Russian rider Denis Menchov won the Tour of Italy in Rome on Sunday despite suffering a dramatic fall in the last kilometer of the final stage, a 14.4km time-trial round.
The Rabobank cyclist, who is the third Russian to win the race, added the title to his two Tour of Spain victories in 2005 and 2007.
The 31-year-old beat Italian 2007 champion Danilo Di Luca into second at 41 seconds with his compatriot Franco Pellizzoti rounding off the podium finishers a further 1 minute, 18 seconds adrift.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Lithuanian Ignatas Konovalovas of the Cervelo team won the final stage in a time of 18:42 with Briton Bradley Wiggins only a second back and Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen in third.
Menchov finished 10th on the stage with Di Luca 16th.
“I didn’t have time to think, it all happened so quickly,” Menchov said of his tumble. “In my earpiece I heard ‘no risks, no risks.’ My first move was to get the bike back up, but it was too risky. Luckily the mechanic, in a very professional way, already had another bike there for me.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
“This win on the Giro is the biggest of my career. It gives me a lot of confidence. I know I can win the Tour [de France],” he said.
Second-placed Di Luca said he had “nothing to regret: “I attacked each time I could, whenever it was possible. I can take a lot away from this race: two stage wins, seven days in the pink jersey and the final points jersey. It’s been the greatest race of my life.”
The Russian had a 20 second lead coming into the final day in one of the closest ever finishes to a Giro, in its centenary year.
Di Luca briefly looked to be on the brink of a famous victory when he got to the first time-check fastest of all and 5 seconds up on Menchov.
But the LPR rider had blasted out too fast and he gradually faded from there and he was 14 seconds down on Menchov at the next time check.
When he came over the line, Di Luca had lost 45 seconds to Konovalovas whereas Menchov, who had won the 12th stage time-trial to take over the pink jersey last Thursday, was getting stronger.
The Russian looked like he may even win the final time-trial as well, but with rain spitting down drama unfolded in the final kilometer.
Riding in a straight line but on a cobbled section, Menchov suddenly crashed with just 1km left to ride, but quick thinking from his mechanic may have secured him the victory.
As Menchov was still sliding along the wet surface, his mechanic had already jumped out of the team car and was unloading another bike from the roof.
Menchov went to pick up his splayed bike but received a shout from the mechanic and instead jumped straight onto the new one and was back on his way, courtesy of a push from the mechanic as well.
He had been going so well, though, that he still had time to spare on Di Luca, and despite the crash he gained a further 21 seconds on his rival.
Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre finished fourth and seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong came in 12th.
Sastre said the race had left a “bitter-sweet taste.”
“I came with an ambition different from what I achieved,” he said. “I won two stages but I missed out on the podium. For three weeks we haven’t had a quiet stage. It’s been a really tough course.”
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said