Giro d’Italia Stage 14: Yates Takes Animated Stage to Torino, Carapaz Into Lead

BikeExchange’s Simon Yates, having fallen out of the race for the Giro d’Italia, attacked with abandon on the Colle della Maddalena to get clear of a group of overall favorites to take the punchy, action-packed 14th stage in Torino, 15 seconds ahead of the remaining elites. Which is a great moment for him, but it would be fairer to say that INEOS’ Richard Carapaz was the star of the stage, since it was Carapaz’ attack on the last climb of the Superga that shook up the finale, ended the reign in pink for Trek’s Juan Pedro Lopez, and got himself into the overall lead.

Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images

Carapaz, sensing perhaps that Lopez was on the verge of cracking, accelerated a kilometer from the top of the Superga, shaking up a group that was largely established and managed by the trio of Bora protagonists, with Wilco Kelderman pacing his better-placed teammates Jai Hindley and Emanuel Buchmann. Hindley was able to chase down Carapaz on the next and final climb, a very encouraging sign for the Australian overall hopeful, and while Yates then came past the top guys for the stage win, it was Hindley who took second (and a slight time bonus) from Carapaz, with ageless Vincenzo Nibali, looking strong all day, taking fourth.

Among the top guys, the stage did not shake up the GC, but for those slightly lesser favorites there were notable, if not major, changes. João Almeida of Quick Step saw his fragile prospects hit with a 39” gap, just behind the also-ageless Domenico Pozzovivo, still in contention just ahead of his 40th birthday. Bahrain teammates Mikel Landa and Pello Bilbao lost 51” each, followed by Buchmann at 1.10 — and Lopez over four minutes behind. Carapaz enters the higher climbs of the Alps tomorrow with just seven seconds on Hindley for the race lead, with all left to happen next week.

Results:

1. YATES Simon, BEX, 03:43:44
2. HINDLEY Jai, BOH, at 0:15
3. CARAPAZ Richard, IGD, s.t.
4. NIBALI Vincenzo, AST, s.t.
5. POZZOVIVO Domenico, IWG, at 0:28
6. ALMEIDA João, UAD, at 0:39
7. LANDA MEANA Mikel, TBV, at 0:51
8. BILBAO LÓPEZ DE ARMENTIA Pello, TBV, s.t.
9. BUCHMANN Emanuel, BOH, at 1:10
10. LÓPEZ Juan Pedro, TFS, at 4:25

GC:

1. CARAPAZ
2. HINDLEY, at :07
3. ALMEIDA, 0:30
4. LANDA, at 0:59
5. POZZOVIVO, at 1:01
6. BILBAO, at 1:52
7. BUCHMANN, at 1:58
8. NIBALI, at 2:58
9. LÓPEZ, at 4:04
10. VALVERDE Alejandro, MOV, at 09:06

Santena – Torino 147 km

Bit of a nightmare this one with relentless climbing and extreme heat.

Also, if they made something like this the permanent course for Milano-Torino I don’t think anyone would mind.

Expected finish: 17:00 – 17:30 CEST

Most noble of the Day : Bauke Mollema

I’m betting a big fight to get in the break and once that has settled the bigs take it as easy as possible and let some strong stagehunters fight it out.

Official site , Startlist