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Giro d'Italia's Bari finish goes to Nacer Bouhanni in damp squib Giro d'Italia's Bari finish goes to Nacer Bouhanni in damp squib
(34 minutes later)
The Giro d'Italia was wet in Ireland but on the race's return to home soil, the initial Italian stage, in Bari, proved a damp squib, with a rider protest over racing conditions causing most of the city centre finish circuits to be neutralised, and the rain causing a series of pile-ups in a chaotic finish in which the Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni took the first Grand Tour stage of his career.The Giro d'Italia was wet in Ireland but on the race's return to home soil, the initial Italian stage, in Bari, proved a damp squib, with a rider protest over racing conditions causing most of the city centre finish circuits to be neutralised, and the rain causing a series of pile-ups in a chaotic finish in which the Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni took the first Grand Tour stage of his career.
To add to a sense of anticlimax, the race started without Marcel Kittel, the winner of the first two stages in Ireland, after the German pulled out just before the start of the stage because of illness. The symptoms began apparently after his win in Dublin on Sunday, where his extreme effort left him prostrate after the finish.To add to a sense of anticlimax, the race started without Marcel Kittel, the winner of the first two stages in Ireland, after the German pulled out just before the start of the stage because of illness. The symptoms began apparently after his win in Dublin on Sunday, where his extreme effort left him prostrate after the finish.
"Yesterday [Monday] morning he said that he felt better but this morning at breakfast he had the same complaints and after a few check-ups with our team physician we saw that the fever had deteriorated," said his Giant-Shimano coach, Mark Reef. "Yesterday [Monday] morning he said that he felt better but this morning at breakfast he had the same complaints and after a few check-ups with our team physician we saw that the fever had deteriorated," said his Giant-Shimano coach, Mark Reef. Kittel's withdrawal will leave the sprint finishes in the rest of the Giro wide open but hopefully without the lottery element that marred Bari's big day.
Kittel's withdrawal will leave the sprint finishes in the rest of the Giro wide open but hopefully without the lottery element that marred Bari's big day. Bouhanni, runner-up on day one in Belfast, was the first beneficiary and indeed took advantage of a Giant lead-out train that should have been pulling Kittel. The stage finish was not the major issue on the race's first visit to Bari since 1990; what mattered most was the protest over the eight laps of a 8.25km circuit in the town, which made up half the 112km stage. "It was really slippery, everyone had a chat and decided to neutralise the race," said the Australian Mike Matthews, who retained the race lead. "Ireland was different; here it doesn't rain very much so the cities aren't used to it. It was the safest thing to do."
Bouhanni, the runner-up on day one in Belfast, was the first beneficiary and took advantage of a Giant lead-out train that should have been pulling Kittel. The stage finish was not the major issue on the race's first visit to Bari since 1990; what mattered most was the protest over the eight laps of a 8.25km circuit in the town, which made up half the 112km stage. "It was really slippery, everyone had a chat and decided to neutralise the race," said the Australian Mike Matthews, who retained the race lead. "Ireland was different; here it doesn't rain very much so the cities aren't used to it. It was the safest thing to do." When rain falls on urban roads, the accumulated oil from motor vehicles makes them particularly slippery, but in southern Italy this is exacerbated by the fact that roads can go months without being rained on to wash away the pollutants. The argument runs that a circuit race such as the one in Bari can thus be more dangerous compared to a normal stage on country roads.
When rain falls on urban roads, the accumulated oil from motor vehicles makes them particularly slippery, but in southern Italy this is exacerbated by the fact that roads can go months without rain to wash away the pollutants. The argument runs that a circuit race such as the one in Bari can thus be more dangerous compared to a normal stage on country roads. This is not the first time the Giro has been disrupted. In 2009 the riders refused to compete on an urban circuit in Milan that had been intended to be the showpiece of the centenary race and last year snow led to stages being amended in the final week. In Bari the decision was taken to take the times for the stage at the bell, so that the overall contenders did not have to risk their necks in the sprint, and the day's time bonuses were also cancelled.
This is not the first time the Giro has been disrupted. In 2009 the riders refused to compete on an urban circuit in Milan that had been intended to be the showpiece of the centenary race and last year snow led to stages being amended in the final week.
In Bari the decision was taken to take the times for the stage at the bell, so that the overall contenders did not have to risk their necks in the sprint, and the day's time bonuses were also cancelled.
The upshot was that the riders did not pick up speed until about 35km from the finish. The roads looked to have dried out but rain fell on the final lap, causing the entire Cannondale lead-out train to slide off on one bend; on the next, it was the turn of Sky to go down, meaning Ben Swift – who had started the stage in the red jersey of points leader – was unable to contest the finish.The upshot was that the riders did not pick up speed until about 35km from the finish. The roads looked to have dried out but rain fell on the final lap, causing the entire Cannondale lead-out train to slide off on one bend; on the next, it was the turn of Sky to go down, meaning Ben Swift – who had started the stage in the red jersey of points leader – was unable to contest the finish.
Three members of Giant, Bouhanni and a handful of others were the only ones left at the front, and even they ended up taking the last corners at walking pace. The confusion led to the Giant lead-out man, Tom Veelers, believing he was leading out their No2 sprinter, Luca Mezgec, but the Slovene had hit trouble on the final turn and it was Bouhanni in his slipstream, with the Frenchman taking full advantage. Three members of Giant, Bouhanni and a handful of others were the only ones left at the front, and even they ended up taking the last corners at walking pace. The confusion led to the Giant lead-out man, Tom Veelers, believing he was leading out their No2 sprinter, Luca Mezgec, but the Slovene had hit trouble on the final turn and it was actually Bouhanni in his slipstream, with the Frenchman taking full advantage.