STAGE 17: MAY 30  Conegliano/Corvara in ValBadia (222 km.): 

Stage profile

Welcome to the Stage 17 live ticker. Another mountain stage today - two climbs immediately after the start, but the contenders will have sunny weather.

We are especially lucky today to have two of the Daily Peloton's best, Fabio and Manny, covering this ticker!

Stage Results:

1. PAVEL TONKOV (RUS) 7h 24'57"

2. PAOLO SAVOLDELLI (ITA) at 2'10"

3. JUAN MANUEL GARATE (SPA) at 3'07"

4. GEORG TOTSCHING (AUT) at 3'10"

5. DENIS LUNGHI (ITA) at 3'17"

6. PIETRO CAUCCHIOLI (ITA) at 3'17"

7. HERNAN MUNOZ (COL) at 3'21"

8. FERNANDO ESCARTIN (SPA) at 4'01"

9. TYLER HAMILTON (USA) at 4'01"

10. ADDY ENGELS (HOL) at 4'14"

16. JULIO ALBERTO PEREZ CUAPIO (MEX) at 7'01"

Overall:

1. PAOLO SAVOLDELLI (ITA) 80h 37'11"

2. PIETRO CAUCCHIOLI (ITA) at 55"

3. TYLER HAMILTON (USA) at 1'28"

4. JUAN MANUEL GARATE (SPA) at 1'39"

5. PAVEL TONKOV (RUS) at 3'09"

6. FERNANDO ESCARTIN (SPA) at 3'19"

7. GEORG TOTSCHNIG (AUT) at 5'32"

8. RIK VERBRUGGHE (BEL) at 7'54"

1753 - Cadel Evans finally got to the finishing line, 17'11" behind the stage winner.

NEW OVERALL: Savoldelli leading by 55" on Caucchioli, 1'28" on Hamilton, 1'39" on Garate, 3'08" on Tonkov

1752 - Still a few meters to go for Evans

1749 -700 METERS TO GO FOR CADEL!!

Il Falco gets his pink jersey while Cadel suffers on the road....the irony of cycling

1748 - DARIO FRIGO GETS TO THE FINISH LINE NOW - HE LOST 12'19"

1746 - the whole crowd is supporting Cadel - but he still has trouble in going on .. the drama of cycling indeed

The tifosi are pushing Cadel...

Savoldelli goes up the podium to get his Maglia Rosa

1746 - Noè is there waiting for Evans .. Great support by the Italian anyway

1744 - EVANS SIMPLY CAN'T GO ON - FANS ARE PUSHING HIM ... LOST MORE THAN 8' and still has 1 km. to go

But watch out for him in the next years

1743 - Time for a well-deserved kiss by the miss for Pavel Tonkov

1742 - New OVERALL GC IS: 1. SAVOLDELLI 2. CAUCCHIOLI 3. HAMILTON

1740 - SAVOLDELLI - PINK JERSEY - IT'S OFFICIAL NOW!

1739 - Then Totsching, Lunghi, Caucchioli and Munoz

1738 - SPAIN'S JUAN MANUEL GARATE TAKES THIRD - 3'07" behind

1737 - Paolo Savoldelli takes second, 2'11" behind Tonkov, and will very likely take the pink jersey too

The cameras go back and pick Il Falco who has taken the bull by the horns. Paolo Savoldelli approaches the finish line...

PAVEL TONKOV WINS! TIME IS 7h24'57"

1735 - Last km for Tonkov who is about to win the stage and Savoldelli going to take the pink jersey

1734 - Hamilton lost 12" to the Caucchioli-Munoz peloton

1733 - Troubles for Hamilton, he lost some 20 metres to Munoz!!

Hamilton dropped from the chasing group...

Savoldelli lost 1:35 to Hamilton in the Numana ITT, wonder what he'll do on Saturday...Garate attacks the Hamilton group...Tyler can't respond

1732- Garate tries to say goodbye to Tyler Hamilton's peloton, while Escartin got dropped

Tonkov starts to struggle on the bike...Savoldelli is riding "like a man possessed"...

Ultimo Chilometro for Pavel Tonkov

Paolo Savoldelli doing the ride of his life...he hasn't changed the rhythm at all since he attacked...

1731 - 2 TO GO FOR TONKOV, while Popovych is struggling to stay with the best riders, but he's having a very good Giro anyway. Very good first time for a neopro

1730 - SAVOLDELLI GAINED 1'30 " ON HAMILTON!!!

Savoldelli is racing as if it was his last day as a pro...leaving nothing to chance...nobody counted on Il Falco...

1727 - 3 to go for Savoldelli - his gap to leader Tonkov is about 1'44"

The Hamilton groups starts to attack each other...

Il Falco chasing the flying Tonkov who has lead the race for quite some time now.

1725 - Tyler Hamiton now leading the chasing group

Forget about the doping scandals...this is what we have waited for...

4kms all arrivo..and it's Tonkov, followed by Savoldelli 2' behind

1724 - with Hamilton 1'10" down on Savoldelli

Il Falco looks very good...

1722 - Evans lost 3' to Savoldelli, and about 2' to Hamilton

about 1km between Tonkov and Il Falco

Perez is getting chased by the Lunghi-Hamilton group

1721 - PEREZ CUAPIO NOW CAUGHT AND DROPPED by the Tyler Hamiilton group too !!

Paolo Savoldelli is storming up the final climb...

Tonkov is in front...followed by Savoldelli a few minutes back Dennis Lunghi leads the chasing peloton

Evans bonked big time!!

Tonkov engages the 53 chainring...full speed ahead for the russian

Tonkov keeps his rhythm high...good for the Russian

1719 - Savoldelli is 30" down on Hamilton in the GC, so he could take the Pink jersey at the end of today's stage

Savoldelli is right behind Perez Cuapio - passed and dropped him

Tonkov...Savoldelli..Perez...

1717 - Looks like Evans is following Dario Frigo's steps

1716 - No teammates helping Evans either

1715 - FRIGO BIG WAY DOWN - losing 6'40" to Tonkov

Frigo is gone...the Maglia Rosa is trouble

But Savoldelli's attack looks VERY INTERESTING, while Evans lost 40" TO HAMILTON !!!

1715 - EVANS DROPPED lost time to Hamilton, while SAVOLDELLI ATTACKS

Hamilton ATTACKS...just a bluff

The last 5kms will be the window for attacks...Evans, Hamilton and Savoldelli will have to do something there...Hamilton is gone

A fan runs next to Tonkov...easy Pavel, don't throw any punches...

1709 - TONKOV NOW LEADING BY 1'05" - he gained 25" on 1 km. only, some 9 km. to go

Tonkov keeps his steady tempo...he's climbing up the GC as well...

Seems the temperatures are quite hot...most of the riders have their jerzeys unzipped...

1707 - 11 to go - Tonkov now leading by 25" on Perez Cuapio and 2'35" on the pink jersey's peloton. Frigo is 4'21" behind

The Tacconi team car is next to Frigo, offering some moral support...he needs a new engine not moral support...

1705 - Tonkov leading by 20" on Perez Cuapio

Frigo is 3'41" behind now...and we still wait for the attacks to come...

1704 - Seems that also the battle for third place overall is wide open now...

1703 - Aitor Gonzalez lost 30" to the pink jersey

Tyler will have to suck it up and get with the program.

1702 - Seems that Russia's Pavel Tonkov is about to put an end to his 4-year-long losing streak. FRIGO lost 1'20" to Evans and Hamilton

1701 - TONKOV ATTACKS AND DROPS PEREZ!!

2'20" for Tonkov...

1659 - Tonkov and Perez Cuapio keep the same advantage - now it's 2'10"

1656 - Teammate Eddy Mazzoleni still around Frigo, but he looks like going to lose many a minute in this final part of the stage

Meanwhile at the front, the two breakways have increased the lead to 2'18"

1655 - FRIGO DROPPED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SEEMS HIS GIRO IS OVER !!!!

He looks over at the camera and doesn't look good at all...

1654 - DARIO FRIGO IN TROUBLE !!!!

Hamilton looks comfortable...so does Savoldelli.

1652 - 2'10" is the leaders' advantage now, they keep the same advantage in the first 5 km. of the climb

Sastre and Garcia still police the back of the front group....

The tension is growing... Frigo looks like the one who will initiate the hostilites...

1651 - 15 to go, now Noè is up front setting the pace for Evans

1650 - Cioni dropped now, after all the great work he did for Evans

What a tremendous performance for the 27 year old italian domestique. Sastre and Garcia are hanging at the back of the peloton..

Looks like Cioni is done for the day...

1648 - Pellizzotti now definitively dropped while Tonkov and Cuapio's lead is 2'06"

1645 - Tyler Hamilton still on Cadel Evans' wheel

What beautiful scenery in the Dolomites...perfect scenario for the battle

1644 - About 20 riders are with the pink jersey now...

1643 - Cioni STILL leading the peloton, ahead of Noé and Cadel. They just began the final climb too.

Cioni takes his helmet off and hands it to the motorcycle camera man. Here we go...the gloves are coming off...

1642 -Now the lead slightly down - 2'06"

1640 - Perez Cuapio and Tonkov (who won his last Giro stage in 1998) leading by 2'18", they just began the final ascent - 18 km. to go

The lead is 2'18" for Tonkov and Perez Cuapio

The two fugitives are over 2'30" ahead.

1637 - Mapei's team director just said he advised Cadel Evans (a road novice, after all) to eat something more before the last climb, and greets Cioni and Noè for their hard work

The front group remains under the control of a very inspired Dario Cioni, with Noe, Evans, Hamilton, Frigo, Savoldelli and company in tow.

Manny: Looks like Cioni will lead Noe and Evans once again.

Fabio: But if he doesn't drop Tonkov .. I can hardly see him as a mexican Cipo

Cioni and Noe discuss the strategy for the final climb.

1629 - Tonkov and Perez Cuapio now leading by 2'18"

1628 - Gonzalez, Pereiro and Caucchioli just regained the main peloton

1627 - 30 km. to go - 11 to the foot of the Passo Coe final ascent

1624 - Average speed so far is a little more than 30 km/h, while Gonzalez is about to regain Cadel Evans' group. They are on the Bordala descent now

Aitor Gonzalez tries to rejoin the front group. He's in the caravan.

1622 - Nothing in particular happening in the peloton now, with Perez and Tonkov leading by more than 2' on the pink jersey's peloton, and riders on a descent. Aitor Gonzalez is about 30" behind the main peloton

Cioni goes back to the car to get bottles...after doing all the pulling over the last two climbs.

Noe takes over the reins of the front group...

1617 - Today's final ascent is about 19.3-KM. long, with a 7.4 % average gradient, and a max. gradient of about 12%

1616 - Peloton just got to the top of the mountain, almost 2' behind the leaders

The gap has gone up to 1'57"

1613 - Perez Cuapio takes this KOM prime too, Tonkov second again. CUAPIO just won the KOM competition and will be in green on the Milan podium. A well-deserved award for the most exciting protagonist of this Giro (along with Cipollini)

The two fugitives approach the Gran Premio della Montagna...Carlos Sastre goes back to the car to load himself with bottles...and take a wild guess on who leads the front peloton....dare I say, Dario Cioni....

Evans will have to try and take time on the climb to the finish

(P.S. Bravo to JML. After Ullrich is out, now he's going to keep Simoni out too.. who does he think can challenge lance, on paper at least, Virenque ??)

Seems like Sastre and Marcelino Garcia...they could be taking a page from Lance's book...pretend you are not going well and then shake them like a bad case of fleas...

Two CSC boys spotted at the back of the front peloton....saving the energies for the final assault...

...or maybe just struggling to stay with the others

1609 - Gonzalez is currently 4th Overall, just 24" behind Evans, but seems he is about to lose all of his overall chances

And it's the man of the stage, Cioni showing the way, AGAIN!!!!!

1608 -Tonkov and Perez now leading by 1'35" on Cadel Evans' group, while seems that AITOR GONZALEZ got dropped

1607 - Tonkov and Perez just began the Bordala ascent, sorry but the max gradient is 13% not 23%

1606 - 44 km to go - Perez and Tonkov leading by 1'30" The next ascent (PASSO BORDALA) is just 4.1 km-long, but very hard, with a max. gradient of some 23%

44kms from the finish, with the escapees (Perez and Tonkov) still over a minute ahead

1604 - Cioni was third in the KOM prime, ahead of Spezialetti and Evans

The race enters its critical point

A Saeco rider has taken over the tempo, setting at the front of the chasing peloton

1603 - The peloton with all main favorites gets to the top of the climb, the gap to the leaders is 1'23" now

1600 - Perez Cuapio Takes the 1st Category KOM prime, Tonkov second, now a short descent before a new demanding ascent

The lead duo arrives at the Gran Premio della Montagna...With Perez taking the points...he's sealing the competition...

Noe moves behind Evans...perhaps to lead on the way down and give Cioni a well deserved break..

1558 - 1 KM. to the Santa Barbara mountain top, Tonkov now leading the break

1557 - Popovych struggling to stay with the main contenders - a good Giro for the U23 World Champion

1556 - Perez and Tonkov leading by 1' now!! They gained 20" in the last kilometer

Cioni ate his Wheeties (Cereal of champs) this morning...the man continues to lead the way...

1555 - 2 kms. to the Santa Barbara mountain top

1554 - Now Tonkov and Cuapio are leading by 35"

1553 - Gotti reeled in by the group

3kms to the top

The gradient is now lesser

Perez and Tonkov keep a steady tempo at the front...

1552 - While Hamilton's teammates are not around him, but at the bottom of the (small) peloton

1551 - Perez and Tonkov leading by 21" on Gotti, the peloton is 36" down on them

We can see Pellizzotti now sitting in the middle of the front group...

1550 - Verbrugghe swallowed by the Pleoton, where Cioni is STILL setting the pace

Mr.Fassa has threatened to pull out of the sponsorship if another team member is kicked out of the Giro...not what "Ferron" (Ferretti) wants to hear after such a horrendous luck by his boys...

1549 - Perez and Tonkov are closing to the top of the Santa Barbara climb - 46 km. to go

Cioni has them single file.... even though the pace is high, it's steady which benefits Hamilton.

1548 - Last year the Santa Barbara ascent was the scene of the famous "boxing match" between Wladmir "Tyson" Belli and a spectator abusing him.It was climbed on the opposite side though.

1547 - Now Perez Cuapio and Tonkov gained a few metres on Gotti and Verbrugghe

1546 - Pellizzotti regained the peloton, while the 4 leaders continue their action.

Pellizzotti is coming back....

1545 - After the Santa Barbara, a short descent and immediately a new difficult ascent - PASSO BORDALA, with gradient going up to a max of 23%

The road is getting narrower, and Cioni continues to do all the work in front of the Maglia Rosa...

Fabio, could we expect a dare devil descent by "IL Falco"...??

The descent is not that technical, he wouldn't gain that much

Paolo Savoldelli is looking good right behind Hamilton and next to Frigo.

1544 - Cioni still leading the chase, followed by Evans, with Hamilton and Frigo just behind him

The 4 fugitives have increased their speed...

1542 - The leading quartet has a 30-meter lead on the Peloton, where Cioni still is riding tempo

1541 - Perez Tonkov and Gotti caught by RIK VERBRUGGHE

Cioni's tempo is causing havoc at the back of the front group.

And Frigo (one more time) seems to have no teammates there to help him.

1539 - NOW A MORE SERIOUS ATTACK - PEREZ CUAPIO!!! Followed by Gotti and Tonkov

Evans has Cioni and Noe with him....Hamilton seems to have Garcia and Sastre sitting a behind him...

1538 - But his attempt was short-lived...

1537 - Another Selle Italia's Colombian attacking now ... it's Dario Munoz again

Attacks are coming, but not gaining much on the tempo set by the peloton...

1536 - The pink jersey is just behind Cioni, and Tyler Hamilton is just behind him ...

1535 - Cioni (Evan's domestique) and Perez Cuapio now at the front of the peloton - 50 km. to go

The mountain biker squad (Cioni, Evans and Rassmussen) have done a good job through out the race.

1534 - Mesa Mesa swallowed again by the peloton

1533 - Bad news for Alessio's Franco Pellizzotti. The Italian climber got dropped again, just like yesterday, and will likely lose plenty of time

1532 - On the opposite, Perez Cuapio is now taking it easy inside in the peloton...waiting for the right moment to launch his attack?

At 52 kms all arrivo, seems like Mesa Mesa will have a tough job staying clear.

1531 - Mesa Mesa, previously caught by the peloton, tries again and gains a few metres on the rest of riders

1530 - The main peloton is now made up of about 40 riders

1529 - One of yesterday's protagonists, Daniele De Paoli, paid for the effort he did on the Marmolada and just got dropped

1527 - Mesa and Perez joined by another Colombian, Selle italia's Hernan Munoz, winner of the 2002 Tour of Langkawi in February

1528 - Munoz just attcked and dropped his two breakaway companions in a steep part of the ascent (gradient at about 10 % now)

Most be the warm weather setting the latin boys "EN FUEGO!!!!"...

1526 - The peloton just at the beginning of the Santa Barbara climb, and IMMEDIATELY PEREZ CUAPIO attacked, followed only by Colombia's Hector Mesa Mesa

As for the Intergiro in Trento, surprisingly Strazzer outsprinted Cipollini. Piccoli took third

Julio Perez Cuapio is not waiting waiting for anyone today....

In the early part of the stage, 2 ascents were already climbed. BARBAERO was first at the top of Passo Gardena, ahead of Perez and de Pali, while Colombia's Marin took the Sella KOM prime ahead of De Paoli and Castelblanco

1522 - The current situation sees the peloton with all main contenders regrouped. Riders are about to tackle the hardest ascent of the 2002 Giro: the "Santa Barbara"

1520 - Welcome to the live coverage of STAGE 17, one of the two "queen stages" of this year's Tour of Italy. Riders will have two tackle 5 different and difficult climbs, including the uphill finish to Folgaria.