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Bettini relegated as controversy spoils thrilling finale
Another unpredictable day in Italia. It's the only way to describe this first week of the 2005 Giro d'Italia, where, yet again, on a stage seemingly set for the pure sprinter, things went horribly wrong.
Just as he did three days ago in Tropea, Paolo Bettini (QuickStep) foiled the fast guys' plans, attacking with vengeance on a not-so-straightforward finale, then burying the hatchet with a punchy sprint finish. Or so he thought...
Only Baden Cooke (La Française des Jeux) had the legs and the audacity to challenge Bettini, but suspect sprinting tactics from the Olympic road champ saw 'Cookie' hit the barriers hard and his hopes for the stage come crashing down.
If it were gymnastics, it was the perfect somersault, but a win was at stake, and Bettini's move was ruled dangerous enough to be disqualified, the Italian relegated to fourth place by the jury.
Consequently, the next three riders - Luca Mazzanti (Ceramica Panaria), Dario Cioni (Liquigas-Bianchi) and Michele Scarponi (Liberty Seguros) - were elevated up the order, with 31-year-old Mazzanti awarded the stage by default.
It was a fair call, but being Italy, a highly unpopular one, and Il Grillo's tifosi showed it. Bettini took some consolation in holding onto the race lead, but still, a sour end to a stimulating day.
Flat or hilly, 211 kilometers might seem like a hard slog in the saddle, but for most of the 193 left in the Giro, the fourth stage from Giffoni Valle Piana to Frosinone was something of a “rest” day.
Three failed breakaway attempts in as many days seldom deters the mind of the opportunist, particularly in a grand tour and Wednesday’s effort turned out to be no more successful.
After the typical early bagarre, Cedric Vasseur (Cofidis) and Marco Pinotti (Saunier Duval) left the peloton at the 24 kilometer mark, and the inevitably uneventful – and ultimately unsuccessful - break of the day was established.
With 48 kilometers covered in the first hour, the French-Italo duo weren't hangin' around - not even for Gerolsteiner's Sven Krauss, who tried and failed to bridge the gap.
Frenchman Nicolas Inaudi (Cofidis) was another one to give up, but for different reasons, crashing out of his first attempt at the Giro d'Italia.
While the bunch relented, it wasn't a case of piano, so despite Vasseur and Pinotti's best efforts, their maximum advantage never reached threatening - or even mildly interesting - proportions. In fact, it was the first day the average speed was above the fastest estimated time schedule, with an average of 42.6kph after four hours on the road.
And after that, came the predictable final 50km: Vasseur and Pinotti were swept up, a half-hearted counterattack from Colombia-Selle Italia's Trent Wilson started and ended almost immediately, and with the status quo restored, the bunch got down to business.
But yet again, an unpredictable finale threw the sprinters' teams off-guard. A crash with about 12km to go split the field, paring down the front group to just around 50 riders. Indeed, many caught on the wrong side of the split lost several minutes, including American David Zabriskie (CSC) who finished last on the day, 9:12 down.
But even those sprinters who avoided the split, or managed to chase back on, faced another obstacle that put the balance in favor of more all-around riders like Bettini, Di Luca and Cooke. The climb up Via Napoli, just four kilometers from the finish, further fractured the lead group. While it was Di Luca doing most of the damage the day before, it was Il Grillo's turn to on the heat on Tuesday. Like Di Luca, Bettini had the legs to match the mindset.
Entering the Via Tiburtina in Frosinone, there was just one rider able to take up the challenge - and today it wasn't Di Luca...
Cooke, the 2003 Tour de France points champion, was right there with Bettini. As the 26-year-old came off Bettini's wheel with around 100 meters to go, 'Cookie' looked like he might, just might, pull it off... but with legs-and-arms-a-pumping and adrenalin rushing, and Bettini drifting to the left, the barricades got the better of the boy from Benalla.
Cooke saw what was happening and tried his best to avoid disaster, but the attempt may have harmed more than helped. Lifting his right hand from his bar, he tried to push Bettini out of the way. But with just one hand on his bars, Cooke then drifted a bit to the left and hit the barrier in spectacular fashion.
Awful as it looked, Cooke emerged virtually unscathed. Crossing the line on foot, a very angry Cooke, was approached by a somewhat contrite Bettini, who tried to convey his concern. Cooke was in no mood to talk and instead joined his team director and went straight to the commissaires, who ruled in favor of the Australian.
Moments later, when he learned that race judges had negated his stage win, it was Bettini's turn to be upset.
"I began my sprint quite far out, at the 300 meters to go mark - just like every other rider in the world does when he begins to sprint," raged Bettini. "In the sprint, I felt my chain jump, but I didn't have a clue what was going on behind me."
Bettini retained the race leader's pink jersey ahead of Thursday's stage, a 223km race from Celano to L'Aquila. He was so angry with the judges' decision he threatened to leave the race.
"If they call that illegal in the sprint, then I'm quite prepared to leave the Giro," said Bettini who must have set a new record by arriving at the victory podium to pull on the maglia rosa a full 40 minutes after the stage finish.
After numerous video replays, and Bettini's reputation as a 'fair play' rider, the question has to be asked: Was it a simple case of overzealousness and a sprinting faux pas?
Fans in attendance had few doubts. As Mazzanti climbed the podium to celebrate it was clear that most of the assembled fans weren’t willing to grant even one of their countrymen a moment of what they saw as undeserved glory. It was a strange moment, as an Italian stage winner at the Italian national tour stood next to the usual beautiful podium girls, shook up his magnum of spumanti uncorked the bottle and was greeted by an icy silence from the crowd.
The commissaires had ruled one way and the crowd had clearly ruled the other.
Looking ahead:
Stage 5 - May 12: Celano - L'Aquila(223 km)On, Thursday the Giro d'Italia gets a whole lot harder, a whole lot hillier and a whole lot longer. Three GPMs, virtually no flat and the longest day of the entire race. Enough said.
To see how today's stage developed, simply CLICK HERE to bring up our live update window.
