Giro d'Italia: Rest Day Round-Up Pt.2

 

So the second week of the Giro has drawn to a close and riders are currently nipping out for an hours gentle ride to keep the legs ticking over, having an extra massage, a decent meal and some TV downtime - a contrast to the carnage that the last week of racing produced. As far as I can make out 70+ riders have called time on their Giro including of course two major favourites in the shape of Ryder Hesjedal and Bradley Wiggins. Here's a look back at how the week panned out and a look ahead to the final week and conclusion of the 2013 Giro d'Italia...

Picture This: Visconti Tames The Galibier

 

After torrid weather conditions and the removal of mountains from yesterdays Giro d'Italia route things were not looking good for today's stage 15 and the ascent of the Galibier but in the end the route remained largely unchanged apart from shortening the famous mountain pass by 4.5 kilometres. If the route remained in tact it still didn't make for inspiring racing as the GC guys all rolled in together thinking about massages, warm beds and tomorrows rest-day. No, instead they left all the inspiring riding to Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) who jumped away near the top of Mont Cenis with a few others in the search for mountains points with 86 kilometres, the Telegraphe and the Col du Galibier left to ride. He dropped his fellow breakaway companions and soloed to victory on a very wet, cold and snowy mountain top finish producing the victory of his career. Chapeau that man. 

Giro d'Italia Stage 14: Monte Jafferau

 

Tomorrows stage of the Giro d'Italia is only 156 kilometres in length but much of it is uphill and the race finishes here (pictured) in the Hautes Alpes on the summit of Monte Jafferau. The long winding road is something synonymous with all alpine type climbs though the Jafferau has fewer switchbacks than many. But there is something else that makes this climb quite unique - look closely and you will notice those unsurfaced gravel roads...

Wiggins Out, Uran In, Froome?

 

You know Bradley Wiggins is struggling when he even manages to lose time on a 'sprint stage'. Even if the weather was torrential if Cavendish can make it to the end to contest the sprint then Wiggins should be more than capable of finishing in the Maglia Rosa group but another wet descent and a chest infection has left the Pink Jersey well beyond his reach, in fact 5 minutes 22 seconds beyond his reach. So what now for Sky both at the Giro and of course the Tour?...