After 33 top-5 finishes, including placing 2nd 11 times in the Giro d'ltalia, European champion Giacomo Nizzolo wins his first-ever Grand Tour stage on Friday.
"My goal was to be second, maybe that was the trick to get the victory. I'm super happy. The only goal I had today was to sprint and not get blocked... and it worked out."
Finally, I've got a stage victory at the Giro! I chose to risk staying too long in the wind rather than wait for too long behind other riders with the chance of being blocked. My choice paid off!"
-Giacomo Nizzolo
Oldie but goodie
Andre Greipel won his second victory in five days in Stage 4 of the Ruta del Sol in Baza-Cullar Vega, Spain. The 38 year old legend, with a great lead-out from his teammates, rocketed with 300 meters to go.
"Alex Cataford did an incredible job after his crash and made sure we chased down the breakaway. Then came a massive work by Hugo Hofstetter, who kept us in front, and HJenthe Biermans positioning us. I had a little problem in the last corner, but Daryl Impey kept the postion and launched. I could not stick to Rick Zabel's wheel because I was boxed in, so it could have gone even better... We have such great professionals in this team... The best.
I had a very good sprint."
-Andre Greipel
The Zoncolan
Tomorrow is the epic Zoncolan stage.
Since 2003, the Zoncolan has been raced six times. This year's stage 14 will be climbed from Sutrio. With an ascent of 14 kilometers and average gradient at 8.5%, with the last 3 kilometers at 13% and ramping up to 27% with 500 meters to go will be torture.
The exteme gradients will see the riders using 50x34 compact or 52/36 semi-compact cranksets with 11-28, 11-30, or 11-32 sprockets.
The climb is known as one of the toughest in cycling.
"It's like a slow execution; the easiest part of the Zoncolan is harder than the most difficult at the Tour."
-Gilberto Simoni, 2003 and 2007 winner.
"The Zoncolan is so hard that every rider is locked in a personal fight against gravity rather than their rivals."
-Ryder Hesjedal, 2012 Giro d'ltalia champion
"Tomorrow (Saturday) another race starts, a different kind of Giro. It'll hit some guys harder, others improve in tough weather, and that'll be a challenge, just like the climb, itself. On the Zoncolan, it's going to be head to head between the favourites and the strongest will win."
-Hugh Carthy, 4th on GC
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