Simon Gerrans (Cervélo TestTeam) won the 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia as he attacked his breakaway companions on steepest section of the final climb to the finish giving himself his second stage win in a Grand Tour and the first for his Cervelo TestTeam in this race. Coming in second place twelve seconds later was Rubens Bertaglioti (Diquigiovanni) followed by Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre).
A group of fourteen stole the honors of the day as they rode away on the the first climb of the day, the Passo della Collina, and didn't look back. The break had no GC contenders, so it was allowed some freedom.
Breakaway Riders:
Rubens Bertogliati (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni)
Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R-La Mondiale)
Giampaolo Cheula (Barloworld)
Philip Deignan (Cervelo TestTeam)
Christopher Froome (Barloworld)
Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-N.G.C.)
Simon Gerrans (Cervelo TestTeam)
Andriy Grivko (ISD)
Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne)
Martin Muller (Milram)
Evgeni Petrov (Katusha)
Francesco Reda (Quick-Step)
Giovanni Visconti (ISD)
Eduard Vorganov (Xacobeo Galicia)
Having previously won here, Di Luca's LPR Brakes team was expected to do the lion's share of the work. But without a concerted effort of several teams at the front, the size of the break would later prove to be too much to pull back in.
With 25km to go the break had just under two minutes over the chasing peloton, and it looked like they were in reach, but the gap remained with just LPR Brakes at the front. With 3km left Grivko to a stab at the finish. He was riding strong, but with 2km to go the climb to the finish was too much for the Ukranian with Froome trying to break free with Gerrans in tow. On the steepest part of the climb Gerrans rode away from the Brit, sailing in for a hard earned victory on the stage.
The group of favorites came into the final rise with Di Luca being the first to attack, initially seperating Levi Leipheimer (Astana) and Michael Rogers (Columbia-High Road) from the group. Both eventually recovered, but it was the final kick from Franco Pellizotti that managed to cause a small gap for Leipheimer loosing a couple of seconds on the stage.
Tomorrow's 161km stage from Forlì to Faenza probably shouldn't effect the General Classification directly, but if Di Luca's team takes to the front all day it could make a difference for the Italian on Sunday's big stage into Monte Petrano.
Stage Results
1. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam 4:16:48
2. Rubens Bertaglioti (Ita) Diquigiovanni 0:12
3. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre, at 0:18
4. Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Team Katusha . at 0:24
5. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo TestTeam . at 0:27
6. Christopher Froome (Kny) Barloworld . at 0:36
7. Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne . at 0:41
8. Francesco Reda (Ita) Quick Step . at 1:01
9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) ISD . at 1:04