2016 Giro d’Italia Stage 20: Nibali completes remarkable resurrection, steals pink
Three pink jersey wearers in three days a testament to the race's drama
Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) completed one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of cycling, pulling back the 44-seconds that Esteban Chaves held over him at the beginning of the day. Nibali attacked on the last Cat. 1 climb of the 99th edition and now has a 51-second cap over Orica-GreenEdge’s Colombian. Katusha’s Rein Taaraamae won the stage one day after his captain Ilnur Zakarin crashed out.
Only 48-hours ago Nibali was 4:43 behind the pink & his Giro was considered to be an abject disaster.
For only the second time in history, 3 different riders wore the Maglia Rosa inside the last 4 stages. #Giro
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 28, 2016
The final stage for GC gains was short but intense, with climbing right from the gun and not a flat bit of road to be had.
#Giro Short and tough stage ahead! Stage 20: Guillestre – Sant'Anna di Vinadio (134 km). Start at 12:45. pic.twitter.com/CWglCZTaFA
— Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) May 28, 2016
Stage 13 winner Mikel Nieve (Spain/Sky) attacked straight away, and King of the Mountains leader Damiano Cunego (Italy/Nippo-Vini Fantini) originally went with him. But a move from Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar), which Astana checked, doomed Cunego’s move, though Nieve and nine other riders were able to stay away.
At the top of the first climb, the Col de Vars, Nieve crested first and Cunego’s blue jersey was in serious peril. On the next climb, the Col de Bonnette, with the gap at 8:00, Nieve ripped away from his breakmates. At 22-km in length, the Bonnette offered plenty of road to make moves. Darwin Atapuma (Colombia/BMC) and two others lit out from the escape in pursuit of Nieve.
Back in the peloton it was Movistar that whipped up the pace. Valverde was 43-seconds off the final podium spot and clearly sensing weakness in the sore third-place Kruijswijk. Atapuma’s chase couldn’t make inroads into Nieve’s gap. When Nieve summitted alone, Cunego’s title was over.
Compared to Friday’s stage, it was somewhat mellow in the pink jersey group until the final clambers.
Valverde takes a moment to catch up on the morning's news on Stage 20 of the Giro pic.twitter.com/Ih6SQmsucO
— Canadian Cycling Mag (@CanadianCycling) May 28, 2016
As Nieve and the chase dropped down the Bonnette, Rafal Majka (Poland/Tinkoff) made a surge in the peloton. The chase finally caught Nieve up on the 40-km of downhill, with Stage 8 winner Gianlunca Brambilla (Italy/Etixx-QuickStep) working his way back to the break to make it an octet. Valverde and Nibali both had a man in the escape.
The third Cat. 1 of the day and final one of the 2016 Giro was the Colle della Lombarda, 20-km of 7.5%. Its peak, with 10-km to go, was the gateway back into Italy. The break’s gap was 10:00 when it began the slog. Joe Dombrowski (USA/Cannondale), Atapuma and Nibali’s man Giovanni Visconti (Italy) surged away from the others.
Tinkoff led the peloton, Majka obviously feeling good. He was in fifth, over 2:00 behind Valverde. In the leading trio, Visconti explained to the others, “I have to wait for Alejandro.” With 20-km to go, the trio became a quintet, with Nieve not making his way back.
Astana took over the peloton but there were no attacks. Finally, Scarponi led out Nibali with Chaves, Kruijswijk, Valverde and other top GC men able to cover.
Dombrowski tried to shake up the group with a burst but only detached one rider. But it was the Taaraamae, trying to salvage something for Katusha, who pulled free from the fugitives.
Nibali attacked in a hairpin and Chaves and Valverde were able to follow. Then the gap opened. Chaves then lost Valverde’s wheel, but came back. Taaramae crested and plummeted. Tanel Kangert (Estonia) held up to help Nibali while Uran came forward to help Chaves and Valverde. Kangert dropped off and then it was one versus three.
Chaves lost Valverde’s wheel again. Nibali held a 45-second lead over Chaves cresting the Lombarda.
The final ascent of the 2016 Giro was 2-km of 9.7%. Atapuma was desperate to catch the Estonian, but Taaraamae would not be denied, making the sign of a Z in respect for Zakarin. He adds a Giro win to his 2011 Vuelta a España stage victory. It would be two runner-up spots for Atapuma in the 99th edition, but he did jump into the top-10.
Nibali climbed through a wall of tifosi noise on the Cat. 3 ascent to Sant’Anna Di Vinadio. He was suffering as Valverde and Uran grew closer. But Nibali held on, taking the pink jersey from Chaves by 52-seconds. Valverde pulled Kruijswijk off the podium.
Here's the Italian champion crossing the finish line, the new maglia rosa pic.twitter.com/vUCcl7YRP3
— Canadian Cycling Mag (@CanadianCycling) May 28, 2016
It was a disappointment for Chaves, but he has a fifth in a Vuelta and a runner-up spot in the Giro on his palmares.
Sunday’s final stage is a procession to Torino and should be a sprint.
2106 Giro d’Italia Stage 20
1) Rein Taaraamae (Estonia/Katusha) 4:22:43
2) Darwin Atapuma (Colombia/BMC) +0:52
3) Joe Dombrowski (USA/Cannondale) +1:17
2016 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) 82:44:31
2) Esteban Chaves (Colombia/Orica-GreenEdge) +0:52
3) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +1:17