2013 Giro d'Italia, Stage 8 Results

DOWSETT BEATS WIGGINS IN THE TIME TRIAL, NIBALI, 4th, TAKES THE MAGLIA ROSA

Alex Dowsett (Movistar) took the most important win of his career today in Stage 8, a rolling and technical 54.8 km time trial from Gabicce Mare to Saltara.

The 24-year-old beat his former Sky Procycling team-mate Bradley Wiggins by 10 seconds. Tanel Kangert (Astana) was third, just 4 seconds behind Wiggins, and then came his teammate Vincenzo Nibali, who took the Maglia Rosa today.

"For me, the race was about doing what I do," said Dowsett. "I was catching a lot of riders: it was like a carrot on a stick for me, although I knew a lot of them were taking it easy. The wait was horrible. There were three stand out moments: one, when Kangert came in very close to my time. Two, when I was up on Wiggins at the split, although I knew he’d improve. And three, with Nibali, when I knew the reverse would happen: I knew he’d be good in the twisty start, but I’d be better on the later, power sections, and that was how it went. It wasn’t a hard decision moving to Movistar. I enjoyed my time with Sky and for my first two years as a pro it was the best place to be. But I wasn’t in the big races and I couldn’t see me getting in. Movistar wanted me and, more importantly, they wanted to put me into the big races. I’m very grateful to the team: they rested me as much as they could before this stage, and I’m glad to repay then for their faith in me."

Dowsett, on being a hemopheliac: "If it wasn’t for my haemophilia I wouldn’t be here now. I was diagnosed at 18 months. The National Health Service and my parents have taken care of me. I was told swimming was the best way of taking care. I used to swim 5 or 6 days a week. That fitness made me fast on the bike. I want to send a message out to young haemophiliacs, because it’s a common misconception that you should wrap your kids in cotton wool."

Vincenzo Nibali's, who had the best intermediate time today, comments: "This was a difficult time trial, with lots of changes of rhythm. It favored the climbers. I thought riders like Hesjedal and Evans would do better over such a long time trial. I was strong over the first 25 km, being lighter, and they came back later. I’ll certainly try to defend this Maglia Rosa, and they will certainly try to attack it. In the first few days of the race, Kangert was not well, and looking for good form. Yesterday he was up there with me. Today he did a good time trial. He tried to win it, and he’ll certainly be very important to me in this Giro. We know why we’re here and the whole Astana team is behind what we’re trying to do."

Wiggins was described during the race by Davide Cassani, the RAI announcer, as being psyched out on the the first part of the course as a result of yesterday's crash. Wiggins view: "I think there was some initial disappointment because I wanted to win the stage. It’s been a challenging few days with the crash yesterday and then to come back up. It wasn’t an easy course. It was a bit damp still as well so I was a bit cautious – especially after crashing yesterday. I’ve said all along that it wasn’t one of those ones where you could take three or four minutes out of people because it was so technical at the start. Then obviously to have a puncture and have to change bikes (from the Bolide to last year's bike) and disrupt the rhythm is never going to help. But then the second part of the course was really suited to me and I took back a lot of time on people there. It is what it is and it’s put us right back up there now. It’s going to be a hell of a race for the next two weeks. I’m pleased for Alex Dowsett. It’s a brilliant start to his Grand Tour career."

Hesjedal, Evans and Scarponi (moving up into 5th on GC) each had a good time trial.

Stage 8 highlights:


Stage 8 top 10:
1 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team 1:16:27
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:10
3 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team 0:00:14
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:21
5 Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:00:32
6 Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 0:00:35
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:39
8 Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:00:45
9 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 0:00:53
10 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida

Top 20 GC:
1 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 29:46:57
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:29
3 Robert Gesink (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:01:15
4 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:01:16
5 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:01:24
6 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp 0:02:05
7 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 0:02:11
8 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia 0:02:43
9 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida 0:02:44
10 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:02:49
11 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge 0:02:50
12 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team 0:03:02
13 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:03:26
14 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:36
15 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:03:43
16 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:04:05
17 Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:04:09
18 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:04:31
19 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:04:37
20 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:04:50

Tomorrow: 170 km from Sansepolcro to Firenze. The finish in Firenze will use part of the course of the  2013 UCI World Championship; see www.toscana2013.it for more information.

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