NEWS

On Col du Galibier, arrival of the 15th stage of Giro d’Italia (start from Cesana Torinese, 149 km), in the snow LAMPRE-MERIDA obtained the 3rd place by Niemiec and the 6th position by Scarponi.

The race was won by Visconti in solitary arrival: he was member of a 6 riders action started on Moncenisio summit.
No LAMPRE-MERIDA’s athletes could join the attack, but for blue-fuchsia-green colors there was space on the final climb: Scarponi tried an action at 2 km to go, Niemiec escaped from the pink jersey group at 1 km to go, following an attack by Betancur, Majka and Duque.
The Polish climber was 3rd on the arrival, Scarponi 6th.

In the overall classification Scarponi is 5th (+3’53″) and Niemiec 6th (+4’55″).

“It has been a better day than yesterday, even if the efforts that were performed in Bardonecchia were still present – Scarponi commented – In the bunch there were not so many energies, I could manage to be in the pink jersey group.  I also tried an action in order to test which could be my level.
The second week of Giro ended: I alternated not so good day to better ones, I aim to be more regular in the topic stages in the final week”.

Niemiec is satisfied: “During the stage I had good feelings and in the final kilometers I still had energies so, when I saw the attack by Betancur, Duque and Majka and I noticed the group had a pause, I escaped following the attackers.
My good legs allowed me to go to the arrival with Betancur.
I’m in 6th position, but I know it will be so tough to defend this result until the end of Giro”.

STAGE RESULTS
1- Visconti  4h40’48″
2- Betancur  42″
3- Niemiec  s.t.
4- Majka  s.t.
5- Duarte  47″
6- Scarponi  54″
7- Nibali  s.t.
8- Evans  s.t.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION
1- Nibali  62h02’34″
2- Evans  1’26″
3- Uran Uran  2’46″
4- Santambrogio  2’47″
5- Scarponi  3’53″
6- Niemiec  4’55″
7- Betancur  5’12″

In photo (Bettini), Scarponi in the pink jersey group.

Rain, snow and cold forced the organizers to modify the course of the 14th stage of Giro d’Italia (Cervere-Bardonecchia Jafferau), deleting the passage on Sestriere and influencing Scarponi’s performance.

In fact, LAMPRE-MERIDA’s climber suffered for the cold during the whole stage, despite he was wearing all the proper clothes: in the early part, he stopped to change the clothes and he could come back to the bunch thanks to the support by Pozzato, then he got frozen on the final climb to Jafferau.
Despite all these troubles, Scarponi could limit to 1’28″ the gap to the winner Santambrogio and to the pink jersey Nibali (2nd at the arrival).

Niemiec was the first blue-fuchsia-green cyclist to reach the arrival: he was 15th at 1’08″ and the performance allowed him to become 6th in the overall classification (+4’55″ to Nibali), while Scarponi retained the 5th position (+3’53″).

Heroic day for Pietropolli, who escaped from the bunch with 3 riders (Colbrelli, Trentin and Paolini) 7 km after the start (photo Bettini). He gave up at 2 km to go: “I strongly wanted to attack and I could be in the right breakaway. I only thought to increase the advantage on the bunch, despite the cold. The cooperation in the attack was good, then on the final climb I tried to pedal on my pace, but at 2 km I had spent all the energies”.

This is the comment by Scarponi: “I suffered too much the cold, I even had to stop to change the clothes. The final climb became so difficult to me, so this has been a bad day. Despite all these troubles, I could limit the gap and the goal of the podium is not so far”

Niemiec too suffered for the cold:”What a bad weather, it was very difficult to pedal and this was a common problem for all the riders of the bunch. I suffered especially of frozen hands in the final kilometers, it was hard to keep the hands on the handlebar.
I became 6th, I’m quite satisfied but not completely, also considering that Michele lived a bad day”.

STAGE RESULTS
1- Santambrogio  4h42’55″
2- Nibali  s.t.
3- Betancur  9″
4- Sanchez  26″
15- Niemiec  1’08″
18- Scarponi  1’18″, 24- Pietropolli 2’53″, 31- Serpa 4’05″, 67- Durasek 10’08″, 81- Stortoni 13’02″, 103- Pozzato 20’32″, 167- Ferrari  22’31″

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION
1- Nibali  57h20’52″
2- Evans  1’26″
3- Uran Uran  2’46″
4- Santambrogio  2’47″
5- Scarponi  3’53″
6- Niemiec  4’55″

Insidious stage in Giro d’Italia just before the Alps weekend.
The 13th stage, from Busseto to Cherasco, forced the bunch to face the longest course of 2013 edition, the hilly road and the wind.

LAMPRE-MERIDA’s riders managed to avoid any trouble and they obtained the final 8th place thanks to Pozzato, who battled in the final sprint that was won by Cavendish.

Sport director Orlando Maini commented: “Today the required body and mental caution were high, because the athletes must pay attention all along the 254 km.
We were skillful to avoid to be in late when the bunch got broken because of the wind. Pozzato was very useful in supporting Scarponi in those moments, then he tried to be protagonist in the final kilometers”.

No changes in the overall classification: Scarponi is 5th and Niemiec 7th (today he crashed, without consequences), while Wiggins and Hesjedal quit the race.

“We’re approaching a very important weekend for Giro and for me, since it will be a test after I had a bad day on Tuesday in Montasio stage – Scarponi commented – After that stage, my feelings were good, so I’m willing to realize good performances.
Of course the bad weather could condition the race: for tomorrow, I hope we’ll be able to pedal on Sestriere”.

In photo (Bettini), Scarponi and Pozzato at the start of the 13th stage.

STAGE RESULTS
1- Cavendish  6h09’55″
2- Nizzolo s.t.
3- Mezgec  s.t.
4- Lancaster  s.t.
8- Pozzato  s.t.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION
1- Nibali  52h38’09″
2- Evans 41”
3- Uran Uran 2’04”
4- Gesink 2’12”
5- Scarponi 2’13”
6- Santambrogio 2’55”
7- Niemiec 3’35”

Roberto Ferrari did not win the final sprint in the 12th stage of Giro (Longarone-Treviso), but Pietropolli got the success, passing at 20 km to go his bike to Scarponi, who had to face a puncture.

Pietropolli’s reaction was even more important since in that moment the team cars were behind a chasers group (Wiggins was in it) that was pedaling on late.
The substitution timing would have been long, but Pietropolli solved the possible troubles.
Scarponi crossed the finish line pedaling on the team mate bike.

Under the pouring rain, the stage was won by Cavendish; Ferrari obtained the 7th place.

“What a hard day: cold and rain are not the most suitable conditions for me – Ferrari explained – I gave my best, but during the sprint I did not perceive to have good legs. It’s a pity, because chances for sprinters won’t be many”.

In the overall classification, due to Wiggins bad day, Scarponi is 5th (+2’13”) and Niemiec is 7th at 3’35”.

STAGE RESULTS
1- Cavendish 3h01’47”
2- Bouhanni s.t.
3- Mezgec s.t.
4- Nizzolo s.t.
7- Ferrari s.t.

OVERALLCLASSIFICATION
1- Nibali 46h28’14”
2- Evans 41”
3- Uran Uran 2’04”
4- Gesink 2’12”
5- Scarponi 2’13”
6- Santambrogio 2’55”
7- Niemiec 3’35”

“It has not been a good day for me and I perceived it on the early kilometers of Passo Cason di Lanza, so the result could not have been the one I aimed to”, Scarponi commented at the end of the 10th stage of Giro d’Italia, 169 km from Cordenons to the summit arrival on Altopiano del Montasio.

LAMPRE-MERIDA’S cyclist, 12th in the stage at 1’10″ to the winner Uran Uran and at 39″ to pink jersey Nibali, added: “Considering that I was not at the top, I could defend myself quite well, also thanks to the help by Niemiec.

A negative day can happen in a great tour, the reasons could be various, but I prefer to focus my attention on the next stages, considering that the target of the podium is 9″ far now”.

In the overall classification, Scarponi is 6th (+2’13″), Niemiec, who crossed the finish line in 11th position, is 8th (+3’35″).

After the arrival, Pozzato was protagonist in a misadventure: he crashed while he was covering, in donwhill, the road from the arrival to Sella Nevea, where bus parking was located.

The several brakes heated the wheel and caused the crash.

Pozzato suffered bruises and grazes to a knee.

In photo (Bettini), Niemiec and Scarponi on the final climb.

STAGE RESULTS

1- Uran Uran  4h37’42″

2- Betancur  20″

3- Nibali  31″

4- Santambrogio  s.t.

5- Evans  s.t.

11- Niemiec  1’10″

12- Scarponi s.t., 38- Serpa 8’30″, 78- Durasek 20’53″, 81- Pietropolli s.t, 82- Stortoni s.t., 136- Pozzato 28’50″, 182- Ferrari 18’52″.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

1- Nibali  38h57’32″

2- Evans  41″

3- Uran Uran  2’04″

4- Wiggins  2’05″

5- Gesink  2’12″

6- Scarponi  2’13″

7- Santambrogio  2’55″

8- Niemiec  3’35″