Jake Latham
Stage 12 Review
A shorter stage at only 182km heavy rain fell for most of the day. It would be the last stage for most of the sprinters to make their mark on the Giro as there were hardly a mentionable incline.
Daniel Oss (BMC) and Mirco Maestri (Bardiani-CSF) were the two men in the breakway duo that had held their lead to within the final 22kms. Oss took maximum points at both intermediate sprints with Giacomo Nizzolo rolling in on the front of the peloton shortly after.
The race was neutralised in the final two laps in Bibione as the rider’s times were taken after the first lap of the technical circuit ensuring they would be out of the way of the sprinters in the final 8km.
Lotto Soudal policed the entire field as their lead out train protected Greipel all the way to the line. The small figure of Australian Caleb Ewan sat in the shadow of the German in the final 300 meters. It looked like a tactical move that Greipel closed the door on Ewan as the young sprinter tried to squeeze between Greipel and the barriers, shutting down Ewan’s attempt at a stage win.
Daniel Oss now leads the Sprint Classification after Stage 12 but the seemingly unbeatable Bob Jungels maintains his lead over Andrey Amador by 24 seconds.
Stage 12 Podium
1. André Greipel (Ger) – Lotto Soudal – 4:16:00
2. Caleb Ewan (Aus) – Orica-GreenEdge
3. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) – Trek-Segafredo
4. Sacha Modolo (Ita) – Lampre – Merida
5. Alexander Porsev (Rus) – Team Katusha
General Classification after Stage 12
1. Bob Jungels (Lux) – Etixx-Quick-Step – 49:32:20
2. Andrey Amador (CRc) – Movistar Team – 0:00:24
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team – 0:01:07
4. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) – Team LottoNl-Jumbo
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) – Astana Pro Team 0:01:09
6. Rafal Majka (Pol) – Tinkoff Team – 0:02:01
7. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) – Team Katusha – 0:02:25
8. Esteban Chaves (Col) – Orica-GreenEdge – 0:02:43
9. Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) – Etixx-Quick-Step – 0:02:45
10. Diego Ulissi (Ita) – Lampre-Merida – 0:02:47
Intermediate Sprint Classification after Stage 12
1. Daniel Oss (Ita) – BMC Racing Team – 40 pts
2. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) – Team LottoNl-Jumbo – 40 pts
3. Matteo Trentin (Ita) – Etixx-Quick-Step – 26 pts
Stage 13 – PALMANOVA – CIVIDALE DEL FRIULI, 170km
The route
This is a very challenging mountain stage. The route takes in four categorised climbs in a row, with just a few stretches to let the bunch catch their breath. The first 45km run on apparently flat ground, and are followed by three typical pre-Alpine climbs, marked by narrow roadway, high gradients and endless turns, both while climbing and while descending. After a flat drag including a passage over the finish line, the route heads towards the two final climbs in Porzùs and Valle, with a very winding and undulating profile, and high uphill gradients. The road narrows at point while crossing urban areas. The route features some technical descents, especially when climbing down form Passo San Martino at km 67.
Final kms
The last 5km are deceptive: seemingly flat and yet actually running downhill all the way to Cividale del Friuli. The route features a few twists and turns over the last kilometre; the home straight (approx 400m long) is on a 7m wide asphalt road.
