Fresh snowfalls even on alternative route means a third rest day for the peloton
The 2013 Giro d’Italia peloton will be treated to a second rest day today as organiser RCS Sport has announced that the 19th stage will be cancelled. Snow on the Passo dello Stelvio and Passo Gavia had meant that an alternative route had to be found over the Passo del Tonale and Passo Castrin, but more has fallen on these passes overnight forcing it to be cancelled altogether.
Stage 19 was to have been one of the toughest of the race, and should have offered the rivals of Maglia Rosa Vincenzo Niballi (Astana) a chance to attack. The way in which the Sicilian has been riding throughout the Giro, however, it might well have given him the opportunity to put more time into them.
Following yesterday’s mountain time trial, Nibali leads Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) by 4’02”, with Rigoberto Urán (Team Sky) now at just 4’12”. With Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) having a relatively good stage, and now being 5’14” behind Nibali, today’s stage would more likely have seen a battle for the podium places, rather than a challenge to Nibali.
So far there has been no news about whether Saturday’s 20th stage to the Tre Cime di Laveredo will still go ahead as planned.
Standings after stage 18
1. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Team Astana
2. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team @ 4’02”
3. Rigoberto Urán (Col) @ 4’12”
4. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida @ 5’14”
5. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida @ 6’09”
6. Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo-Tinkoff @ 6’45”
7. Carlos Betancur (Col) AG2R La Mondiale @ 6’47”
8. Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia @ 7’30”
9. Beñat Intxausti (Spa) Movistar Team @ 8’36”
10. Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi @ 9’34”