar, AKA 'The Bison' - in his Cannondale days he had a great Polish bison air brush job on his top tube - had other ideas; jumping his doomed breakaway companions and heading off on a solo epic which only ended in sight of the line...

John Nicolson MP – Background to the Parliamentary Select Committee Hearing; “I found some of the answers unconvincing.”

If you watched the recent live stream of the Parliamentary Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee hearing (part of the inquiry into "Combatting Doping in Sport") you'll know the bulk of the session focused on the key question "what was in the jiffy bag?" which was transported from the UK by Simon Cope, handed to Dr. Richard Freeman at the end of the Critérium du Dauphiné, for use by Sir Bradley Wiggins. Committee member John Nicolson (Member of Parliament for East Dunbartonshire and the SNP spokesperson on Culture, Media and Sport) demonstrated an amazing ability to ask logical, 'boiled-down' questions which presented a narrow set of options as answers.

Le Tour de France 2017 – Stage 17: La Mure – Serre-Chevalier, 183km. Primož Roglič ahead of the ‘Royal’ party

A decisive battle? No. A day of attrition? Absolutely. The ‘Royal’ group at the head of affairs behind winning LottoNL ski jumper turned cyclist Slovenian, Primož Roglič speaks for itself; Christopher Froome ((Sky & GB) is back in his usual position, at the front with a hugely strong team to back him and a time trial ‘buffer’ if he needs it.

Ribble creates world’s first AI-powered Bike Builder

Ribble Cycles’s AI system (RibbleGPT) is designed to create the perfect bike to suit a rider's needs. It will guide you through the entire process of designing, building and ultimately enjoying your personalised bike.