Giro: It’s Di Luca Day on the Podium

By Jessica | Permalink |

No Comments | May 24th, 2007 | Trackback

I don’t know if it was Danilo Di Luca’s intention to appear on the podium 17 times today, or if that’s just a happy accident. And yes, I’m exaggerating - a little. It wasn’t 17 times. But it was something like 4 times, which is no small accomplishment. See, out of the break which Di Luca was in today, he sprinted (uphill!) for the win over Gilberto Simoni. So he appeared on the podium for winning the stage, for reclaiming the maglia rosa and for maintaining the lead in the mountains competition. And then he was on one other time for a special prize, but I have no idea what that was. The point is that he’s looking like the man to beat now, that’s all.

The break that Di Luca was in was a good one - besides Gilberto Simoni, the other riders who were (as the Brits like to say) “there and thereabouts” were Damiano Cunego, Andy Schleck and Eddy Mazzoleni. Simoni attacked several times, but Di Luca managed to get away finally when it counted.

Today’s top five:
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas
2 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
3 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
4 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Astana
5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital

And the GC now:
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas
2 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
3 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
5 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre-Fondital
6 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
7 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
8 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2.34

I don’t know why Simoni is the only one there with a time split, because it’s not like #s 2-7 are on the same time as Di Luca… I suspect the information just isn’t up yet, and since Simoni and Di Luca came in together that was easy to calculate. Cunego fought hard to stay with the break, but he got dropped a few times and ultimately couldn’t hang with Di Luca and Simoni. Paolo Savoldelli finished today something like 4 minutes after Di Luca, and I think Yaroslav Popovych was even further behind. Di Luca isn’t one for the time trials, so there’s no telling what the GC will look like tomorrow. So maybe I take back what I said earlier - Di Luca is looking great (managing to win two stages after looking tired and unable to keep up earlier in those same stages), but really this is still just about anyone’s race.

Full race report here later.