91st Giro d'Italia - Stage 11 Interviews
After race Interviews, Team and Rider Comments... Bertolini, Simoni, Di Luca, Baliani, Savoldelli, and more...

Stage 11 winner and Renaissance Man
Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni's Alessandro Bertolini
It's never too late to win a stage, and Alessandro Bertolini proved this point as he opened his Giro d'Italia account at the age of 36:

"I came close to winning in the past, and was even second to Tonkov in 2004 . But I got it today, at last! I must thank my teammates, and Gibo in particular; this victory belongs to him too. I put team tactics into practice as I went on the attack early into the stage in order to anticipate the climb. Then (Simoni) gave me green light and told me to go and win the stage. I'm very grateful to Gianni (team manager Gianni Savio) too, because he picked me up in his squad and gave me the opportunity to do well in this race. Now I can look after helping Gibo make the podium or even win the race: he's got the right legs - and the right mind - to win." Baliani and his last kilometre fall? "Well, things happen. I fell myself too today. Cycling is like that, you know".

Gilberto Simoni was pleased that his teammate dedicated today's stage victory to him, but didn't speak of himself as GC contender:

"Alessandro deserved to win a Giro stage. Today's leg didn't make much of an impact (on the overall), but this is no surprise. I experienced something similar three years ago, in another mountain stage in the Apennines, when everything happened ... and nothing changed. Had the rain fallen all the time today, we could have had some epic cycling, with the peloton breaking into pieces. But this was not the case. My next target is a stage victory at Pampeago, because it would be a "home win", but also as I just like the place. I like to win there".

CSF-Navigare Fortunato Baliani part of the day long break, who crashed in the final 800 meters and finished third, "What a silly way to finish the stage. Nothing goes right. I ended up like Sella the other day"

Danilo Di Luca was upset at the finish: "This was a pointless stage, all the climbs were far from the finish. The rest was all about the road going up and down. And we ran too many risks".

Paolo Savoldelli gave some explanations about LPR's sometime questionable team tactics, and why he didn't put in one of his frequent downhill shows:
"We had planned an attack on today's hardest climb, so we wanted to have some men on the front. But when we realized that Danilo was a marked man and they wouldn't let him go, we got Bosisio on the move. Later I tried myself, but it didn't work. At some point, with all the rain and everything, I couldn't even hear the radio, I didn't know what was going on. I didn't attack on the descent because it wasn't worth the effort today. I knew that this stage wasn't going to change a thing, and I think that I was right".

Leonardo Piepoli was amongst those bearing the worst consequences of such "risks": hit his left hand, hip and even injured his superciliary arch. "And all of this with the climbs just two days away. That's not good at all. I am not used to give up so easily, but we'll see ..."

Emanuele Sella (Maglia Verde) was a true "mud-man" after the stage today. We lost count of the misfortunes he was marred by throughout the Giro, the times he fell, the bike problems he had, and so on, and so on ...

"Today was worse than a few days ago (the day he was in the winning breakaway and punctured a few kilometres from the finish...). The first time I fell there was that motorbike on the road, and I don't know why it was there. Visconti fell, and so did I. But I didn't realize what really happened 25 kilometres from the finish either: I just know that I found Piepoli's bike (on my way) in the middle of the road, then I ended up in a nearby wood. Well, when such things happen, in the end you're just happy that you're safe and sane and back in the saddle...".

Saunier's boss Pietro Algeri added: "there was a hidden turn, many pulled their brakes, the road was slippery, and several riders fell. I think Piepoli will get some stitches, but things could have been even worse. Riccò thought he could finish the stage on the front with a small group, but things didn't live to expectations".

Caisse d'Epargne
Pablo Lastras Protagonist in Stage 11
Pablo Lastras finished the second of stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia, Urbania -Cesena (193 kilometers). The rider of the team Caisse d’Epargne broke at km 42 together with 4 other riders (Laurent Mangel, Fortunato Baliani, Jussi Veikkanen and Alessandro Bertolini).

“I planned to attack today”, explained Lastras who attacked a first time at 25 km from the finish. “We cooperated very well and in the final everybody tried to attack on turn. Only three of us were left for the victory but Baliani’s crash in the last kilometer changed the development of the sprint. I had to brake very hard and start again. Bertolini who was in the lead when that happened took the opportunity to take some advance. It is a fact that I am disappointed for finishing only the second after I worked so hard during the whole stage but on the other side I am also satisfied because I showed today that I am able to achieve something good in the Giro and I hope I will have another chance before we reach Milan.”

Lampre
Marzio Advances to 4th in G.C.
Santambrogio Injured, abandons race.
After yesterday victory, Marzio Bruseghin gained one position in the 11th stage of Giro d'Italia. The dangerous stage, characterized by many crashes, was won by Bertolini thanks to a long breakaway and Visconti is still the leader of the overall standing.

Santambrogio too had an accident: he was trying an attack when he slipped in a bend and hit his shoulder. He abandoned the race and went to Urbino hospital, where x-ray showed that the shoulder is dislocated.

Bruseghin's performance was good, in fact he was able to be in the best group when Riccò tried to accelerate, action then neutralized. The bunch reached the arrival at 3'53" from Bertolini and Lorenzetto obtained the 9th position. In the overall standing, Bruseghin is 4th at 7'52" from Visconti.

Team CSC
Larsson Advances to 10th on G.C. in Spite of Crash
 Wednesday's 193-kilometer 11th stage of Giro d'Italia was very eventful. A nervous, aggressive and short stage with a lot of rain resulted in numerous crashes and unfortunately almost the entire Team CSC crew was involved.

Gustav Larsson and Chris Anker Sørensen made it through without time loss compared to the rest of the favorites Gustav Larsson advanced to an overall 10th place, but Nicki Sørensen crashed out of his top position. Team CSC was well represented with five riders in the peloton counting about 50 in total, who all crossed the finish line together. Ahead of them were six guys, who had escaped earlier and they ended up competing for the victory, which went to Alessandro Bertolini (Diquigiovanni) about four minutes ahead of the peloton.

Along the way there were a number of attempts from the favorites, which caused the peloton to split a few times – aided by a few crashes as well, but still a large group of riders ended up finishing together. Michael Blaudzun was best for Team CSC in 12th place.

"It was a really nervous stage and just about all our guys were involved in crashes. Nicki crashed and lost some time as a result, but like the others, who went down, he got off lightly without any injuries. Jens almost made the break and is generally feeling pretty strong so he'll probably try again. And now we have two flat stages before hitting the really big mountains this weekend," said Kim Andersen.

Red Bird's Report - Saunier Duval/Scott
Alessandro Bertolini (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni) has won stage eleven of the 91st Giro d´Italia (Urbania-Cesena, 199 kilometres), characterized by rain and crashes. Bertolini managed to get the win out of a three-man break when Fortunato Baliani (CSF Group Navigare) crashed in the last turn and Pablo Lastras García (Caisse d´Epargne) couldn't get back onto the Italian´s wheel.

An initial five-man break -Bertolini, Lastras, Laurent Mangel (Ag2r), Jussi Veikkanen (Française des Jeux) and Tiziano dall´Antonia (CSF Group Navigare)- dominated the day.

Oblivious to the fight for the stage win, the favorites put up a good show on Monte Carpegna (at Km. 107.6), which resulted in a selection of fifteen riders including Saunier Duval/Scott´s Riccò and Piepoli. Then again in Monteleone, "La Cobra" launched an attack that carved the bunch down to ten, who later went down. Among them was Piepoli; he crossed the finish line with multiple bruises. In the final kilometres there was some regrouping, thanks to which the yellow squad placed four men -Riccò, Piepoli, Cañada and Camaño- in the sixty-man leading bunch. Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) has kept the leader´s "maglia rosa," while Riccò´s climbed to 8th.

Lampre Comments Stage 10
Marzio Bruseghin "Thrilled"
Under the rain that fell on most part of the route from Urbino to PEsaro (39,4 kms), Marzio Bruseghin realized an outstanding time trial performance: even if Lampre's athlete doesn't like rain and cold, his race was fantastic and he could obtain the victory on Contador (8") and Kloden (20").

After a calm start (because of the rain) on the plain part of the route, Bruseghin carried out a progression in the tough part to Urbino: the average speed of 41,075 km/h and the time of 56'42" gave Marzio his second stage victory in Giro (the first one last year in Oropa time trial) and his fourth career victory (time trial Italian Championship in 2006 and team time trial in Tour de Pologne 2007).

"I'm thrilled!": said Bruseghin when Contador crossed the arrival in second position, then he commented: "When we trained on this time trial route, I immediately felt that I liked it, then during the race I had good feelings. This victory is for the whole team: mechanics, masseurs, the whole staff and sponsor are always fantastic".
Good performance by Szmyd too, 27th at 2'58".
In the overall standing, Bruseghin is 5th at 7'52" from Visconti; Szmyd is 33rd at 12'55".