Since, I get picked up on something factual or opinionwise I will post a report from which I can disclaim any input.
GIRO '05 Stg 5: Doin' DiLuca's Dance[/b]
Thursday, May 12, 2005 11:51:33 AM PT
by Richard Pestes
Today’s stage from Celano to L'Aquila looked on paper to be a shaker for gc, with several small climbs and rolling hills running across the Alpi Abruzze in the center of the Italian boot east from Rome – it was perfect to some well-timed attacks.
The day started with the usual theatrics we’ve come to expect from those master-thespian Italians as Paulo Bettini threatened to quit the race after his dq yesterday for jamming Cooke into the boards (would’ve made any NHL Fan proud). But after the desired (or required?) level of hulla-baloo was achieved with various riders and local notables weighing in on the subject - Bettini came to his senses and got back in line with the rest of the race. What a sportsman.
Over the first climb of the day – the 1400m Passo del Diavolo – the big boys for gc seemed pretty content to stay put and let the small fish have a swim. Paulo Bettini joined a group of 20-some riders that around 2:00 ahead, and they managed to stretch it to 5:35 at the 150km to go mark – but it seemed like a round of espresso was needed before the peloton would wake up.
The lead bunch gained up to 9:00, but soon began losing it all as the successive climbs took their toll. Apparently no agreements were reached within the break – as the large-enough group continued to lose time.
Inside the last 10 km, with the bunch basically back as one, the small attacks started up – but to no avail – the pack had finally come alive and was eating all in it’s path with piranha-like voracity! (How’s that for a cliché?)
Onto the final uphill finish and the heavyweights were back in the mix – but it was the white ProTour’s leader’s kit of Danilo Diluca that stuck it and stayed – beating gc contenders Cunego, Basso, and Garzelli with another familiar dig that comes anytime he’s faced with an uphill finish.
Tomorrow should be another day for the sprinters as the last 30km are pancake-flat in the finish town of Marina di Grosseto back on the west coast.
Results: Giro Stage 5 Celano - L'Aquila, 223 km
1. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 6.01.18
2. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
3. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Davitamon-Lotto 0.02
4. Bjoern Leukemans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
5. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC
6. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Caffita
7. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi
8. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team
9. Patrice Halgand (Fra) Credit Agricole
10. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
GC After Stage 5
1. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 26.20.55
2. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick.Step 0.03
3. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 0.25
4. Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.28
5. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 0.30
6. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.36
7. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Davitamon-Lotto 0.37
8. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Liberty Seguros-Wurth Team 0.51
9. Mirko Celestino (Ita) Domina Vacanze 0.56
10. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita
"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS
GIRO '05 Stg 5: Doin' DiLuca's Dance[/b]
Thursday, May 12, 2005 11:51:33 AM PT
by Richard Pestes
Today’s stage from Celano to L'Aquila looked on paper to be a shaker for gc, with several small climbs and rolling hills running across the Alpi Abruzze in the center of the Italian boot east from Rome – it was perfect to some well-timed attacks. The day started with the usual theatrics we’ve come to expect from those master-thespian Italians as Paulo Bettini threatened to quit the race after his dq yesterday for jamming Cooke into the boards (would’ve made any NHL Fan proud). But after the desired (or required?) level of hulla-baloo was achieved with various riders and local notables weighing in on the subject - Bettini came to his senses and got back in line with the rest of the race. What a sportsman.
Over the first climb of the day – the 1400m Passo del Diavolo – the big boys for gc seemed pretty content to stay put and let the small fish have a swim. Paulo Bettini joined a group of 20-some riders that around 2:00 ahead, and they managed to stretch it to 5:35 at the 150km to go mark – but it seemed like a round of espresso was needed before the peloton would wake up.
The lead bunch gained up to 9:00, but soon began losing it all as the successive climbs took their toll. Apparently no agreements were reached within the break – as the large-enough group continued to lose time.
Inside the last 10 km, with the bunch basically back as one, the small attacks started up – but to no avail – the pack had finally come alive and was eating all in it’s path with piranha-like voracity! (How’s that for a cliché?)
Onto the final uphill finish and the heavyweights were back in the mix – but it was the white ProTour’s leader’s kit of Danilo Diluca that stuck it and stayed – beating gc contenders Cunego, Basso, and Garzelli with another familiar dig that comes anytime he’s faced with an uphill finish.
Tomorrow should be another day for the sprinters as the last 30km are pancake-flat in the finish town of Marina di Grosseto back on the west coast.
Results: Giro Stage 5 Celano - L'Aquila, 223 km
1. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 6.01.18
2. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
3. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Davitamon-Lotto 0.02
4. Bjoern Leukemans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
5. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC
6. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Caffita
7. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi
8. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team
9. Patrice Halgand (Fra) Credit Agricole
10. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
GC After Stage 5
1. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 26.20.55
2. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick.Step 0.03
3. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 0.25
4. Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.28
5. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 0.30
6. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.36
7. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Davitamon-Lotto 0.37
8. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Liberty Seguros-Wurth Team 0.51
9. Mirko Celestino (Ita) Domina Vacanze 0.56
10. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita
"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS