In vino veritas? Such were the conditions during the Giro d'Italia's stage 9 time trial through Chianti country, it was hard to say if the old proverb held water for this particular race of truth. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) was the best of the overall contenders, who all set out beneath sheets of rain, yet he did not make the kind of gains he might have anticipated on his principal rivals.
Nibali placed 19th on the stage, 2:13 down on winner Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo), who raced largely on dry roads, but only 7 seconds clear of a surprising Mikel Landa (Sky) and 11 up on Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). On crossing the line, Nibali gamely looked to view the glass as being half full.
"My sensations were good, I was pedalling well on the climbs but I was very careful not to take risks on the descents because I could feel my rear wheel slipping in the wet and I didn't want to end up on the ground," Nibali said after wheeling to a halt past the finish line in Greve in Chianti.
ADVERTISEMENT
Nibali was only six seconds ahead of Valverde and Landa through the first time check after 11 kilometres, though he appeared to be pedalling smoothly every time the road climbed. On the final, twisting descent from Panzano in Chianti, however, Nibali opted for a cautious approach, gingerly negotiating the final bends before the finish.
"I went flat out on the first climb and I was a few seconds up but I didn't want to take any risks in the final part. It was very nervous on the descent but I think I did a good time trial," he said. "I had to take the last corner very gently, too."
Such prudence was not misplaced. Shortly after Nibali wheeled away from the scrum of reporters on the line, Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) – at one point destined to take the pink jersey – came a cropper on that same corner, and has now slipped to 11th overall, more than a minute down on Nibali.
- Giro d'Italia stage 9 - Finish line quotes
- Giro d'Italia stage 9 - Video highlights
- Cancellara abandons Giro d'Italia
- Landa delighted with powerful time trial ride in Giro d'Italia
Video Highlights
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/27pq7TL
No comments:
Post a Comment