Wow, amazing.... Thanks you guys. It's only because you kept following my story, that I was motivated to keep it going untill this moment (and some time longer).
The 2nd stage, 184 kilometres from Dro to Ledro Bezzecca is classified as hilly. The finish is located 5 kilometres after the summit of the Ledro Molina (13.4km at 4.7%).
Halfway the climb, when all breakaways have been caught, Cayetano Sarmiento (Acqua et Sapone) attacks and he gets countered by Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago). Wilco Kelderman continues climbing in his own pace, drops the others and starts to reel the 2 back in. At the summit he joins Sarmiento and Pozzovivo, and immediately attacks. The 2 can't hold his wheel, meaning Kelderman wins the 2nd stage of the Giro del Trentino. Pozzovivo finishes in 2nd place at '18 followed by Sarmiento. The "peloton" finishes at '53.
The 3rd stage from Molina di Ledro to Fai della Paganella is the most difficult one of the 4. In the last 45 kilometres, the Fai della Paganella (9.5km at 7.5%) has to be climbed twice, and the finish awaits at the summit of the 2nd ascend.
Hernando Valencia (PSK) is the last one of the BOTD that gets caught with just 2km to go by a group of 4: Kelderman, Pozzovivo, Duarte and Velits. Then Pozzovivo attacks, and none of the 3 can hold his wheel. Kelderman tries, but Pozzo is too strong today.
Results
1
Domenico Pozzovivo
Colnago - CSF Inox
4h50'42
2
Wilco Kelderman
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 32
3
Fabio Duarte
Pro Team Astana
+ 47
4
Peter Velits
Pro Team Astana
+ 57
5
Hernando Valencia
PSK Whirlpool - Author
+ 1'01
6
Cayetano Sarmiento
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
7
Cadel Evans
Katusha Team
s.t.
8
Simon Spilak
Lampre - Alitalia
s.t.
9
Florian Stalder
Alitalia
s.t.
10
Valerio Agnoli
Lampre - Alitalia
+ 1'17
GC
1
Wilco Kelderman
Petronas - Monster Energy
9h38'44
2
Domenico Pozzovivo
Colnago - CSF Inox
+ 29
3
Peter Velits
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'57
4
Cayetano Sarmiento
Acqua & Sapone
+ 2'04
5
Cadel Evans
Katusha Team
+ 2'07
6
Fabio Duarte
Pro Team Astana
+ 2'17
7
Andrey Kashechkin
Alitalia
+ 2'24
8
Simon Spilak
Lampre - Alitalia
+ 2'25
9
Florian Stalder
Alitalia
+ 2'26
10
Vasil Kiryienka
Pro Team Astana
+ 2'57
Word from the DS
That was a good stage win by Kelderman,. However, Pozzovivo seems to be the better climber of the 2 at the moment. So the last stage will be an exciting one who'll win the GC.
Well, guess nobody expected this outcome.... The fact that we couldn't decrease the gap to Serpa, proofs that the team isn't ready yet for the Giro. Still, an epic performance by Serpa!
Thanks for the "great" video..... 4000 replies, another milestone!
So, no more reports today. Have to play LBL first, and go to my family in the South of Holland to celebrate X-mas eve (and go to the church of course, as we musn't forget to real reason why we celebrate X-mas!).
Domenico Pozzovivo
Cayetano Sarmiento
Florian Stalder
Stefan Schumacher
Simon Spilak
Hernando Valencia
Cadel Evans
Andrey Kashechkin
Vasil Kiryienka
Alexei Shchebelin
Timothy Duggan
Sad that Kelderman didn't win.
