Giro d'Italia 2016: Stage 8 Results, Overall Standings and Highlights
Etixx-Quick-Step’s Gianluca Brambilla took the biggest win of his career during Saturday's Stage 8 of the 2016 Giro d'Italia, finishing solo to take the stage and grabbing the lead in the overall standings in the process.
Former leader Tom Dumoulin of Giant-Alpecin struggled tremendously on Saturday, losing plenty of time on the favourites for the general classification, who finished as one big group a few minutes behind Brambilla.
The Italian's stage win was hardly ever in doubt, however, as he attacked from the breakaway during the final climb and cruised to the win.
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Here’s a look at the full stage results, courtesy of Sky Sports Cycling:
The latest overall standings:
Recap
Saturday’s stage, the last before the second time trial of this year’s Giro, was expected to shake up the general classification due to the presence of the Alpe di Poti.
With a maximum gradient of 14 per cent and a long stretch on gravel, the top contenders for the pink jersey knew they wouldn’t be able to take a decisive lead in the standings, but one mistake or some bad form would be enough to fall behind hopelessly.
Global Cycling Network took a look at the climb and came away impressed with both the tough stretches and the technical descent:
Per Cycling News, there were also reports of nails on the Strade Bianche, only adding to the challenge.
The stage profile was promising for breakaway riders, and unsurprisingly, a big group pushed forward early and was handed a substantial lead. Among the riders was Brambilla, who took the lead in the overall standings from Dumoulin early in the stage.
Dumoulin found himself in a third group behind the peloton and had to fight his way back to the other top contenders, but he was surrounded by team-mates and didn’t appear to waste too much energy.
The break of 13 worked together nicely, but with Brambilla riding among them, the peloton never let up entirely and kept racing for the stage win. Giant-Alpecin kept the pace high for Dumoulin, and Lotto-Soudal were happy to help at times.
Entering Arezzo, the break’s lead was down to just under four minutes, and with the peloton fast approaching, it didn't take long for Brambilla to place his attack on the dirt roads. In the background, the GC contenders didn't wait, either, with Alejandro Valverde of Movistar attacking as soon as the group reached the Strade Bianche.
Dumoulin missed the attack, as did Team Sky's Mikel Landa, and the likes of Astana's Vincenzo Nibali and Orica GreenEDGE's Esteban Chaves gladly combined forces with Valverde to increase their lead. Landa eventually made it back to the group, but as soon as he did, Valverde attacked again.
Newsweek's Teddy Cutler was impressed with the Spaniard:
Overall leader Dumoulin faded quickly, with several less-heralded riders passing him during the climb, and Eurosport's Felix Lowe was sure he would lose the pink jersey:
Nibali and Tinkoff's Rafal Majka put pressure on the top group, but it was Valverde who did most of the damage. At the front, Brambilla kept going well, reaching the summit with a lead of well over two minutes over Valverde's group.
AG2R's Matteo Montaguti chased after Brambilla but had to make up almost 30 seconds in the descent. Further back, Landa returned to the main group again to save his GC bid, while Dumoulin found himself isolated for the bulk of the climb and lost a minute before a team-mate found him.
Valverde, a superb technician, flew down the descent, and Nibali was one of the few top riders able to keep up. The other contenders pulled it back on the flat roads, however, and rather than attack again, they all worked together to increase their lead over Dumoulin.
Per Cycling News' Alasdair Fotheringham, the Dutchman was deeply disappointed after the stage:
"Looking at it now, we're going back to Plan A, and that was winning the time trials. Right now I'm just disappointed.
[...] Maybe it was just one bad day. Really I can't say right now, I'm just feeling weak from today. If I have the same legs as today [Saturday], I'm not going to win it, but I hope to recover well.
"
Dumoulin will have the chance to make up ground in the standings on Sunday, as he's the best pure time-trialist of the main contenders for this year's overall win. Nibali is also expected to blow the likes of Chavez and Valverde out of the water, although the latter appears in fantastic form.
The time trial will be followed by another rest day, so expect all of the riders to give it their best. The profile of Sunday's stage is anything but flat, so don't be shocked if a handful of top contenders lose minutes in the time trial.
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