Stage 19 - Potential Spoiler

[Argos]

Goodmorning and welcome to serotta.com's coverage (via second hand reporting and udates from other sites) of the Giro Di Italia.


Right now there is a Break of 19, with DiLuca, Bettini, and Selle.

2 guys are 2:15 back, and the Peleton is 5:11

They are on the second major climb of today's difficult stage and Ivan Basso became a father (again, I think) this morning.

[Argos]

DiLuca is in a good spot as the lead group is now 6 minutes up. He can move back into the top ten on GC, though the peleton behind will mostlikely come alive and shorten the gap.

They were speaking with the Disco DS from the car, which was cool) and e was saying that if savo has the legs, he'll try something on today. He is aware of the gap between him and Gibo. Unfortunately, I doubt it though.

Would be cool if he pulled an "Il Falco" on the descent.

[fiamme red]

Let's see if Ullrich drops out.

[Argos]

Ok, I guess I'm doing this just for me at this point, but at this point, I'm commited...

11 riders, strong group including DiLuca have a 5:10 lead as they hit the base of the last climb.

Saniur Duval is leading the Peleton chasing to keep DiLuca away from Gibo.

It's all uphill now to the finish, 6.5%, with a section of 15%.

[Argos]

Let's see if Ullrich drops out.

Yeah he was talking to the car, but it would seem silly to quit after 6.5 hrs with only 20 k to go and only 2 days to Milan, but tomorrow is another hard day and if his Knee is bothering him.....

Also, it looks like his drug supply may have just been cut off.

[sspielman]

Garate wants thsi win and looks to be in the best position in the break, but my money is on Simoni...who even wants it worse.....

[Argos]

Voight! Ha! Awesome! Let's see what he makes of it.

[sellsworth]

Voight! Ha! Awesome! Let's see what he makes of it.

The end of the climb is too steep for Voigt - he'll fall back eventually.

[sellsworth]

I'll pick Sella for the win.

[Argos]

To try and fail is better then.....

Or something like that.

He did nothing the whole time in the break except for mark them, so he may be doing what Hincapie did last year at the Tour........ 'Cept nobody will give Jens a hard time for it..... :D

[sellsworth]

Basso and Simoni are flying! I hope Voigt hangs on.

[Argos]

That was very nice of voight. He easily could ahve won, but I guess he was up the road incase Basso needed him.

Voight was in a break doing all the work a few weeks ago with Voekler and Voekler did nothing and then took the win and Jens was pissed.

Voight is a classy guy.

[ClutchCargo]

Basso and Simoni are flying! I hope Voigt hangs on.

Why did Voight (apparently) not contest the sprint? Seems like he did as much work as Garate in the later part of the race, so I don't understand.

[Ray]

Nice gesture from Voight. Slightly different approach from Hincapie in a similar situation last year. Not obligated to do it, but Garote surely did all the work.

-Ray

[Russell]

Let's see if Ullrich drops out.
Ullrich out - back problems

[sellsworth]

Voigt trained here in Reno a few years back with Julich. I got a chance to talk with him briefly on the road - he was super nice and I've always rooted for him since. I'm not surprised that he didn't contest the sprint today.

[flyingscot]

Anyone now how serious the Ullrich injury is?
Finishing the Giro in good shape would have been a big confidence booster for him

[RedCoeurd'Acier]

and it has probably caught up with him. When will he learn!!

[Tom Byrnes]

Very classy guy.

[Ray]

Very classy guy.
Yup.

From Cycling News:
===========================================
Garate's move came off an earlier attack from Slovenian Tadej Valjavec (Lampre-Fondital) and Jens Voigt (CSC), who attacked three kilometres earlier on the lower slopes of the Passo Di San Pellegrino. The latter, a noted non-climber but one of the best all-rounders in the game, displayed strength and stamina by hanging onto the Spaniard until just 300 metres remaining, until bidding his partner adieu in a very sportsmanlike gesture, patting Garate on the back and shaking hands.

"When I attacked at seven kilometres to go and caught Voigt, he immediately told me that he didn't want to sprint. So I made my own pace and didn't attack [Voigt]," explained Garate.

"Voigt worked a lot in the break today, and he certainly would have been very happy to win, but he showed there are other values and there is respect [between riders] in the race. He made a very nice gesture, and I think it is good for cycling... I will not forget what he did - he is a great champion and a great personality."

Said Voigt: "I was always sitting on the back of the attack, but I couldn't win today because I didn't work at all. You can only win if you are the strongest and it wouldn't have been right if I did."
============================================

[lnomalley]

Anyone now how serious the Ullrich injury is?
Finishing the Giro in good shape would have been a big confidence booster for him
I just got off the cell phone with my buddy who is in the lead car for Saunier Duval.. aside from the fact that Piepoli was gabbing away in the background... my friend had just talked to Ullrich.. it's minor.. his back is sore.. and he's done with this Giro. He said Ulle was jovial.
(my friend is making another film.. this one is The Quest 2 about Simoni and Millar... so i get vicarious access. I might go to the tour and shoot some footage for him too)
He also nabbed a signed points jersey from Bettini for me.. how cool is that?

Look for Simoni to attack at every chance tomorrow... and look for Simoni to call this his last Giro too. You know.. i don't think Simoni has finished off the podium in a Giro... so say what you will... I don't think a podium finsih against Basso isn't like a horrible result.