GIRO D’ITALIA - 17 May 2012

Stage 13 – Savona - Cervere, 121km

Mark Cavendish secured his hat-trick of wins at the Giro d'Italia, outpacing his rivals by a bike length at the end of a frantic sprint. With three hundred metres to go the Sky rider looked boxed in and out of contention, even free-wheeling for a couple of seconds to avoid a collision but in a burst of speed wiht a hundred to go he left runners-up Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Australian Mark Renshaw (Rabobank) outgunned and out of options.

Cavendish took advantage of the last chance for the sprinters to shine before the race hits the high mountains for the coming week. Meanwhile there were no changes at the top of the General Classification with Joaquin Rodriguez still leading Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin) and Sandy Casar (Francaise de Jour) by 17 seconds and 26 seconds respectively.

The run into the finish at Cervere was straight and fast, coming at the end of the race's shortest stage, a modest 121km. Until the last 10km the day had passed with relative ease for the peloton. It had been content to give the day over to a break of two, comprising Martijn Keizer of Vacansoleil-DCMand Francesco Failli (Farnese Vini) which went away unchallenged a scant kilometre into the stage. This wasn't either man's first appearance in a break in the Giro to date and they settled into a comfortable pace. They manage to pull out the gap to a maximum of 4'22" with 70km to go.

The day sees the crash and withdrawl of Reto Hollenstein (NetApp) who appeared to have broken a collarbone when he went down at 94km to go. The Swiss rider in his first race was unlucky not have been going faster -road rash at speed (a few days of misery) or a collarbone (and several weeks off the bike) at a dawdle, it's not a difficult choice for a professional.

After being tantalised with the prospect of going to the finish unchallenged reality started setting in for th two escappees as they passed 50km to go. They wouldn't be caught for another 30km which left them with a slow agonising death for whatever hopes they might have entertained. By the time it had steamed by them at the 20km to go mark the peloton was forming up into sprint mode. Orica Greenedge, with Matt Goss at its centre, was the first team to bring order shepherding everyone over the last hill of the day at Vico. A moment of inattention on the descent sent Cesare Benedetti (Androni) and Dominique Rollin (FDJ) to the floor in a heap. While Rollin sought a replacement for a bent bike Benedetti expressed his opinion with some graphic shoulder movements and a bit of arm-waving.

Somewhere around five kilometres left to race the peloton was approaching full-speed. Orica-GreenEdge had faded from view and the pace was being set by Rabobank and Saxo Bank with Sky quietly forming its train. When kilometre mark was hit SKy looked in control, but Orica-Greeendge had re-appeared. Mark Renshaw cut a lone figure while Roberto Ferrari (Androni) appeared so suddenly is seemed he had been beamed down. There after it was a melee. It seemed almost inevitable there would be a crash as sprinters and the remants of their lead-out trains switched back and forht across the run-in. Cavendish having been delivered as scheduled by the Sky machine was left to his own devices. After following in the wheel of Robert Hunter, Cav found himself right behind Goss. For a brief moment he checked his speed to avoid hitting Goss and looked as if he had mis-timed his final move. A gap opened up toward the left and Cav was through with a turbo-charged acceleration. As Goss and Renshaw who had been fighting it out between them faded Cav pulled away to cross the line armed raised and signalling "three", followed by Kristoff a bike length adrift.

Stage 14: The race heads north to the Alps with a 206km stage between Cherasco and Breuil-Cervinia, the latter at the foot of the famous Matterhorn. The first 137km are rolling with the route passing through Turin. At Verres the road takes a more vertical character with the first of two major climbs culminating at the 1640m Col de Joux at 159.5km. A fast descent to Chatillon give riders no time before the climax, a lung-bursting 28km ascent to 2001m Cervinia.

Stage Results - Top 30

1	Mark Cavendish  (IOM)	3:02:07
2	Alexander Kristoff  (NOR)	st
3	Mark Renshaw  (AUS)	st
4	Sacha Modolo  (ITA)	st
5	Elia Favilli  (ITA)	st
6	Matthew Goss  (AUS)	st
7	Arnaud Démare  (FRA)	st
8	Sebastián Haedo  (ARG)	st
9	Sonny Colbrelli  (ITA)	st
10	Manuel Belletti  (ITA)	st
11	Dennis Vanendert  (BEL)	st
12	Francesco Chicchi  (ITA)	st
13	Mickaël Delage  (FRA)	st
14	Danilo Wyss  (SUI)	st
15	Roberto Ferrari  (ITA)	st
16	Juan José Haedo  (ARG)	st
17	Giacomo Nizzolo  (ITA)	st
18	Simone Ponzi  (ITA)	st
19	Robert Hunter  (RSA)	st
20	Maciej Bodnar  (POL)	st
21	Ben Hermans  (BEL)	st
22	Daniel Schorn  (AUT)	st
23	Fabio Sabatini  (ITA)	st
24	Gatis Smukulis  (LAT)	st
25	Thomas De Gendt  (BEL)	st
26	Geoffrey Soupe  (FRA)	st
27	José Herrada  (ESP)	st
28	Matteo Bono  (ITA)	st
29	Andrea Guardini  (ITA)	st
30	Paolo Tiralongo  (ITA)	st

General Classification Top 10 after Stage 13

To read more go to the Giro d'Italia 2012

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