Rodriguez repeats as Giro di Lombardia champion
In a replay of last year, Joaquim Rodriguez attacked on the Villa Vergano to solo to victory in the Giro di Lombardia. By doing so, El Purito exorcises the ghosts of last week’s excruciating Worlds loss to Rui Costa (Portugal) and leaps over Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) in the UCI individual rankings in one fell swoop.
The first breakaway in the Race of the Falling Leaves spat away from the peloton after 50-kms of racing, but was soon nullified, although another escape of fluctuating personnel got clear before the first climb of Valico di Valcava. By the time the dust settled and the second ascent, the Colle Brianza, loomed, a brave quartet had formed at the front.
However, this escape was lassoed just before the brutal Muro di Sormano climb by a new, larger break of 21 riders including three-time winner Damiano Cunego (Italy/Lampre), Canadian Christian Meier (Orica-GreenEdge) and Benat Intxuasti (Spain/Movistar). Behind, Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Cannondale) crashed out.
Once more the race reformed, but on the descent of the Sormano, a promising-looking move containing Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) and his teammate Alejandro Valverde (Spain) surged clear. First it swelled with a few Italians, but then when buccaneer Thomas Voeckler (France/Europcar) joined the move he immediately attacked and soloed in front for the next hour or so.
Over the famed Ghisallo Voeckler wheeled, with a Katusha-led peloton in often-languid pursuit. But on the way to the last climb, Voeckler’s lead dropped from 2:25 with 21-km remaining to 1:17 four kilometres later. A sudden appearance of a bloody chin made observers speculate that Voeckler might have crashed in a tunnel.
On the opening slopes of final climb up Villa Vergano, Movistar took over the pace-making and the greatly reduced peloton nabbed Voeckler. Numerous attacks came on the steepest part of the ascent, but it was Rodriguez’s surge that was sharp and decisive. Rodriguez crested the summit and plummeted, with only Valverde, Dan Martin (Ireland/Garmin-Sharp) and Rafal Majka (Poland/Saxo-Tinkoff) able to form a pursuit of consequence.
El Purito would not be denied, as the trio behind couldn’t work together. Valverde bolted on the others to take the runner-up spot and Majka took third as Martin crashed on his way to the finish.
Only 53 riders completed the race. Neither Meier nor his compatriot Francois Parisien (Argos-Shimano) were among them.
