Mikel Nieve Iturralde wins fifteen stage of 2011 Giro d’ltalia Tour: Cycling News
Euskaltel-Euskadi team’s Mikel Nieve Ituralde won the fifteen stage of 2011 Giro d’ltalia Tour on Sunday, May 22.
The race started in Conegliano and ended at Gardeccia. The 26-year-old, Mikel took a total of 7 hours, 27 minutes and 14 seconds to cover a track of 229 kilometres.
Stefano Grazelli of Acqua & Sapone was in second place with 1 minute and 41 seconds behind Mikel. The race leader, Alberto Contador of the Saxo Bank Sungard team, finished third with difference of 1 minute and 51 seconds.
After winning the stage Mikel said, "I was also able to control my energy level well, but I'm very tired. Today's stage was the toughest of my life and now I have to recuperate."
The group of six riders made their first break in the race, including Emanuele Sella, Jhonny Hoogerland, Yaroslav Popovych, Kevin Seeldraeyers, Javier Francisco Aramendia and Aliaksandr Kuchynski. Emanuele Sella took the first mountain, but other riders
were caught by the peloton.
With 179 kilometres remaining in the stage, a new group was formed including Stefano Garzelli, Johnny Hoogerland and Jan Bakelants.
All of them build an advantage of 9 minute and 50 seconds. Hoogerland tried his luck in the second climb of the day, but failed. Stefano Grazelli paced his speed and took second climb.
Grazelli and Nieve worked together to catch the Dutchman before the summit. However, Grazellli managed to take a lead of 6 minute and 41 seconds and win the third and fourth climb.
Nieve said, "Happily, my legs responded well. I am very happy with the gaps made [on his rivals] even if there remain several difficult stages from here on in."
Grazelli took a lead of 45 seconds in the final climb, but he then dropped behind Nieve. But after few kilometres, Contador attacked Grazelli in last 4 kilometres and due to this Mikel had chance to build his lead to take the advantage of 30 seconds. With
the help of his team he crossed the finish-line without any difficulty.
Alberto Contador maintained his overall lead classification with an overall timing of 62 hours, 14 minute and 42 seconds. Michele Scarponi was in second place with 4 minute and 20 seconds behind Contador.
Vincenzo Nibali finished third overall with a difference of 5 minute and 11 seconds while the stage winner, Mikel was in fifth place.
After two days of rest the next stage will start in Belluno and end in Nevegal. All the riders will cover the distance of 12.7 kilometres.
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