Former two-time winner Gilberto Simoni, of Saunier Duval, proved himself the equal again to the mountain rated the toughest in Europe as he won the 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia held over 142km from Linz in Austria to Monte Zoncolan on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old crossed the line ahead of team-mate Leonardo Piepoli to repeat his success of 2003, when the riders had come up the other side of the mountain.
His compatriot Danilo Di Luca retained the race leader's pink jersey with four days remaining of the race.
PHOTO: AP
"I haven't won in two years," gasped Simoni, who won the overall title in 2001 and 2003. "To have won here on Monte Zoncolan means an enormous amount to me, more than being on the podium.
"I did come here hoping to win the overall title but Di Luca is very strong. It was important to win a stage, more so that it was Monte Zoncolan which is the most beautiful," he said.
Di Luca admitted it had been a tortuous stage.
"This climb seemed to be interminable," said the 31-year-old. "I knew it would be but this mountain really is impressive, terrible. However I think I defended my lead well, and I think I raced well."
Both Simoni and Piepoli, who had won a mountain stage on May 22 and like Simoni also 35, both raised their arms in celebration on crossing the line of the 1,730m climb.
"Piepoli was extraordinary. He promised to do anything for me and he delivered," Simoni said.
Luxembourg's Frank Schleck had raced alongside the two Italians for most of the toughest climbs and took third place in the stage and second overall, 2 minutes 24 seconds adrift of Di Luca as Eddy Mazzoleni, who had begun the day in second place, came in 13th 2:26 off the pace.
Di Luca, who had been left trailing 7km from the summit after Simoni accelerated, managed to fight back in the final stages to limit the damage to 31sec.
However Di Luca said that overall victory for himself was far from assured.
"The race will be decided in Saturday's time-trial and I have a good lead over Schleck, who is my most dangerous rival. I am certain that I will have to fight to the end," he said.
Yesterday's 18th stage is a 203km ride from Udine to Riese Pie X.
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
Arne Slot has denied that Darwin Nunez was dropped from Liverpool’s win against West Ham because of a training-ground row with a member of his coaching staff. The Liverpool head coach on Sunday last week said that Nunez was absent from the 2-1 victory at Anfield, having felt unwell during training the day before, although the striker sat behind the substitutes throughout the game. Speculation has been rife that the Uruguay international, whom Slot criticized for his work rate against Wolves and Aston Villa in February, was left out for disciplinary reasons. Asked on Friday to clarify the situation, Slot said: “He
RSS