I’ve been lucky enough see some truly beautiful places but I was not at all prepared for today’s Giro stage. Studying the map, I knew that the Matterhorn was just over the Swiss border from stage 19’s arrival in Cervinia, Italy, but I hadn’t realized that the Matterhorn would be plainly visible, let alone looming over the race!
The flamme rouge framing the center piece of the Alps
Andrea and I were both tripping over our jaws as we walked from the car towards the finish. (I was also still happily dumbfounded that the road was not only still open to traffic at 11am but that we could just drive up and find a great parking spot less than 2km from the finish line!)
The greatest view ever from a parking lot in the history of parking lots
I had half forgotten that this time last year I was hiking the Tour de Mont Blanc trail in the Alps. I only did half of it thought, I think I might need to go back and do the other half someday!
The Giro likes to call itself the most beautiful race and I don’t think anyone can argue with that statement today.
Several Italian ex-pros were on hand today: Paolo Bettini, Francesco Moser, Mario Cipollini, and Claudio Chiappucci.
Interviewing Paolo Bettini
In addition to being just 5 meters short of the finish line, we could watch the 236km stage as the podium TV showed the live broadcast. Every few minutes I’d zoom in with camera to check in on the break and see their advantage. In the final 20km, a select group with a handful powerful riders, including the pink, white, and blue jerseys, approached the final climb, catching Giovani Visconti, the lone rider up the road. Ryder Hesjedal attacked the group with 9km to go and opened up a small gap. He looked good (well, his style is undeniably a little awkward but he looked strong) but Fabio Aru, desperate to grab a win and silence critics, took off from the remaining riders and caught the Canadian with about 6km to go. Aru went clear of Hesjedal who tried to stay on his wheel. Hesjedal normally rides his own rhythm and can reel in a rider, so I was surprised to see him try to follow Aru. The young Italian was not to be caught and dug deep to stay away.
Aru at 500 meters to go
It’s fair to say I’m neutral towards Aru but seeing his pure elation as he soloed over the line was immense. He slammed his arms down in celebration, like a referee in a boxing match pounding the ring and declaring a knock out. I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if he had gotten off his bike and carried it over his head as he walked across the finish.
Twenty eight seconds later, Hesjedal finished the stage. His face didn’t show much reaction but he must have been extremely disappointed. As a Giro d’Italia champion, finishing in the top 10 on GC probably won’t be a big priority. He wants a stage win, something to hang his hat on.
Rigoberto Uran finished 1:10 down and remained outside the GC top 10.
Tanel Kangert, Steven Kruijswijk, Alberto Contador, and Mikel Landa finished at 1:18.
Alexandre Geniez has quietly been riding a consistent Giro, finishing 10th on the stage and hanging on to 10th on GC.
Hesjedal was among the riders checked by anti-doping. Earlier in the week his bike was among those collected by the UCI and checked for an internal motor.
Meanwhile, more riders started to trickle in where soigneurs waited to hand them bottles and warm clothes.
Andre Cardoso and Franco Pellitzotti came in at 5:14.
After taking the KOM jersey from Benat Intxausti on stage 16, Kruijwijk lost it today to Visconti, who grabbed up vital KOM points in the break away.
Even though more than half the peloton was still on the road, the podium ceremony got under way. Aru couldn’t have been happier to crack open the stage winner’s bottle of prosecco.
A bundled up Uran descended to his team bus.
Contador received his 14th pink jersey of the 2015 Giro while his colleagues were just finishing the day’s work.
Aru was back for the white jersey.
Visconti is now 16 points ahead of Kruijswijk and 18 points ahead of his teammate, Benat Intxausti.
Despite having been in the saddle for nearly 7 hours, Jesus Herrada and David De La Cruz challenged each other to a mock sprint, with Herrada nabbing 58th on the stage.
Silvan Dillier and Simon Clarke headed to their respective team busses.
Carlos Betancur had been in an earlier break but faded.
Vasil Kiryienka looked at the clock to see he was 37:39 behind the stage winner.
Esteban Chaves stretched his legs on the descent but he’s such a little guy, it looked like the big was too big for him.
With the red jersey still out on course, the podium ceremony awarded BMC the super team and winning team awards.
Davide Formolo lost significant time and is not only 15 minutes ahead of Fabio Fellini for second place in the best young rider category.
Winner of stage 18, Philippe Gilbert crossed the line alone…
…and promptly turned around to go to the team bus.
About 30 riders rolled in together after nearly 45 minutes.
A smiling Aru on his way to anti-doping, surrounded by the media.
Chad Haga and Davide Villella.
The finish area grew congested as bigger groups finished en masse.
Giacomo Nizzolo came in behind 2 of his Trek teammates.
Luca Paolini.
Just shy of an hour after Aru first crossed the finish line, the final trio of riders came in. They had spent about 7:20 riding the 236km stage and were clearly tired but still had a sense of humor. Sprinter Luca Mezgec and Roger Kluge were joking to see who could go slower, and when Mezgec gave Kluge a push, they both laughed and Mezgec was the 164th and last rider to finish the stage.
Once Nizzolo received his red jersey, the stage had finally drawn to a close.
After so many riders called stage 19 a death march on twitter, they can’t be looking forward the 199km tomorrow that will take them over Colle delle Finestre (18.4km, average 9.2%) before the summit finish at Sestriere (16.2km, average 5.4%).