Monte Zoncolan: Basso Climbs Back (NYT)
Filed under: General Information
New York Times May 23, 2010
Basso Climbs Back From His Suspension
By SAMUEL ABT
PARIS — A semblance of order returned to the Giro d’Italia on Sunday as an Italian rider won for the fourth successive day after a shutout in the first half of the three-week race and as the favorites began sorting themselves out and moving back up the standings.
At the end of a torturous four climbs in the Dolomites, such stars as Ivan Basso, Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre, Alexandre Vinokourov and Vincenzo Nibali were high in the overall standings when the race headed into a rest day before a final week of time trials and more mountains.
The 222-kilometer, or 140-mile, stage up Monte Zoncolan was won by Basso, an Italian with the Liquigas team, in his biggest victory since he returned in 2008 from a two-year suspension for doping.
“It’s a great day for me, the best day since my comeback,” Basso told cyclingnews.com. “I’m really happy for what I’ve done. It was hard but when you’re on a climb like the Zoncolan, you don’t think about anything except fighting it with total concentration.”
Cadel Evans, an Australian who rides for BMC and is the world road-race champion, finished second on Sunday, one minute 19 seconds late. Michele Scarponi, an Italian with Androni, was third, 1:30 back.
The 32-year-old Basso, who won the Giro in 2006, now ranks third, 3 minutes 33 seconds down. He will be a prime candidate for overall victory when the Giro finishes Sunday in
Asked about his chances, Basso was measured. “I want to enjoy this victory first and recover on the rest day, then we’ll see, because there’s still a lot of suffering to come,” he said.
Following Basso in the overall standings are Sastre in fourth place, Evans in fifth, Vinokourov in sixth, Nibali in seventh and Scarponi in eighth. The lowest placed rider in that bunch is just 6:34 behind the overall leader, David Arroyo, a Spaniard with Caisse d’Epargne. He took the pink jersey, the symbol of dominance, on Saturday.
Gone from the upper reaches are most men who were part of a large breakaway of mainly unsung riders who gained more than 12 minutes on the favorites on Wednesday.
Richie Porte, a 25-year-old Australian in his first major race for the Saxo team, lost the jersey on Saturday, falling to second place, which he retained on Sunday, 2:35 behind Arroyo.
No wonder the pack exploded on Sunday: The Zoncolan is a 10.1-kilometer climb and rises 1,200 meters, which means an average grade of 11.9 percent with some stretches as steep as 22 percent. As an antipasto, two climbs before the Zoncolan, the Passo Duron, 4.3 kilometers long, had an average grade of 9.8 percent and some parts that reached 18 percent.
An enormous crowd along the final climb watched Basso, Evans and Scarponi pull away and overtake five riders in an early breakaway on a sunny and pleasant day.
Then, as the road grew steeper, Basso and Evans left Scarponi behind. With just under four kilometers to go, Basso sped away from Evans and rode to triumph through hordes of fans.
The crowds were attracted not only because it was a Sunday but also because Gilberto Simoni, the 38-year-old warhorse for Lampre who comes from the stage’s region in northeast Italy, was attempting to win the Zoncolan climb for the third time. He failed by far. Trailing dozens of riders in his farewell Giro, Simoni nevertheless crossed the line with a wide smile, applauding himself.
The fans also expected to see a coronation of sorts for Nibali, 25, Basso’s teammate. He won the stage Saturday with a powerful attack that left Basso, Evans and Scarponi chasing vainly and cost Porte his pink jersey.
Nibali, an outspoken foe of doping, is regarded as the future of Italian racing, which has been plagued by suspensions and accusations of illegal drug use, like those against Basso. But, as much promise as he exhibits, he was no match up the Zoncolan for Basso. Nibali crossed the line 3:07 behind.
Almost as big a surprise was Arroyo’s managing to keep the pink jersey for another day. As Eusebio Unzue, the manager of Arroyo’s Caisse d’Epargne team from
With friends like that, as they say, who needs enemies?
In truth, Arroyo, 30 and a professional since 2001, has done well, if not lit up the skies, in previous Grand Tours.
He finished 21st in the Tour de France in 2006 and 19th in the Vuelta a España that same year. In 2007, he finished 10th in the Giro and 13th in the Tour. And last year he was 11th in the Giro. His next big test comes Tuesday when the riders will tackle a 12.9-kilometer uphill time trial at the Plan de Corones. The final 5.2 kilometers will be staged on a specially laid dirt track up to a ski resort.