Cycling

Lilian Calmejane

Matija Meden

Steven Kruijswijk

Trevor Signorino

Victor Galvez

Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish

Will Grant,

Cycling season is quickly drawing to a close...  or rather is coming to a beginning in Australia.  Enjoy

Nibali Surges! New Race Leader! Giro Cycling

Do you remember Sagan, Basso, Nibali on the same team?

Kruijswijk riding alone after his crash

In a story which could only be written in one of the Grand Tours of Cycling, yesterday proved to be literally pivotal.  As the Giro d'Italia enters its last day of racing (Sunday's stage is essentially ceremonial), a new race leader has emerged and an old standby has been vindicated. 

The Alps have been problematic in the past, with stages cancelled because of snow.  Today's mountainous stage was placed at the end of May, but snow still proved a problem.  Dutch cyclist, Steven Kruijswijk, who has been in the race leader's Pink Jersey for more than a week, and who was projected to win overall due to his great lead, crashed yesterday into a snowbank on a descent.  He was fading fast anyway, and the crash lessened his chances of preserving his lead, to a snowball's chance....

Italian stud cyclist Vincenzo Nibali has been roundly criticized this year for not winning.  The situation became bad in the Dolomites a few days ago, with spectators openly mocking him, and the press savaging him.  At the start of Friday's stage, he was more than 4 minutes behind in the standings, and possible illness almost resulted in his being pulled from the race.  Vincenzo Nibali won Friday's stage, winning also the Cima Coppi, this year's highest climb,  and surged into second place overall.  His chances are good today, in this last mountain stage. 

Race leader as the Giro heads into this last day of racing is Colombian Esteban Chaves, of Orican Green Edge.  Today will be an epic battle which only one of cycling's Grand Tours can provide. 

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