From bad to worse: Vincenzo Nibali lives in Andalo another bad day of a Giro which at the start greeted him as super favorite and which now, after the second consecutive flop, risks seeing him even outside the podium area. Lo Squalo held up and battled on the long climb up the Mendola, even giving the impression of hurting Steven Krujiswjick, but it was a flash in the pan that went out within a few minutes. On the Fai della Paganella when Alejandro Valverde took off, immediately joined by Krujiswjick and Zakarin, the Italian went adrift, unable to change pace with the heavy legs he finds himself today.
Even Esteban Chaves, disappointing on the Mendola, joined him and left him. The Shark couldn't keep the wheels of Majka and neither of Ulissi and Jungels, two thoroughbreds who, however, usually aren't lightning bolts in the mountains. A penalty: Nibali arrived in Andalo 11th together with Pozzovivo, 1'47" behind Valverde, who at the age of 36, beating Krujiswjick in the sprint, won his first stage of the Giro, on a noble finish that saw the victory of Eddy Merckx in pink in 1973.
Increasingly pink today is Steven Krujiswick, in his third second place upon arrival, who stage after stage is legitimizing the predictions that from Sunday, after the time trial on the Alpe di Siusi, indicate him as the probable winner of the Giro. Three placements more precious and strategic than a victory: in Corvara the Dutchman put Valverde on the ropes. In the time trial he gave the first shoulder to Nibali. Yesterday in Andalo he inflicted another very heavy one on the Squalo, a real harpoon against his most feared rival, also extending his advantage over the second in the standings, Chaves now exactly 3 minutes behind.
Given the grit and determination of Valverde, the Murcian champion of Movistar is perhaps more than the Colombian grimpeur of Orica Green the opponent to keep an eye on for Krujiswjick before crowning his pink fairy tale. Chaves is hit and miss. Nibali was betrayed by his legs, falling to fourth place at 4'43”, also threatened closely by the Russian Zakarin. It is true that the two terrible stages of Risoul and Sant'Anna di Vinadio are missing, but there are also many reassuring minutes put in the safe by this Dutchman, 29 years old on 7 June, nicknamed the "Gancio" for his long neck and broad shoulders.
A nickname hitherto unknown to most because Krujiswjik has always been little or never talked about, despite having been a professional since 2010. His only successes are the sixth stage of the Tour of Switzerland in 2011, finishing third behind the winner, the American Levi Leipheimer, and Damiano Cunego. He returned to success in 2014 at the Arctic Race of Norway. For the rest, some good placements, twice in the top ten of the Giro, 8th in 2011 and 4th last year. At the Tour, his best result in the three contested so far is a 15th place in 2014.
But today he is one step away from arriving in pink in Turin and immediately leap to the honors of history. He will be the first Dutchman to win the great Italian stage race, in the edition that saw the Shark as the overwhelming favorite, in which a Gorilla won the most stages, but in the end all of them ended up unexpectedly beaten and hung on the Hook.
