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Giro d'Italia 2008 Stage 6: Live Coverage

Published: May. 15, 2008
  • 06:10 AM: Good morning . . .

    . . . and welcome to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of stage 6 of the 2008 Giro d'Italia.

  • 01:59 PM: A long day in the saddle

    Today's stage from Potenza to Peschici will be the longest of this year's Giro, even after organizers bowed to a demand by disgruntled racers that it be shortened to 231.6km (the stage will do without a 33km finishing loop). Today will mark the Giro's third visit to Peschici - Danilo Di Luca was victorious here in 2000, and this year's maglia rosa, Franco Pellizotti, took the honors in 2006.

  • 02:06 PM: Speaking of wowdy webels and wapscallions . . .

    . . . the unruly peloton may be channeling the insurrectionist past of Potenza. One of the most ancient free cities of Lucania, its citizens resisted Roman occupation in 216 BC. In 1799, the city was one of the first to rise against King Ferdinand IV with the declaration of the Neapolitan Republic. Subsequent rebellions erupted in 1848 and 1860 before Giuseppe Garabaldi's revolutionary army brought about the unification of Italy. And yesterday, a cranky peloton took up arms against the race organizers. "We spoke with Robbie (McEwen) and (Danilo) Di Luca before the stage and everyone agreed that we demand that the longest stage be shortened," said race leader Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas). Another blow for the people!

  • 02:13 PM: The battle won, the war continues

    Apparently there have been no further insurrections, because the day's labors have already commenced. And once again we have had an early break, this time a big one - a dozen riders.

  • 02:15 PM: In the break . . .

    . . . were Rene Mandri (Ag2r), Alan Perez Lezaun (Euskaltel), Jose Ochoa (Diquigiovanni), Maxim Iglinsky (Astana), Matteo Priamo (CSF Group), Matthias Russ (Gerolsteiner), Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre), Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step), Daniele Nardello (Diquigiovanni), Magnus Backstedt (Slipstream-Chipotle), Jason McCartney (CSC) and Nikolai Trussov (Tinkoff).

  • 02:20 PM: And then there were 11

    After 60km the break had 90 seconds on the bunch. And while Mandri crashed out of the escape (and the race), his erstwhile mates soldiered on without him and kept padding their margin. With 140km to race, it was 4:22; 30km later it was twice that; and 100km from the finish the break had 12 minutes as the 11 riders approached the feed zone.

  • 02:25 PM: We're having a hard time believing this . . .

    . . . but we're told the gap has expanded to 15:30 as our leaders pass the sprint at Manfredonia. That means that with Matthias Russ (Gerolsteiner) best placed in the break, at 56th, 1:39 behind race leader Franco Pellizotti, Russ is the virtual maglia rosa.

  • 02:26 PM: Incidentally . . .

    . . . Visconti (Quick Step) took top honors at the sprint ahead of Gavazzi (Lampre) and Priamo (CSF Group).

  • 02:33 PM: A word to the wise

    "Sometimes the breakaways make it," said world champ Paolo Bettini after finishing a disappointing fifth behind wily Russian Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff) in yesterday's finale. "It's my fault," the Quick Step chief added. "I waited too long to get somebody pulling." Was anybody listening? Besides us, that is?

  • 02:38 PM: Speaking of yesterday's winner . . .

    . . . it appears that Brutt had a special motivation for digging deep yesterday: He was promised a smooch with team owner Oleg Tinkoff's wife if he got into a breakaway. Seems only fair. After all, the boss got to hit on Brutt's champagne.

  • 02:45 PM: Just a reminder

    In the break are Alan Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Carlos Jose Ochoa (Diquigiovanni), Nikolai Trusov (Tinkoff), Jason McCartney (CSC), Magnus Backstedt (Slipstream), Daniele Nardello (Diquigiovanni), Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step), Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre), Matthias Russ (Gerolsteiner), Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) and Matteo Priamo (CSF Group).

  • 02:47 PM: They're still zipping right along

    The average speed after three hours in the saddle: 47.3kph. The break's advantage remains above 15 minutes. We have something like 80km left to race.

  • 02:51 PM: Meanwhile, back in the States . . .

    . . . it was a day for the sprinters at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic in Portland, Oregon. Web editor Steve Frothingham and ace shooter Casey Gibson were on hand to chronicle the action - the stage was a hilly criterium held in a verdant city park wrapping around a long-extinct volcano - and you can read all about it here.

  • 02:55 PM: Ciao

    We're told Kevin De Werrt (Cofidis) and Enrico Poitschke (Milram) both abandoned the Giro early in today's stage - no explanation given, unfortunately. Maybe they were irked because they didn't get a kiss from Tinkoff's wife.

  • 03:05 PM: Still a 15-minute gap

    Barloworld and Saunier Duval are at the front - Liquigas seems to be taking the day off. The break has 45km to race.

  • 03:08 PM: It is a long Giro, after all

    Liquigas can't ride at the front of every stage, eh? Under 40km to go for the leaders now. It's a bit cloudy and windy, but no rain - yet. Now that we've mentioned it, of course, that's bound to change.

  • 03:15 PM: 45km to go for the bunch

    Barloworld and Saunier Duval have no one on this break. Barloworld does have three riders within striiking distance of the maglia rosa, however: Enrico Gasparotto, 10th at 0:25; Francesco Bellotti, 11th at the same time; and Christian Pfannberger, 14th at 0:28.

  • 03:21 PM: 30km to race . . .

    . . . and the bunch is chopping away at that margin. It's dropped all the way down to 13 minutes and change!

  • 03:23 PM: We love these snaky Italian courses

    They're about as straight as Andy Dick. Get a 10-second gap and you're out of sight.

  • 03:26 PM: Of course, even if the course were dead straight . . .

    . . . the peloton would need a telescope to see the break today.

  • 03:29 PM: In Vieste now

    The town is notable for its characteristic white houses. Next stop: Peschici. The center of the town perches on a cliff overlooking the Adriatic, dominating the bay and its beautiful beaches below.

  • 03:30 PM: The gap is 13:18

    Today's stage ends with a climb - the grade is 7.9 percent, which is not inconsiderable given the length of this leg. It should determine both the stage winner and the new overall leader.

  • 03:32 PM: White beaches and blue water

    Mmm, hmm, good. Very enticing for the weary traveler. Shoot, the break could stop for a quick refreshing dip and still take a respectable margin to the line.

  • 03:35 PM: Twelve and a half minutes now

    20km to go.

  • 03:40 PM: Visconti is the Italian champ

    He'd like to snatch the win and the jersey today as a reward for his five hours in the saddle.

  • 03:41 PM: Big Maggy is a sentimental fave with us here . . .

    . . . he's a very pleasant gent, but not exactly the fastest climber in this group. He'd need a big head start to take this one.

  • 03:42 PM: 15km to go

    Still more than 12 minutes.

  • 03:43 PM: Iglinsky's a good finisher, too

    Astana could do with a little podium time after getting the late invite to this party.

  • 03:45 PM: Pellizotti seems content

    Now he'll be able to go back to his regular kit. That pink is a bit shocking when matched with lime green. Makes a Seventies-era kitchen look stylish.

  • 03:49 PM: The finale

    It's another typical funky Giro finale. The final 1.3km climbs nearly 100 vertical meters, so it won't be a balls-out sprint. There's also a sweeping right-hander with 1km to go and a string of five corners before a right-hander with 200m to go. Watch for attacks from the group.

  • 03:49 PM: McCartney jumps

    Nada. Perez runs him down.

  • 03:50 PM: Priamo has a dig

    He has a gap.

  • 03:51 PM: Priamo's scooting away

    . . . with 10km to go. Perez is coming up to him.

  • 03:52 PM: And McCartney goes again

    He's in no-man's land on this climb.

  • 03:52 PM: Perez is leading over the top

    Priamo, a pro with three wins since '06, is on his wheel.

  • 03:53 PM: Priamo on the front now

    He's making some great race face.

  • 03:54 PM: The peloton hits 15km to race

    A full 5km behind the crumbling break.

  • 03:54 PM: 12:08 the lead . . .

    . . . with 10km to go.

  • 03:55 PM: Man, these guys are rippin' it

    They look like flat-track motorcycle racers zipping around these corners.

  • 03:55 PM: McCartney has been retrieved . . .

    . . . and Backstedt has been expelled.

  • 03:56 PM: The Basques are known for their climbing . . .

    . . . but Perez has a pretty fair sprint to go along with his mountain skills.

  • 03:57 PM: 6km to go for our two leaders

    The lead duo has 19 seconds over the remains of the break.

  • 03:57 PM: All downhill now . . .

    . . . until that last kilometer.

  • 03:58 PM: Backstedt has tacked back on

    Good for the Slipstream man.

  • 03:59 PM: 25 seconds the gap now

    One of our two leaders seems likely to take the honors.

  • 04:00 PM: And Backstedt attacks

    And he's taking a gap - albeit a little late in the day.

  • 04:00 PM: Under 2km for the leaders

    The Swedish champ is barreling along behind them. No organization in the dwindling break behind.

  • 04:01 PM: Our leaders are on the climb

    Who's it gonna be - the wily Italian or the punch Basque?

  • 04:02 PM: Mano a mano

    One kilometer to go.

  • 04:03 PM: Priamo on the front

    The Basque is on his wheel.

  • 04:03 PM: 600 meters to go . . .

    . . . the two look over their shoulders, then have a chat . . .

  • 04:04 PM: Priamo leads it out . . .

    . . . and takes the stage! Perez fades to finish seven seconds back.

  • 04:06 PM: Third goes to Trusov.

    Visconti blasts to the line, doing his Italian national champion's kit proud. Will he have a new jersey to wear tomorrow ... something in pink, perhaps?

  • 04:10 PM: Visconti was 13 seconds down on Russ at the start . . .

    . . . but he took that sprint out on the road and crossed seven seconds up on the Gerolsteiner man today.

  • 04:11 PM: The maglia rosa group, meanwhile . . .

    . . . is still out there on the road. There's no truth to the rumor that they will be timed with a sundial.

  • 04:15 PM: More than 10 minutes since the winner crossed the line . . .

    . . . and here comes the bunch, briefly stymied by a police motorcycle blocking a tight right-hand corner. Simoni is leading them in.

  • 04:17 PM: The gap is 11:34

    . . . as Bennati takes the bunch across the line. We're still trying to figure out who takes Pellizotti's pretty pink shirt.

  • 04:18 PM: Visconti and Russ are tied on time

    So Visconti gets the maglia rosa based on positioning. Congrats to the new race leader, who gave it that extra dig at the line.

  • 04:29 PM: And that's it for today

    Thanks for joining us, and we hope to see you here again tomorrow for stage 7 of the 2008 Giro d'Italia. Stay tuned for a report from European correspondent Andrew Hood, photos from Graham Watson and complete results.