In one Giro, always waiting to figure out who his owner is, the whirlwind of the pink jersey continues: the Germans (with Marcel Kittel), the Dutch (with Tom Dumoulin), the Italians (with Gianluca Brambilla), the Luxembourgers (with Bob Jungels): yesterday at the finish line in Cividale del Friuli, at the end of the first stage in the scent of the Dolomites, the symbol of the record ended up for the first time on the shoulders of a Costa Rican runner, Andrey Amador, precisely on the day which Alejandro Valverde's teammate shows the first troubles on the ramps of Monte Porzus and del Valle, remedying in the final descent. First uphill troubles also for Bob Jungels who doesn't collapse thanks to the help of the always very generous Brambilla but fails to close the gap, set at 50" at the finish line, from the group of the best including Amador, who snatches him from the pink jersey for 26". Even Vincenzo NIbali didn't leave empty-handed: ahead of Valverde, he finished third, pocketing 4” which was enough for the Shark to overtake his Spanish rival in the standings. We are still in the subtle skirmishes, more psychological than of substance: Movistar wins the pink jersey but the look with which Nibali turns to see Valverde beaten in the sprint is one of those that herald battle. And Valverde looked quite annoyed at having missed Nibali's finished bonus. And the Murcian was more confused than convincing when he said he had done the sprint not knowing that there was still a bonus up for grabs. Only two had arrived before Nibali at the finish line: Mikel Nieve, solo winner of the stage and another Movistar, Giovanni Visconti, second at 43”.
Nieve is at his second success at the Giro. The first was obtained in Gardeccia Val di Fassa in the 2011 edition, the one won on the road by Alberto Contador but then awarded to Michele Scarponi due to the late-release disqualification of the Spaniard for doping detected in the 2010 Tour. For Team Sky , orphan of Mikel Landa whose retirement has derailed any plan of success in the Giro, it is a victory that somewhat lifts the morale of the British squadron which with Chris Froome dominates the Tour but which fails at the Giro despite varying from three seasons the man to bet on: Wiggins in 2014, Richie Porte in 2015, Landa this year.
After 13 stages, the Giro still sees five riders – in the order Amador, Jungels, Nibali, Valverde and Krujiswjick – enclosed in the space of 43”. But even Maika, Zakarin, Chaves, Uran and Fuglsang who complete the top ten are by no means out of the game. Which today is tougher than ever with the Dolomite stage, 5500 meters in altitude to climb, six passes to tackle in the last 150 km before the arrival in Corvara, on switchbacks that made the legend of the Giro: Pordoi, Sella, Gardena , Giau, Falzarego, Valparola await the feat. Eyes on Nibali and Valverde but also on a guy like Chaves, the Colombian who is waiting for the real mountain to make up for the time lost in the Chianti time trial. It will also be the stage which, passing over the Sella Pass - entitled Montagna Pantani in this Giro d'Italia - cannot fail to bring to mind the feat of the Pirate of June 3, 1998 when, on the run with Giuseppe Guerini, he conquered the pink jersey in Selva di Val Gardena , leaving the joy of the stage victory to Guerini.
