With a solid performance against the watch, Astana's Andreas Klöden won
today's 30km individual stage 6 time trial from Loreto to Macerata and
stripped the Tirreno-Adriatico race lead from Saturday's stage 5 winner
Joaquím Rodríguez (Caisse d'Epargne).
Klöden crusies at Tirreno-Adriatico
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
The 33 year old all-rounder, originally from Mittweida in the DDR said
"It was a nice time trial, a good course for me", explained a pleased
Klöden post-stage in Macerata. "I started very fast and had the fastest
time check at the intermediate point. That gave me a good boost. With
the up and down parts and the flats that is ideal for my riding and it
was very hard. I feel lucky to win here today, with three crashes in
the last two days, but my condition is really good." When asked about
his rival Thomas Lövkvist, just 6" behind him on GC, Klöden smiled and
said (Lövkvist) is a good rider and he has a good team. So let's see
what happens tomorrow."
Thomas Lövkvist on his Giant TT bike at Tirreno-Adriatico
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Quick.Step's Belgian TT champ Stijn Devolder was second on the stage, 20" behind Klöden, while Columbia's emerging Swedish star Thomas Lövkvist was third at
41'53", 21" behind Klöden and is now well positioned on general
classification, only :06" behind the German rider. Lövkvist said
post-stage "Well I'm please with my ride and so tomorrow, we'll what
we can do to isolate Klöden. But he’s a strong rider.” "Diquigiovanni-Androni's Michele Scarponi had a surprisingly fast ride
today to ride a 41'32" and took 4th on the stage, moving the Italian
climber into 3rd on GC, 21" behind Kloden. A pleased Scarponi said
after his performance today "well there was plenty of climbing today!
This stage was a good place to make up time on others, but maybe it was
a little too long and hard!" Scarponi's Diquigiovanni-Androni teammate
Davide Rebellin rode a respectable 42'55", losing 1'23" to Klöden, but
still moving up to 5th on GC at 1'02".
Don't count out Stefano Garzelli for Tirreno-Adriatico victory
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone) had a good ride for a 42'13", 7th on
the stage. Still in contention, the experienced Garzelli said
“Tomorrow’s stage is very hard and long and there’s a difficult climb
before the finish,” said Garzelli. “I’m sure we’ll try something on the
climb.” Diquigiovanni-Androni manager Gianni Savio has three cards to
play tomorrow with Gibo Simoni, Davide Rebellin and local rider
Michele Scarponi. "Oh this race isn't over yet!", Savio d to
RAI-TV post-stage. "We have some plans tomorrow to race well and hope
they will work out", the clever Savio said. With allies like Columbia
(Lövkvist and Boasson Hagen), Liquigas (Basso and Nibali), Acqua e
Sapone (Garzelli) and Danilo DiLuca and his LPR Brakes team,
Diquigiovanni-Androni will try to put the screws to Klöden and Astana
on the road to Camerino.
Yesterday's race leader Joaquím Rodríguez (Caisse d'Epargne), decidedly
not a time trialist was over 2'30" behind Klöden to lose his race lead,
while last-place, 2008 Tirreno-Adriatico winner and Olympic ITT champ
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) was first off today. Cancellara is still
recovering from a shoulder injury from a training crash and has a cold,
so his performance is nothing like last year and stayed in last place.
Monday, March 16 Stage 6: Civitanova Marche-Camerino / 235km
The queen stage of race the 44th edition Tirreno-Adriatico will likely
decide the race, with a very long and very difficult stage across the
hilly hinderlands of the southern part of the Marche region. There are
two listed KOM's and lots of non-categorized climbing. The key point to
Monday's Stage 6 will likely be the 15km ascent of Sasso Tetto
(1455m.), which gains over 900m. on the climb. At the summit, there are
still 42km left to race, with the last 5km to the finish in Camerino
largely uphill. Tirreno-Adriatico leader Andreas Kloden (Astana) will
be under major pressure from Diquigiovanni-Androni, Liquigas and
Columbia. Without the support of climber, Janez Brajkovic who abandoned
with a concussion on Stage 3, Kloden could find himself isolated and
vulnerable on the road to Camerino.
44th Tirreno-Adriatico
Italy, March 11-17, 2009
Sunday, March 15
Loreto-Macerata ITT / 30km
1. Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana / 41'32" (43.339 km/hr. avg. speed)
2. Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick.Step @ :20"
3. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Columbia @ :21"
4. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Diquigiovanni-Androni @ :23"
5. Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha @ :32"
6. Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank @ :40"
7. Stefano Garzelli (ITA) Acqua e Sapone @ :41"
8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Columbia @ :52"
9. Linus Gerdemann (GER) Milram @ :58"
10. Jerome Coppel (FRA) Francaise des Jeux @ 1'
44th Tirreno-Adriatico / General classification after Stage 5
1. Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 16h51'13"
2. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Columbia @ :06"
3. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Diquigiovanni-Androni @ :21"
4. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone @ :41"
5. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Diquigiovanni-Androni @ 1'02"
6. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Liquigas @ 1'07"
7. Linus Gerdemann (GER) Milram @ 1'22"
8. Ivan Basso (ITA) Liquigas @ 1'25"
9. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin @ 1'26"
10. Johan Van Summeren (BEL) @ Silence
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