After a quiet but steady first week, on a gravel climb during stage 8 of the Giro d'Italia, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) finally delivered his first major attack of the race and confirmed his status as an overall contender.
Previously sixth overall at 41 seconds behind Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin), Valverde has now moved up to fourth on gc, at 36 seconds behind stage 8 winner and new race leader Gianluca Brambilla (Etixx-Quick Step).
Valverde's driving attack on the Alpe di Poti helped distance Dumoulin, who finally crossed the line 1:10 down on Valverde. But more importantly, Valverde's constant accelerations both on the uphill sections and even once on the technical section of the downhill have confirmed that the Spanish veteran looks set be one of the more powerful contenders on the Giro's upcoming climbs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tactically, Movistar played their cards well on stage 8, placing Jasha Sütterlin and Jose Joaquin Rojas in the day-long break so Valverde would have riders up the road to support him on the final Alpe di Poti climb. Equally, their Plan ‘B' for the race, team-mate Andrey Amador finished just a few seconds down on Valverde's group containing most of the main favourites, barring Dumoulin and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana).
Sixth on the line in Arezzo's old quarter, after wheeling to a halt and getting an extra jacket, Valverde quickly explained how how the decision to go on the attack so early on the Alpe di Poti had been his, rather than the team's, but that globally the team's strategy had been the right one. It also was a valuable time gain on Dumoulin prior to the Chianti time trial, where the Dutchman remains the top favourite despite his bad day on stage 8.
"We've played it out really well," Valverde said. "We had two teammates ahead, and I decided to accelerate as hard as I could on that last climb and then they could wait for me, and give me as much assistance as possible. It's been a great team effort."
- Giro d'Italia stage 8: Quotes from the finish line
- Giro d'Italia: Stage 8 video highlights
- Dumoulin defeated, drops out of Giro d'Italia contention
- Nibali to the fore as Giro d'Italia takes on new complexion
- Giro d'Italia: Brambilla's plan comes together on dusty road to Arezzo
- Valverde strikes first blow in 2016 Giro d'Italia on Tuscany climb
Video Highlights
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1snV3Eb
No comments:
Post a Comment