COMUNICATI
STAMPA DALLA CORSA
Fantastic
Chris Anker Sørensen Solo Adventure
Chris
Anker Sørensen celebrated one the greatest
moments of his career by winning the mountain stage
to Terminillo in Giro d'Italia.
After
yesterday's mud bath, the international peloton
today enjoyed a more traditional day at work on
the 189 kilometer long eighth stage of the Giro
d'Italia from Chianciano Terme to Terminillo
with an uphill finish over 16 kilometers.
Team
Saxo Bank's Chris Anker Sørensen soon
seized the opportunity to leap away in a long-lasting
breakaway of 17 riders. And the front group worked
well together to gain as much time as possible before
taking on the long final climb. In the front of
the peloton, Lampre controlled the pace.
As
the front group including Team Saxo Bank's climber,
Chris Anker Sørensen hit the foot
of the climb with a two minute gap to the chasing
peloton, the breakaway was soon split in two. With
12 kilometers to go, Team Saxo Bank' Chris
Anker Sørensen tried to create
a gap but it was not until Simone Stortoni
(Colnago) leaped away, that the race truly opened.
The Team Saxo Bank-rider however closed the gap
alone to the small Italian rider and went pass him
to increase the pace of the duo.
And
the pace of the Danish rider soon became too much
for Simone Stortoni (Colnago) who was dropped
with kilometers to go and the Team Saxo Bank-rider
now struggled intensely to maintain the pace to
the finish line on top of the climb to beat the
chasing pack of favorites coming close from behind.
But
Team Saxo Bank's Chris Anker Sørensen
was simply the best and was the first appearing
rider in dense fog on top of the climb crossing
the finish line alone in his greatest victory of
his career.
”300
meters to go, I was still doubting whether or not
I was going to last
all the way but I kept them behind me so I could
celebrate the biggest victory of my career. I have
never done this climb before but naturally, I was
well-prepared and had done my homework studying
the stage profile and I knew the climb would cause
a lot of pain.
When Stortoni launched his attack I was aware
that I had to close the gap in my own rhythm to
avoid a lactic build-up. At the same time I wanted
to let him think that I was suffering more than
I actually did so I could get him to work in front
of me before I went away.
The
stage developed exactly like I wanted it to”,
said a tired Chris Anker Sørensen
after his heroic effort and announced his enthusiasm
about the team spirit of the young delegation of
Team Saxo Bank riders in Italy:
“The atmosphere on
this team is unique and we have already achieved
more than we expected. But of course we had a lot
more confidence in ourselves than some critics of
the team who felt that our line-up for the Giro
wasn't strong enough. I guess we invalidated that
assumption today. It's often best letting the legs
do the talking,” concluded today's
stage winner.
Sports
director, Dan Frost witnessed the great victory
from the team car following the Danish rider:
”The
situation was completely insane. On the final three
kilometers I am in the car with goosebumps all over
my body and inches away from being a nervous wreck
screaming out the window, then screaming into the
steering wheel while Pascal (mechanic) is
hanging out the sun roof rooting for Chris
(Anker Sørensen).
He (Chris) is fighting relentlessly like a bear
out there and truly honors the stage with this victory.
His fight in the front of the race is an image of
the way our whole team has been fighting for success
in this race.
They
are all putting in everything they have to succeed
as a rider and as a team. The only difference is
that today the struggle was visible to everyone.
We came to the Giro with no big expectations and
this delegation of riders simply keeps surprising
us all and they have now made the Giro a
success for the team,” said a very
happy sports director, Dan Frost after the
stage.
Team
Saxo Bank's Richie Porte did another
great job today and he is sixth overall.
Alexandre
Vinokorov (Astana) is still in the lead of the
race ahead of World champion, Cadel Evans
(BMC)
Giro d’Italia,
8^tappa Cunego scatta sul Terminillo, Petacchi ritirato
Ha
cercato con grinta la vittoria Damiano Cunego.
L'8^ tappa del Giro da
Chianciano Terme al Terminillo, con
arrivo in salita, e' stata vinta Chris Sorensen,
reduce di un fuga corposa che lungo il percorso ha
perso praticamente tutti i componenti.
La
Lampre-Farnese Vini ha provato a lavorare per
riprendere i fuggitivi, visto che Cunego sentiva
di essere in buona condizione: senza trovare collaborazione,
i blu-fucsia non hanno potuto limare più di
tanto lo svantaggio dagli attaccanti, cosi' ci ha
provato Cunego a infiammare la corsa con un
paio di scatti, senza comunque riuscire a riprendere
Sorensen (1o), Stortoni (2o) e Petrov
(3o), gli unici fuggitivi rimasti in avanscoperta.
I
migliori scalatori hanno formato un gruppetto di una
decina di unita', con gli uomini di classifica a controllarsi
e con Tondo e Gadret ad avere la liberta'
di cogliere il 4o e il 5o posto.
Nonostante
gli sforzi, Cunego ha dovuto accontentarsi
della 6^piazza, a 55" dal vincitore e con 1"
di vantaggio sul gruppetto maglia rosa, una prestazione
che ha permesso al corridore della Lampre-Farnese
Vini di risalire in classifica generale fino ala
9o posto, con un ritardo di 3'08" da Vinokourov.
"La
squadra al momento di inseguire la fuga e io personalmente
sulla salita finale abbiamo provato a creare le condizioni
per vincere la tappa
- ha spiegato Cunego - Stavo bene e ho chiesto
ai miei compagni, ottimi anche oggi, di supportarmi
cercando di chiudere sulla fuga: purtroppo oltre a
noi nessuno ha preso l'iniziativa in gruppo e i fuggitivi
hanno mantenuto un margine sufficiente. In salita
ho provato ad attaccare ma il solo Scarponi
ha mostrato la volonta' di animare la corsa. Ci provero'
ancora".
La
giornata della Lampre-Farnese Vini non era
iniziata bene, con Alessandro Petacchi arresosi
alla bronchite asmatica: il velocista della
Lampre-Farnese Vini ha deciso di abbandonare
il Giro d'Italia,
scendendo dalla bici dopo 40 km di tappa.
"La
bronchite che mi trascino dalla tappa di Middelburg
negli ultimi giorni e' peggiorata, causandomi problemi
di asma -
ha spiegato Petacchi -
Con il medico della squadra, il dottor Beltemacchi,
abbiamo provato a lenire i sintomi, ma il freddo e
l'umidita' non mi hanno favorito.
Mi
spiace abbandonare il Giro senza aver lasciato
il segno e senza aver dato alla squadra, sempre a
mio supporto, un bel risultato: avevo una buona gamba,
ma le circostanze non sono state favorevoli".
Damiano
Cunego showed a strong will of winning the 8th
stage of Giro d'Italia, Chianciano Terme-Terminillo
with mountain arrival.
He attacked on the last climb, after that Lampre-Farnese
Vini was the only team that tried to chase the
main breakaway of the day: the attackers gap was too
large and so Sorensen could precede Stortoni
and Petrov, then Tondo and Gadret,
escaped from the pink jersey bunch, reached the arrival.
Cunego
tried some attacks, but he had no freedom and he crossed
the finish line in 6th position, at 55" to the
winner and with 1" on the pink jersey group of
8 athletes.
In
the overall standing, Cunego is 9th at 3'08"
to Vinokourov.
"I
had good sensation and so I asked my team mates to
support me: that's what they did in a perfect way,
trying to chase the breakaway - Cunego
explained - Unluckily,
no other teams supported us and also on the last climb
only Scarponi showed interest in battling for the
victory. I'll try again to hit the target".
A
bad news for Lampre-Fanrese Vini in the early
part of the stage. Alessandro Petacchi had
to quit Giro d'Italia: the bronchitis that
has been giving trouble since Middelburg stage stopped
him after 40 km of today stage.
"The
bronchitis is giving me also asmatic troubles and
so it is not possible for me to go on - In these days
team doctor Beltemacchi tried to cure my trouble,
but the weather conditions didn't help me.
It's
a pity that I had to quit Giro without having obtained
the victory: my legs were goods, but the negative
circumstances didn't allow me to perform at high level".
