Won a wingman by Roman Kreuziger, Paolo Tiralongo – totally exhausted from the effort to drop to the ground – in front of Michele Scarponi and the rest of the best. Garmin's Canadian, Ryder Hesjedal, is the new pink jersey. Before today, the Giro had arrived at Rocca di Cambio three more times: never here did the winners who would later wear the final pink jersey, Luciano Galbo in 1965, the German Rudy Altig in 1966 and the Spaniard Luis Pedro Santamarina in 1968. But the winners of those laps, respectively, Vittorio Adorni, Gianni Motta and Eddy Mercx at Rocca di Cambio were always among the protagonists of the stage.
Once again this year the 1.392-metre fraction of the Abruzzo municipality was presented as a fraction that would not have designated the winner of the Giro but could have given the first indications as to who is best able to do so. And so it was. The 205 km fraction through the Colle Galluccio pass and the final ascent with bumps close to 10%, boosted Scarponi's prices.
The table winner of the 2011 Giro deserves more than ever to be on the podium of the favorites after the Giro had been postponed behind the other big names due to a slightly dull start. Other big names that today all ended up collected in a handkerchief of seconds starting with Frank Schleck, third at 3”, the Luxembourgian brother of Andy who came to the Giro rather listless and is acquiring the pleasure of doing it as a protagonist day by day. Fourth came that Joaquin Purito Rodriguez, who was the most popular for today's stage victory also because today he was celebrating his 33rd birthday. Basso always sly in these first stages, without too much effort, he finished eighth at 9" from Tiralongo. Less brilliant but always in the game too Kreuziger and Cunego (but in the internal hierarchies of Lampre with today's test Scarponi said he was the first captain).
Rocca di Cambio it is called this because in the times when people moved by carriage it was the place where the horses were changed for those who went from L'Aquila to Rome. And the Giro, in a certain sense, has respected this tradition with the change of the pink jersey. Adriano Malori perhaps he didn't know about this story of the horses but he had however already taken into account that defending the pink jersey conquered in Porto Sant'Elpidio up here would have been difficult if not impossible. But however he enjoyed, he young man with good promises, two dream days, unforgettable.
Behind Ryder Hesjedal, who increasingly extends the geographical boundaries of the Giro record holders after the Lithuanian catwalk with Navardauskas, there is – just 15″ behind – Tiralongo, the first Italian to win a stage, a victory dedicated in particular to Alberto Contador of which the Sicilian rider was a teammate in last year's Giro, where he brought back the fraction of Macugnaga thanks to the help of the Spanish champion. Third in the general standings, 17” behind Hesjedal, is the Spanish Rodriguez, closely followed by the American Christian Vandevelde. Basso is also there at 40”. All places and gaps awaiting more probative confirmations or new reshuffles in tomorrow's stage which will take the Giro to the final climb of Lago Laceno, the stage dedicated to the memory of Marco Pantani, the pirate who suffered the only failure on these ramps in the triumphal Tour of 1998.
